The 2021 Dodge Charger is a retro sedan with silly performance potential. Speed doesn’t go out of style. We’re not sure how the Dodge Charger gets stronger as it gets older. For 2021, the Charger gets an asphalt melting 797-horsepower variant that’s as irresponsible as it is powerful. That’s not a judgement on our part, just unbridled peak-power on Dodge’s. Like last year, the Charger is available in SXT, GT, R/T, Scat Pack, and SRT Hellcat trim levels. A SRT Hellcat Redeye is new this year and hugely powerful, all-wheel drive is available on SXT and GT cars with a V-6. Everything else gets rear-drive, a V-8, and a prolific thirst.The Charger is mechanically related to the Challenger coupe but adds two more doors and a bucketful of practicality over that car.
Retro hardly ever looks this good. We don’t care if it’s old-school, or just old. The 2021 Charger looks great with its all-American swagger and style. It’s long and wide, with just the right Coke-bottle shape and swole fenders in widebody guise. The Charger’s signatures are stupendous: every trim gets a unique grille, but they’re always black. The LED taillights are a halo ring that spans the width of the car with a decklid spoiler on nearly every trim level. It’s as subtle as a backward hat, but more effective. Inside, the Charger gets retro touches that we like. Top SRT Hellcat trims don’t disguise that they’re related to cars that cost less than half as much but do just enough to keep us entertained.
The Charger’s ace is a roster of entertaining V-8s. Looking for full-size fast with four doors for less than $100,000? There’s only one answer. The 2021 Dodge Charger is faster than it has any right to be. The base Charger V-6 is more common, but the Hellcat Redeye catapults the Charger into eye-watering territory. The standard V-6 is rated at 292 horsepower (300 hp with all-wheel drive or in GT versions) and like every Charger, it’s paired to an 8-speed automatic with a finicky shifter. The V-6 is not as athletic as the rest, but it’s fairly comfortable to drive and calm enough for fuss-free daily detail.
The V-8s are not. The first stop is a 5.7-liter V-8 that makes 370 hp and 395 lb-ft. It propels the Charger R/T from 0 to 60 mph in less than six seconds. It’s the starter V-8, and it makes all the right noises. The next stop is our pick for performance without too much compromise: a 6.4-liter V-8 that makes 485 hp and 475 lb-ft. It snaps off 0-60 mph runs in less than five seconds and has a perk: with optional adaptive dampers, it can button down each corner for better performance or let it go with a softer ride.
Hellcats are the last stop for drivers who want to be first in stoplight grands prix. A 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 is under the hoods of SRT Hellcats, and SRT Hellcat Redeyes and make 717 hp and 797 hp, respectively. They rocket from 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds or less and are prolifically thirsty. They’re rear-wheel drive only, and a handful to keep in a straight line even on a sunny day. They incinerate tires into smoke in a hurry, if you’re into that sort of thing. Compared to most full-size sedans, the Charger rides firmer and with more feeling. It’s not stiff, it’s just that most other full-sizers prioritize a floatier ride. A four-wheel independent suspension filters out some road imperfections, but adaptive dampers are the best solution for us.
Don’t expect great gas mileage from the 2021 Charger. The greenest 2021 Dodge Charger is the one you get painted that way. The full-sizer with a bevy of big V-8s is always parched unless it’s parked—it’s thirsty is what we’re saying. V-6 versions of the Charger are EPA rated at 19 mpg city, 30 highway, 23 combined. Adding all-wheel drive drops those to 18/27/21 mpg. That’s as good as it’ll get. The 5.7-liter V-8 asks for mid-grade and returns 16/25/19 mpg. The 6.4-liter V-8 needs premium instead, and its ratings are a lackluster 15/24/18 mpg. The Hellcats aren’t great, but since you asked, they rate 13/22/16 mpg.
Mostly good crash-test scores and available safety features keep the Charger current. Federal testers gave it a five-star overall score but gave it a four-star score for front crash safety. The IIHS gave it top “Good” marks on its crash tests but noted “Marginal” protection in the driver-side small overlap test. Its automatic emergency braking system was rated “Superior” at avoiding forward crashes, but it’s optional on all trims and absent on SRT Hellcat models. Adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitors, and active lane control are available as extra-cost packages too.
The Charger is more practical than the Challenger, but still has issues. Sensible is relative when it comes to muscle cars. Compared to the mechanically related Dodge Challenger, the four-door 2021 Charger comes in handy like zip ties and duct tape. Like the Challenger, the front seats of the Charger are plush and welcoming to big bodies. Shod in durable cloth upholstery or comfortable leather, the interior is tops for the front two seats. Behind the front two seats is room for two adults, with more than 40 inches of leg room. Head room isn’t an issue, but the seats are 1970’s pleather plush. The trunk space behind the second row is cavernous for a sedan: 16.5 cubic feet. The Charger’s materials inside range from fair to very good, although base sedans can reflect their comparatively low price.
The Charger has good features, but lacks standard automatic emergency braking. A long options list keeps the Charger fresh, even if it hasn’t much changed since last year. It’s offered in the same SXT, GT, R/T, R/T Scat Pack, and SRT Hellcat trims from last year, but an SRT Hellcat Redeye is new for this year. Every Charger gets at least a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, 17-inch wheels, cloth upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, and parking sensors. Some Chargers get more. Much more.
We’d spend up for a Scat Pack because we have less self-restraint than many toddlers. In addition to the 6.4-liter, 485-hp V-8, it gets 20-inch wheels, uprated brakes, performance goodies, an 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and heated front seats. Leather upholstery, a widebody package, adaptive dampers, and a 19-speaker audio system are available options. It’s also the last stop for optional automatic emergency braking which Hellcats lack completely. The SRT Hellcat Redeye is the Charger champ this year. In addition to its 797-hp V-8, the Hellcat Redeye gets a standard widebody exterior, 20-inch wheels, leather upholstery, performance upgrades, heated and cooled front seats, and an 8.4-inch screen. It’s hardly a value at more than $73,000—missiles aren’t a particularly good deal, either.
Regardless of trim, the 2021 Dodge Charger makes no excuses for its old school approach to the modern large sedan. It’s one of the few rear-wheel-drive sedans remaining that actually haul passengers in comfort. At the same time it retains all of the Charger hallmark’s you’ve come to expect; mind-blowing power, muscular styling, and grin-inducing engine sounds. The Charger is a rarity that deserves to be admired for its no-nonsense approach that Dodge continues to update and keep current with new technology.
