2015 Dodge Charger SXT drive

2015 Dodge Charger SXT V6 AWD Review

2015 Dodge Charger SXT drive
2015 Dodge Charger SXT V6 AWD Review
Pros
Plenty of cargo space
Styling update for 2015 looks good
Many upgrade options, incl. a 707 hp version
Cons
Could have more power in V6 model
Not much of a driver's car
Weak 18/27 mpg
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In the world of muscle cars, the Dodge Charger has a storied history and the most famous Chargers were Steve McQueen’s black nemesis in the movie Bullitt and of course the orange “General Lee” on the Dukes of Hazard show. The Dodge Charger made history again when Dodge brought back the iconic four-door as a 2006 model. Nine years later, Charger is still making headlines and it gets a complete update in 2015.

This past weekend we drove the full-size four-door muscle car out and test the 2015 Dodge Charger SXT V6 AWD variant and see how it performs.

What’s New for 2015?

For 2015, Dodge Charger gets thoroughly updated inside and out. It now features an eight-speed automatic transmission that comes standard across the lineup. All-wheel-drive is only offered on the V6 variant and new R/T Road & Track, R/T Scat Pack, SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat models join the stable. The 2015 Charger now features a host of new electronic driver aids and safety features.

Features and options

Charger SXT AWD ($32,995) features LED fog lights, dual-zone climate control, 19-inch aluminum wheels (AWD), 276-watt Alpine audio system with AM/FM/SiriusXM/Bluetooth, cloth sport seats, 12-way power driver seat, heated front seats, heated power mirrors, remote start, auto-dimming inside mirror and universal garage door opener.

This SXT tester came with optional Navigation ($995) that also included a rear backup camera, 8.4-inch touchscreen Uconnect Access, HD Radio and Sirius XM. It also came with Ivory Tri-Coat Pearl exterior paint ($500). Total MSRP including destination: $35,485.

2015 Dodge Charger SXT cabin

Exterior changes

We got many looks from other drivers this week as we motored around the streets of Denver. The 2015 Charger gets a new front-and rear-end styling and gives the Charger a sleeker appearance. We saw a few necks snap around from people who hadn’t seen the new styling changes. We like the new looks and so do my coworkers who commented they were especially impressed with the new front end.

Interior features

The cabin of the new Charger gets upgraded with higher-quality materials and comes with lots of soft-touch surfaces. Charger offers full-size room, plenty of high-tech features and practicality for hauling passengers and cargo. The 8-way power heated front seats are thick and the seating position is high which offers good visibility. The Charger’s raked rear roof does limit some visibility out the rear window.

The rear seats are also comfortable with plenty of leg and hip room. My two tall passengers did complain about that raked roof in the rear as they had to duck to get in the back door. The trunk is big enough for most cargo items and the rear seats fold down for extra cargo carrying ability if you don’t have rear seat passengers.

Engine and fuel mileage specs

The Charger SXT AWD comes with a 3.6-liter V6 powerplant that produces 292 hp and 260 lb ft of torque. It now comes mated to a sweet TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic transmission. EPA ratings are up to 18/27 mpg with AWD and 21 mpg combined fuel mileage. Consumers can only get all-wheel-drive ($3,000 extra) with the V6 and it’s the way to go if you live in cold climates.

2015 Dodge Charger SXT drive

Driving dynamics

2015 Charger offers V8 engine options and you can get crazy with the Charger Hellcat with a mind-numbing 707 hp. This Charger SXT V6 has enough power (292 hp) for driving enthusiasts and it rates a 7 out of 10 on the fun to drive meter. That’s good for a full-size sedan and it still does justice to its muscle car heritage. The fuel mileage is decent if you can keep your foot out of the gas. Of course we were pushing this Charger hard all weekend and got about 23 mpg combined in our mostly highway driving.

Charger SXT doesn’t provide dynamic performance, but for the average driving enthusiast, the V6 offers good performance with a controlled ride and there was minimal body lean as we powered through the tight mountain curves this week. The steering is precise and fast with electric power steering that can vary the effort automatically. We were impressed with the Chargers solid substantial feel on the road at high speeds that gives the driver an extra feeling of safety and confidence.

The V6 is the only engine offered on Charger with all-wheel drive. The system works well and powers the rear wheels unless more traction is needed in the front. This saves fuel and adds to the Chargers sporty feel. AWD operation is completely automatic and transparent, we simply selected Drive and go. We would recommend spending the extra $3,000 grand for the all-weather capabilities and superior dry road handling characteristics.

2015 Dodge Charger SXT rear

Conclusion:

If you don’t need all-out muscle car performance, the V6 with close to 300 hp is going to be agreeable for most driving enthusiasts. Charger SXT offers brisk acceleration and all-wheel-drive is available for better inclement weather propulsion. The 2015 Dodge Charger will carry four adults comfortably and child-seat in between if you have little ones. The 2015 Dodge Charger SXT is a balanced performer for dad with enough room and all the features a family will appreciate.

  1. Where to start? So I bought this car based on expert reviews. Do not trust them. This car is the prime example of what is wrong with the American auto industry. Great ideas that are poorly executed. The styling is kinda boring. The interior is a plastic sea of bland styling and afterthought pieces. Poor quality plastic at that. It’s as if they couldn’t think of anything to fill in the blandness so they just tried to rely on the gizmos to impress you.

    Speaking of gizmos, let’s start with the instrument cluster. It is a great looking instrument cluster. Very impressive actually. Reminds me of offerings from the German brands. It is also easy to navigate. There is hardly any reason for your hands to leave the steering wheel. It is clear they want your attention on driving. It probably also helps to keep your eyes out of the cockpit so you don’t notice how bad the interior really is. The seats are very comfortable and have many adjustments. You cannot change the color of the interior lighting like you can on the Ford system.

    The infotainment system is okay. Much better than the Ford Sync system. It is responsive and easy to navigate. I have also had to reset it nearly every time I drive it. The Uconnect system is honestly not worth the hassle. Trying to get my Samsung S5 and this system to cooperate is a pain. The app is straight up garbage. Wifi in the car is a joke. They also charge $40 per month for this “feature”. It just stops working after using it for any amount of time. The voice commands especially for the navigation is abysmal. It was bad in the Ford but so much worse in the Dodge. Don’t even bother to use the voice feature with the navigation. The navigation itself is okay. Seems to work as advertised. It is a superior system to Fords in this regard. The voice system is half baked at best. Seriously the worst system in the cars I have owned. Even Hyundai has a better system. It’s a complete waste.

    Now, let’s chat about the nuts and bolts. Power is supremely lacking for a supposed 300 hp V6. I live in Colorado and have 650 miles on the car and can tell you it is absolutely terrible on the power. My buddies 2008 Toyota Camry has better power. As a matter of fact the Audi A4 has a better feel to the power with an 80 hp deficit. I should have bought the Audi. Lessons learned.

    The AWD is infuriating. You wouldn’t think it would be as most cars with AWD just kinda leave it on. This car is ridiculous. The AWD stays off and leaves the car in RWD normally. If the temperature is 40° or lower the AWD comes on. If you run the wipers for an amount of time the AWD activates (that’s true). If you activate sports mode the AWD activates so now you can burn more gas with no real benefits at all. You don’t get more power. You don’t get better handling it just revs longer before shifting. Seriously, that’s it. If you turn off the traction control the AWD activates. If you use the paddle shifters the AWD activates. In manual mode the AWD activates. It is so stupid to leave the driver no control over the system. For instance, if I want to downshift going down a hill the car will throw on the AWD and then I can burn more gas for no reason. Or if it’s cold and dry out I am killing my MPG with the AWD for literally no reason at all because it is 39° outside. This car allows no fun at all because of the half baked idea with the traction control and “sport” mode. What is wrong with the ding dongs at Dodge? This system makes no sense. Don’t even try to drive it aggressively, it will kill your fun quick.

    It handles like a grandpa boat. That’s all I can say about that.

    Oh and when I tried to take this terrible car back I had discovered it depreciated $10,000.00!!!! All within 250 miles of driving it. I expected $5000 or even $8000 and frankly would have paid it just to be rid of this awful car. But $10,000? Seriously!?!

    Best I can do is warn others to stay away. Please learn from my stupidity. Do not even consider this car. It is the worst possible decision to purchase this car and I regret it immensely.

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