2010 Dodge Challenger Review Summary
The 2010 Dodge Challenger, ranked 7.5 by ACG in the Muscle Cars class, is a great choice for consumers seeking a price sensitive return to the classic look of 1970s muscle cars. It is especially appealing to those who can accept a little less performance, agility, and fuel economy than that offered by competitors such as the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro. The 2010 Challenger is available in two trims, SE and R/T. As for performance, critics feel that the Challenger moves well for its size. The SE features a 3.5-liter V6 engine that creates 250 horsepower at 6,400 RPM and 250 pound-feet of torque at 3,800 RPM. The much more preferred R/T, however, comes with a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine that provides 372 horsepower at 5,200 RPM and 401 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 RPM. While the Challenger’s performance is more than adequate, the brawny vehicle makes its money on love at first sight. Indeed, nearly all reviewers note that the Challenger’s retro exterior is head turning. Its simple but audacious lines will easily attract auto enthusiasts yearning for yesteryear. It is worth noting, however, that both the Mustang and Camaro also offer classic muscle car looks. Despite the Challenger’s extremely appealing exterior, its interior has not wowed many reviewers. Although it is nice that the retro theme carries over into the cabin, the Challenger’s extremely dark colors and dull design leaves one feeling bored and uninspired. The Challenger’s interior features have not drawn a lot of comment from reviewers, but the navigation system, which runs through Dodge’s uConnect multi-media interface, has drawn praise for being user friendly. One area in which Dodge has Ford and Chevy easily beat when it comes to the interior, however, would be seating. Dodge has made sure that the Challenger has comfortable seating which can easily accommodate five passengers who can even be on the tall and heavyset side. Additionally, the Challenger’s cargo room also impresses when it comes to inside space. Its 16.2 cubic-feet of trunk space ties a sister vehicle, the Dodge Charger, for the most amount of cargo room in the muscle cars class. Overall, the 2010 Dodge Challenger offers a luxurious driving experience that, despite lower level performance, might force Mustang and Camaro lovers to at least think twice before making their selection
2010 Dodge Challenger Review Handling
Overall, the 2010 Challenger handles well for a car of its size and stature. That said, reviewers do have some worries about its steering and ability to handle sharp twists and turns. As one might expect of a muscle car, the Challenger is in its best environment when traveling in a straight line. According to critics, the Challenger’s brakes are fairly good and provide sure-footed stopping control. For consumers desiring fantastic athleticism and agility, however, the Challenger probably isn’t the best choice compared to both the Mustang and Camaro
2010 Dodge Challenger Review Safety
The Challenger has received excellent marks when it comes to safety. In tests conducted by the federal government, the car earned a perfect score of five stars in both front and side crash tests. In rollover tests, it received four stars. Additionally, the Challenger features a tremendous amount of quality standard safety equipment, such as advanced multistage airbags and supplemental side-curtain airbags. On the one downside, however, drivers do note some issues with visibility.
2010 Dodge Challenger Noteworthy
Compared to its rivals, the Challenger offers the most horsepower in the Muscle Cars class. For those who need some statistical performance reassurance, the Challenger R/T reached 60 miles per hour in 5.9 seconds in recent testing. These impressive numbers only put the Challenger a few ticks behind the Mustang GT and Camaro SS. Lastly, for those interested primarily in aesthetics, the Challenger is available in two new colors for 2010, Detonator Yellow and Plum Crazy.
