Comparing the Dodge Challenger and Charger

When you come to Victorville Motors looking for a muscle car, we’ll gladly point you to the 2023 Dodge Challenger and 2023 Dodge Charger. This is the final year that either vehicle will be available in its current incarnation. The Challenger has two doors and the Charger has four but both seem equally desirable, so which one will you choose? The following comparisons can help.

Power

As its standard, the Charger boasts a 3.6-liter V6 that puts out up to 300 horsepower and 264 lb.-ft. of torque. While this motor acts as a standard for the Challenger, performance goes up slightly at 303 horsepower and 268 lb.-ft. of torque. Both models use rear-wheel drive and an 8-speed automatic transmission with overdrive.

At the top end, the Charger uses a 6.4-liter HEMI® V8 that roars with 485 horsepower and 475 lb.-ft. of torque, more than enough to make every journey a thrill ride. However, if you’re after more excitement, the Challenger obliges with a 6.2-liter Supercharged HEMI® V8 that dominates with 797 horsepower and 707 lb.-ft. of torque.

Trims

Both models celebrate their history with special touches. The Challenger dons a commemorative plaque under the hood to show the current generation’s final year. The Charger also has “Last Call” plaques. For both models, the R/T trims include a “345” badge on the front fender to honor the HEMI® V8s under the long hood with a scoop.

The trim levels for the Challenger consist of the SXT, GT, R/T, R/T Scat Pack, and R/T Scat Pack Widebody. The Charger gets the same trims but drops the R/T from the highest level trims, calling them simply Scat Pack and Scat Pack Widebody. Colors from the past will highlight the exterior of both models, including Plum Crazy, Sublime Green, and B5 Blue.

The Challenger tops out with the SRT Hellcat, which includes the Base, Jailbreak, Widebody, Widebody Jailbreak, Redeye Jailbreak, Redeye, Jailbreak, Redeye Widebody, and Super Stock trims. While all include the previously mentioned 6.2-liter HEMI® V8, performance starts at 717 horsepower. Only the Super Stock boasts the maximum at 807 horsepower and 707 lb.-ft. of torque.

Interior

The interiors of both the Challenger and Charger are functional rather than luxurious. The Challenger has more legroom up front at 42 inches but less rear legroom at 33 inches. The Charger has 41 inches of legroom in the front and 40 inches in the rear. The Charger also has slightly more cargo room at 16.5 cu. ft. compared to 16.2 cu. ft. for the Challenger.

Infotainment is fairly similar in both models. Starting trims get a 7.0-inch touchscreen that expands to 8.4 inches in the highest trim levels. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard for integrating compatible smartphones. You can then make phone calls and receive text messages on the highway.

Both start off with a six-speaker audio system. However, the premium audio system on the charger comes with 19 speakers compared to 18 speakers for the Challenger.

Safety

These muscle cars come with plenty of smarts, as evidenced by the following driver assists, which both share:

•  Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning tells you if you’re getting too close to the vehicle in front of you. The Charger adds Active Braking to stop your vehicle before a collision occurs.
•  Adaptive Cruise Control keeps a safe gap between you and the next car by adjusting your speed automatically as traffic conditions change.
• The Blind Spot Monitoring System makes lane changes safer by alerting you to any incursions into your blind zone. The Challenger includes a Rear Cross Traffic Alert to warn about any vehicles crossing your reverse route as you back out of a parking spot.
• The ParkView® Rear Back-Up Camera shows what’s behind you when you go into slow-speed reverse.
• The ParkSense® Rear Park Assist System lets you know how close you’re getting to an obstacle behind you when you back into a spot. Its Ready Alert Braking prepares the brakes for an emergency stop when they detect the quick release of the accelerator pedal.

What to Choose?

Both cars are fairly similar but if you want more power, the 2023 Dodge Challenger moves ahead. If you’re using the vehicle to carry more people, such as a family or carpool, the four doors of the 2023 Dodge Charger make entering and exiting more convenient. Before you make a final selection, test drive them both at our dealership in Victorville, CA.