A four door sedan with nearly 300 horsepower ought to be a pretty stout performer, a “charger” if you will. Dodge’s V6-powered Charger Rallye Plus isn’t.
Though its 3.6 liter six produces a respectable 260 lb-ft. of torque, it’s not enough to get the 4000 pound Charger Rallye Plus moving with authority from a stop or when rolling. The Charger Rallye Plus runs a real-world 7.5 second 0 to 60 mph time. That means that when you’re behind the wheel of a big butch “Toxic Orange” Rallye Plus with its optional chrome 18 inch wheels, you’d better not run up against grandmom in her V6-powered Toyota Camry at the stoplight. She’ll dust you as will V6 Honda Accord drivers and four cylinder turbo Hyundai Sonata drivers. They’ll also get better mileage and they can probably spin the front tires at will while you’ll be lucky to chirp the Rallye Plus’ rears. From a performance and perception standpoint, this big Dodge doesn’t charge – it ambles.
The fact that the Charger is, for now, slayed with Chrysler’s aged five-speed automatic transmission doesn’t help. Dodge calls the trans “AutoStick” for its automanual function, actuated by moving the shifter side to side for upshifts/downshifts. Fail.
When will Chrysler and other makers uniformly configure their console-shifter automanual actuation the way sequential racing and motorcycle transmissions do – forward for downshifts, backward for upshifts? Work with the longitudinal g-force people!
A seven-speed autobox wouldn’t hurt the Charger but wouldn’t make up for its bulk which is noticeable everywhere. Turn-in and you feel the Dodge’s weight. Brake to a stop, you feel the weight. Pull out to pass, boot the accelerator, and you feel the weight. With the engine and brakes essentially over-matched, you can expect lower true mpg than the EPA estimate (I saw 18 to 19 mpg) and likely a shorter interval between required brake pad changes than manufacturer spec.
The optional 18 inch wheels and wider tires do help make the Rallye Plus a competent handler but understeer is always a couple miles an hour faster away. The steering is refreshingly direct though there’s little feel. The Charger’s size certainly lends it presence but also makes it harder to place when bombing two-lane twisties or gliding through crowded parking lots. The size does net you a 19.1 gallon fuel tank ensuring 400-plus mile range on the highway.
The exterior is an improvement on the previous Charger. The scalloped sides, scowling fascia and dual-intake hood imply muscle and attitude that theSRT8 with its 470 hp Hemi and Brembo brakes can back up. You’ll pay $4000 over a base Charger for the Rallye Plus which sports the same look without the same bite.
You will enjoy more content however and an interior redesign that steps away from the Charger’s plastic mail-bin past. Two tone black and tan (red or black too) leather clothe the cockpit and seats. The dash is massive, all the better to accommodate the big 8.4 inch touch screen display. Large, handsome dials occupy the instrument binnacle with a digital information display in between. HVAC controls are straightforward and easy to reach for. Touch screen operations including optional navigation are reasonable though I’m still not a fan of these interfaces. The big screen does make reading the map and entertainment/vehicle info easy though.
Front seat comfort is fine though it took a lot of fiddling to get the right lumbar support. Rear seat room is not quite what I’d expect given the Charger’s size; legroom and headroom will be tight for those approaching and above six feet tall. Overall the new soft-touch materials are in line with the price and I have to admit the Charger’s trunk pass through and folding rear seats give the sedan serious surfboard/snowboard hauling chops as the photo of my 10’6” longboard illustrates.
You can look at the Charger Rallye Plus as a base Charger with greater amenities and the athletic SRT look for a relatively modest price – the footwear equivalent of a Sketcher. Or you could see the Rallye Plus as a faux running shoe, a $33,000 Charger that hits 60 mph about 3 seconds later than the real-dealSRT8, offers less lateral grip, manages just two mpg better on average, and lacks a Hemi soundtrack.
While it looks like a Nike Lunarglide running shoe (right down to the orange color), the Dodge Charger Rallye Plus is really a walking shoe.
The Specs
Price as tested: $33,660
Engine: 292 horsepower 3.6 liter V6
Curb Weight: 3961 pounds
Fuel Economy: 18 city/27 highway
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