Embiggen days: Rental Review- Dodge Challenger R/T

"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee) 02/13/2020 at 14:00 • Filed to: Review, Embiggen this

19

35

As literally a dozen of you may know from !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , I unexpectedly got a Hemi Chally as a rental this week. I took the car on just about every type of road there is and I am now going to attempt to review it while battling sleep deprivation at the airport.

[Originally posted May 2019]

Exterior: 9/10

It’s big. It’s black. It’s imposing. It’s got yellow bumper guards that you dummies are gonna give me shit about in the comments.

Interior: 7/10

Internet pic because I didn’t take one

I gotta say, I’ve been consistently impressed with the modern Dodge interiors that I’ve been in (Chally, Dart, Journey). I think they have the best non-premium interiors on the market. Clean, well laid out, and free of fuss. I like.

Two niggles: while the foam rubber material on the dash and doors is nice, there’s just way too much of it. I think the dash lowers should have been done in leatherette like the center console or even the textile that’s on the door cards just to break it up a bit.

The biggest issue, though, is that there’s no good place to put your phone besides a cupholder or the center console bin. In this day and age it’s just stupid for an automaker to omit a tray or slot for a phone.

Engine: 10/10

Heehee motor make big noise go vroom

Ride: 5/10

To keep the bulk in check, the car has wide, rubber band tires and stiff suspension. This makes the ride mucho jiggly (but not completely uncomfortable) over things like expansion joints or those old roads where tree roots push up the pavement. I felt like a bowl of Jello balanced on a Brazilian Samba dancer’s ass. It’s good on the highway though.

Handling:

I-40 east out of Asheville is a sketchy descent. I passed numerous trucks that had had to stop to let their brakes cool and even a truck going up the mtn that had overheated and caught fire!

Not even gonna discuss that because it’s a damn muscle car. It shuffled well enough but you’re very aware of the size and weight.

Other thoughts:

[insert Too Damn High meme] The eight speed automatic is too many speeds. It’s fine if you’re cruising in full automatic mode on the highway, but if you want to drive in manual mode it’s annoying. The gears are so close that at any given moment there’s three that the car would feel comfortable in so you’re always hunting around unsure of where you should be.

Sound system was good. Not amazing, but good enough that I wouldn’t pay the extra to get whatever the premium option is.

Tall gears and cylinder deactivation do wonders for economy. I had it reporting 27mpg on an all-highway stint, and my average for the whole 700 miles I had it was 21. That’s almost as good as my DD that has less than half the displacement.

The cylinder deactivation feature however is a bit unrefined, or specifically the re-activation. If you mash the pedal to pass it activates the cylinders, pumps the throttle, and downshifts all at the same instant. This leads to what feels like an explosion coming from the tailpipe and a good amount of driveline shunt. It makes you giggle once or twice but if you’re not in the mood for that it gets annoying. I think if you spaced those events out by half a second or so each it would be a lot smoother.

Driving a muscle car completely changes your perception of the world. Everything passes through this filter that makes you relate it back to being in a muscle car. Oh, they’re hanging back instead of passing? They must wanna witness me do a pull. That person’s looking at me! I bet they wanna hear it rev. Oh hey look a Camaro! Let’s pull up alongside him and see if he gives me a nod of approval.

I finally get muscle cars. I’ve always liked them but now I GET them. They exist solely to boost your self-esteem. I have never felt cooler than when driving this Challenger.

Final verdict:

13/10 it’s a good car, Bront

WilliamsSW > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/04/2019 at 09:02

2

The rental car company seriously left those yellow things o n ?

Ok that fad has officially jumped the shark.

Well technically it did that as soon as the 2nd guy did that...

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/04/2019 at 09:04

2

I have driven only the R/T charger, never a challenger. That 5.7Hemi is a gem and I am considering one for my next car

Looks like the Challenger is also a great GT car in addition to being a muscle car based on your review. 18 or 19" wheels and taller rubber should help it get a better ride on the highway.

Nibby > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/04/2019 at 09:16

0

how much does it weigh

Ash78, voting early and often > WilliamsSW 05/04/2019 at 09:27

3

The rental company probably did it by accident, the way your grandpa might leave the tags hanging off his baseball cap in case he wants to return it.

Read about this trend and more in my new book, Unintentional Dopeness

Ash78, voting early and often > Nibby 05/04/2019 at 09:28

4

All the pounds.

WilliamsSW > Ash78, voting early and often 05/04/2019 at 09:32

2

Surely you know the history behind people leaving the tags on their hat, right? It was all an attempt to imitate this woman:

TheRealBicycleBuck > Ash78, voting early and often 05/04/2019 at 09:35

3

It was probably intentional. They often leave the passenger side airbag tags on the car and hide them by flipping them into the glove box. The yellow guards protect the front lip. It’s just a bonus that  they’ve become a fashion statement. 

Ash78, voting early and often > WilliamsSW 05/04/2019 at 09:38

1

Good gracious, old man, I was going to say something about  Minnie Pearl but didn’t want to confuse the kids!

/s

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time 05/04/2019 at 09:39

0

Th e seats could be an inch wider for my fat ass but that’s just me. For others they’re quite comfortable.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Nibby 05/04/2019 at 09:50

0

At least five

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/04/2019 at 09:54

1

As the kids would say these days, it is chonk.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 05/04/2019 at 10:03

3

She thicc. O lawd she comin’. Big  chungus.

Alfalfa > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/04/2019 at 10:08

5

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

That’s your reminder that this car was designed over a decade ago.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Alfalfa 05/04/2019 at 10:16

0

Th e interior was completely new for 2015. The original interior from 2008 had a slot that worked for phones...

HoustonRunner > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/04/2019 at 10:20

1

Seriously, do kids say those things?  My oldest is 12 so maybe not in her lexicon yet.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > HoustonRunner 05/04/2019 at 10:26

1

It'll start soon.

fhrblig > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/04/2019 at 10:38

3

I will have one of these at some point. I like lots of different cars, but the Challenger is the only car I really have a strong want for.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > fhrblig 05/04/2019 at 10:44

3

As I have previously posted, it makes your penis bigger so it’s a win-win. You get a coo l car and more girth.

Nibby > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/04/2019 at 10:53

1

damn, thicc

My bird IS the word > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/04/2019 at 11:53

2

I wi ll agree on the self esteem. Question is, does that make me shallow? Or is the fact that I can ask that question mean I am ok?

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > HoustonRunner 05/04/2019 at 11:56

1

Yes, it will start soon.

fintail > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/04/2019 at 11:59

1

Imagine these tires and suspension on smooth Chicagoland streets:

I definitely get “they are looking at me, they must want to hear/see it roar”.   Did that a few times.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > My bird IS the word 05/04/2019 at 12:13

2

As long as you don't start acting like a muscle car driver while out of the car you're fine.

Chariotoflove > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/04/2019 at 12:34

4

I too was surprised to find how much I like those interiors. I sat in a challenger at the dealer.  It had blue stitching over black. It was awesome. I really like the gauge cluster. 

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Chariotoflove 05/04/2019 at 12:37

3

I LOVED the interior of the Dart I drove a few years ago. Perfect blend of chic, sporty, and functional. And I gotta say Uconnect is so far the best infotainment system I’ve used.

Chariotoflove > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/04/2019 at 12:48

3

The Dart got a top 10 interiors award. 

fhrblig > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/04/2019 at 13:43

1

Speaking of girth, we just saw a beautiful Fatstang go by while we were getting gas. I love Fatstangs. I love Big-Ass Javelins too. Girth just makes everything better.

Future Heap Owner > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/04/2019 at 17:15

1

Mmmm that tunnel noise.

i86hotdogs > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/06/2019 at 08:25

1

The Dart looked great, but felt really cramped inside. More cramped than it’s 200 brother. My decision was between a Dart and 200, and went with the 200 for better fuel economy and room.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > i86hotdogs 05/06/2019 at 09:31

3

It felt no more cramp ed than other cars in its class I’ve been in. It is a compact car after all.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Nibby 08/20/2019 at 17:00

0

Same as a top model Camaro, slightly less than a top model Mustang....

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/13/2020 at 14:16

1

No place to put your phone? More than a niggle. That’s an automatic 7 -point deduct on the interior . And where’s the section of your review about burnouts?

My bird IS the word > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/13/2020 at 14:33

1

It sounds egotistical, but damn if muscle doesn’t make you feel cool. I can agree. Its tough to beat.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 02/13/2020 at 16:44

0

Al as, I was restricted to public roadways.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/13/2020 at 17:36

0

And...?