First Drive: 2013 Dodge Charger SRT-8 Super Bee

The Dodge Charger served as Dodge's entry in the muscle car market from 1966 to 1978. It was a front engine, rear-wheel drive mid-size two door coupe. In February 2005, Dodge revealed a new full-size sedan to replace the Dodge Intrepid. Dodge decided to bring back the Charger name. With the new Charger comes a Charger SRT-8 powered by a hemi V8. In 2010, the second generation of the Charger came out. Starting in 2012, SRT got its hands on the second generation Charger. I first was the second generation Dodge Charger SRT-8 at the 2012 Houston Auto Show. At the 2013 Houston Auto Show, I got a change to take one out for a test drive. The version I drove is the 2013 Dodge Charger SRT-8 Super Bee. This was one of two SRT vehicles available for test drives. You have to first drive a non SRT Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Ram, or Fiat before getting into one of the two SRT vehicles.

The Charger SRT-8 Super Bee has an aggressive styling. It starts with the front bumper, grill, and headlights. It looks mean. The is a rear spoiler that does not hinder visibility when looking at the rear view mirror. I have driven some cars where the rear spoiler hinders visibility when looking at the rear view mirror. The yellow paint job with black trapezoids on the hood. The Charger has a sporty interior. No leather seats are in the Super Bee. The seats are covered with an exclusive Z-stripe cloth with the Super Bee logo on the headrests. The are two gauges and a screen behind the steering wheel. I had a good amount of head room and leg room behind the wheel. The seat was comfortable, especially for a performance vehicle.

The Dodge Charger SRT-8 Super Bee is powered by a 6.4L hemi V8, paired with a five-speed automatic transmission with manual shifting mode, that produces 470 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4,2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 178 mph. The Charger felt fast, for the few seconds I could unleash the Charger. I was behind a very slow driver and every time I gave myself some distance, I caught up. This was frustrating because I wanted to test the power and acceleration of the Super Bee, but I just could never give myself some room because the person test driving the Chevrolet Spark in front of me was driving very slowly. As far as drive quality, the Charger has a smooth ride. The Charger also has responsive handling. It was also very quiet inside the Charger as well. This is a good ride, I just wish I was not behind a very slow driver.

Overall, the Dodge Charger SRT-8 Super Bee is a great muscle car. It is quick, fast, and comfortable. The Dodge Charger is available with a 3.6L V6 engine for people who want a good full-size sedan ideal for everyday driving. For those who want a four-door sedan for both everyday driving and track days, the Super Bee is the ideal car. A Dodge Charger SRT-8 Super Bee will set you back $43,450, but that is a great value for what you get. If you are in the market for a full-size sedan that is practical and fun to drive, give the Super Bee a test drive. There was another SRT vehicle available for test drive, and when I was in that car, I did not have a very slow driver in front of me.


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First Drive: 2013 Dodge Challenger SXT

The first time Dodge used the Challenger was in 1959 with the Dodge Silver Challenger, a two door coupe that only came in silver and was available with either a six-cylinder or eight-cylinder engine. The first generation was produced from 1970 to 1974, serving as Dodge's entry in the pony car market, competing with the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. The Challenger shared the Chrysler E-Body platform with the Plymouth Barracuda. 165,437 first generation Challengers were sold. The second generation Challenger was sold from 1978 to 1983. It was a rebadge Mitsubishi Galant Lambda. The second generation Challenger was a subcompact two-door coupe. It was available with either a 1.6L I4 engine or a 2.6L I4 engine. On February 6, 2008, Dodge debuted the third generation Challenger at the Chicago Auto Show. For the 2008 model year, the Challenger were only SRT-8s and came with a 6.1L Hemi V8 and a five-speed automatic transmission. Starting in 2009, more options and trim levels were available for the Challenger. After years of seeing Challengers at various Houston car events, I was able to drive one at the 2013 Houston Auto Show. The version I drove featured a 3.6L V6 and an automatic transmission. The Challenger I drove is also a front-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door pony car with a 2+2 seating arrangement. Since it did not have a V8 engine, I cannot classify the car I drove as a muscle car.

The Dodge Challenger has a retro styling. It looks like a modern day version of the first generation Challenger. The Challenger has a sporty, aggressive styling. It is  The Challenger has a small spoiler on the edge of the trunk lid, which I prefer over a large wing. I like the design of the hood. It is not flat like most cars. Since the version I drove was a Challenger SXT Plus, there are fog lights in the lower part of the front bumper. The interior is nothing special. The seats are comfortable. I had a good amount of head room and leg room behind the wheel. There is space for rear passengers.

The Challenger I drove is powered by a 3.6L V6, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission with a manual shifting mode, that produces 305 hp and 268 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 114 mph. The Challenger SXT has a comfortable ride. The car drove smoothly along the test route. The Challenger is also responsive when I turn the steering wheel, push the accelerator pedal, and press the brake pedal. The Challenger has a good drive quality. It has good performance, while being comfortable to sit in. Prices for the Challenger SXT start at $25,795.

Overall, the Challenger is a good car. It is comfortable behind the wheel while having good performance. This is the base model and is good for everyday driving. If you want more power and performance and want a V8 engine instead of a V6, then go with either the Challenger R/T and Challenger SRT-8, both being available with Hemi V8 engines. The only thing Dodge needs to do is to improve the interior of the Challenger. The Challenger's interior is nothing special and is very similar to interiors found in other Dodges. Dodge and Chrysler should put a sportier interior into the Challenger, something that compliments the retro sporty exterior styling of the Challenger. But if you are looking for a good pony to use as an everyday driver, give the Dodge Challenger SXT a test drive.

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First Drive: 2013 Dodge Dart GT

The Dodge Dart made its debut at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. The new Dart is based on a slightly enlarged Fiat Compact platform. The Fiat Compact platform is used in the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, but is enlarged by 1.5 inches in width and with a 3.7 inch longer wheelbase. The Dodge Dart is a front-engine, front-wheel drive four door compact sedan. The last Dodge compact sedan was the Dodge Neon and Dodge Neon SRT-4, which were discontinued in 2005. I have driven the Dodge Dart back in 2012, one with a 2.0L I4 engine that produces 160 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque. The Dart is also available with a turbocharged 1.4L I4 engine that produces 160 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. The Dart GT comes with a 2.4L I4 engine.  I recently went down to Helfman Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM (professional new car sales team and great service) and took a 2013 Dodge Dart GT for a test drive. The Dodge Dart GT comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission. The version I drove came with a six-speed automatic transmission with Chrysler's Autostick that allows for clutchless manual shifting.

As far as the compact sedans go, the Dodge Dart has the most aggressive styling to it. The dart has sleek body lines and a beautifully shaped hood. The Dart GT has LED racetrack tailamps, black headlamp bezels, day light opening moldings, body color door handles, hyper black crosshair with black surround on the grill, and 18 inch aluminum wheels. These additions help enhance the Dart's exterior. The Dart is well equipped on the interior. The Dart GT includes a reverse camera, a 7 inch thin film transfer instrument cluster display, Chrysler's 8.4 inch Uconnect touch media center that includes AM/FM/Sirius XM radio, Bluetooth connectivity, climate control, and customized settings. The Dart GT also 10 airbags and the version I drove has blind spot and rear cross path detection. The version I drove also had Nappa leather seats with heated front seats and a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel. The Dart is spacious on the inside. The Dart boasts best-in-class shoulder and hip room plus more rear seat legroom and overall interior room than some mid-size cars. The Dart has a great interior and a roomy interior.

The Dart GT is powered by a 2.4L I4 engine that produces 184 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 8.3 seconds and reaches a top speed of 130 mph. With the 2.4L engine, the Dart feels faster and has better throttle response than the 2.0L version. It has better performance than most compact sedans. On the roads and highways, the Dart GT has a quiet, smooth ride. The Dart GT responds well when I turn the steering wheel. Prices for the Dart GT starts at $20,995, not including the $995 destination charge. The version I test drove cost $25,520, which includes a $995 destination charge. 

Overall, the Dodge Dart GT is a great value. It has good power and performance, especially for a compact sedan. The Dart GT also has a roomy interior with a great infotainment system. The Uconnect system is AOL Autos' 2012 Technology of the Year. The Dart GT benefits greatly from the Uconnect 8.4 system. Compared to other cars in its class, the Dart GT has one of the most power engines in its class and has best-in-class shoulder and hip room. Also, the Dart GT benefits from an aggressive styling. The leather seats and leather steering wheel give the Dart GT a luxurious feel. All this for starting at just under $22,000. The Dart GT is a great car at a great value. 

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First Drive: 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T

The Dodge Challenger first went into production in 1969 as a mid-size pony car. It was designed to compete against the Chevrolet Camaro and the Ford Mustang. Production run of the original Challenger ended in 1974. The Challenger name came back in 1978 as a rebadged Mitsubishi Galant Lambda. Its production run ended in 1983. On February 6, 2008, Chrysler debuted the Dodge Challenger SRT8, which was powered by a 6.1L Hemi V8 engine. For the 2009 model year, the Challenger lineup was expanded to include a V6 engine and a 5.7L Hemi V8 engine. One thing lacking for the Challenger was technology. At the 2014 New York International Auto Show, Dodge unveiled the 2015 Dodge Challenger and the 2015 Dodge Charger. On September 1, 2014, I was able to get behind the wheel of a 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T. The one I drove came with the all new eight-speed automatic transmission. A six-speed manual transmission is available on all Hemi powered Challengers.

The 2015 Dodge Challenger got a styling update from the previous model year. The 2015 Challenger features a new grille with design cues from 1970-1974 model, quad LED "Halo Ring" head lights, LED tail lights, and a functional hood intake on all Hemi models. The interior is redesigned as well. Available is an 8.4" touchscreen, retro styled gauge cluster, ventilated seats, and a 7" TFT display. Also available for the Challenger is blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and a reverse camera. The Challenger I drove was the Challenger R/T that had a 5.0" touchscreen, a reverse camera, projector fog lamps, high performance brakes, performance steering, 20" hyper black aluminum wheels, rear body-color spoiler, and steering wheel paddle shifters.

The 2015 Dodge Challenger is powered by a 5.7L Hemi V8 that produces 372 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. It can go from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. The Challenger R/T is a quick vehicle. It also has good steering response, braking response, and throttle response. Turning on sport mode improves the overall driving experience. Compared to the previous model year, the 2015 Challenger is more comfortable to drive. Dodge improved the seat comfort. The addition of the eight-speed transmission greatly improves the ride quality. The shifts are smoother, which help give the 2015 Challenger R/T a smoother ride. Prices for the 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T start at $32,490. Adding the eight-speed automatic transmission increases the price by $1,400. The version I drove has an MSRP of $34,585. The Challenger is reasonably priced. It has performance and comfort.

Overall, the 2015 Dodge Challenger is a huge step up for the previous Challengers. Changing the lights to LEDs helps with the styling. The interior is greatly improved. Going with the Uconnect 5.0/Uconnect 8.4AN instead of the 130/430N/730N infotainment systems helps with user friendliness. Plus the eight-speed automatic transmission greatly improves the ride quality. I love how smoothly the transmission shifts. The 2015 Challenger is also available with a reverse camera and blind spot monitoring system, which is needed in a sports car. The one issue with the Camaro, Mustang, and Challenger is blind spots. Adding the blind spot monitoring system will help make the Challenger safer on the roads and freeways. If you need more performance, there is still the Challenger R/T Scat Pack and the Challenger SRT, both with a 6.4L Hemi V8 engine that produces 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque. Available in 2015 will be the Challenger SRT Hellcat, which gets 707 hp for a supercharged 6.2L Hemi V8 engine.

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