2009 Dodge Challenger - Review

By Nelson Ireson

Nelson Ireson

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Nelson is an Editor at High Gear Media focusing on reviewing cars and covering the hottest topics in luxury and performance cars, car culture, and... More

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2009 Dodge Challenger R/T

Some of the most comfortable seats anywhere, short of Chrysler’s SRT8 offerings - which approach La-Z-Boy comfort despite their bolsters - are found up front. The rear seats leave a lot to be desired for those with legs below their knees, but are perfectly suitable for children and smaller adults.

Technical
Firing up the engine rewards all within earshot with a rumble and bark as the computer revs the engine to about 2,000rpm. The 5.7L Hemi V8, though not a true Hemi in the sense of having perfectly hemispherical combustion chambers, is still a very American-sounding and feeling engine. A low 6,250rpm redline makes for quick runs through the gears, and the abundant low-end torque makes every last rev enjoyable.

Flicking through the gears is easy once you get accustomed to the pistol-grip shifter, part of the Track Pak along with an LSD. It’s canted at a natural angle to make it fall easily to hand, and the index-finger notch makes it easy to grab quickly under hard acceleration. The action of the shifter is a bit heavier than a sports car’s, and it’s definitely notchy by most standards, but it has little slop or play and shifts can be made confidently once its quirks are learned.

A 1st-4th gear skip-shift feature engages at part throttle and low speed, making around-towning easy and, fitting with the overall theme of the vehicle, comfortable. When you want to spice things up a bit, however, it shifts in a traditional H-pattern.

Put the boot to it and the rears will light up with ease, though it’s a totally controllable motion thanks to the very effective and even-tempered rear differential. The big, sticky rubber certainly doesn’t hurt though it might cause some pain in the hip region when going into the shop to replace the rapidly balding rears -our car was outfitted with the 20in optional wheels. Those sporting the stock 18in units need not fear the burnouts as much.