2013 Dodge Charger

The 2013 Dodge Charger comes in three primary trim levels : SE, SXT, and SXT Plus. Although every trim emphasizes performance, the level of luxury varies as you go higher on trim. SE comes with features such as cruise control, keyless entry, and ignition, a power driver seat, push button start, and manual tilt and telescopic steering wheel. The SXT improves upon by adding bigger wheels and adding more comfort features such as remote ignition, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, and an updated infotainment system. 

The SXT Plus tops out by loading heated rear seats, more power adjustment options for the front seats, better ambient lighting, and updated leather upholstery. Various other packages such as Super Track Pak, Rallye Appearance Group, or Blacktop package are also available which as their name suggests loads performance and visual upgrades.

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The best option to go for is the SXT trim. Pay $30,000 and you get a vehicle that not only improves upon the base trim by having a bigger set of features but also amplifies Charger’s performance by loading an eight-speed automatic transmission which is far superior to the standard five-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system for better control. 

Performance is Dodge’s main quality. The base trim is powered by a 3.6 Liter V6 engine which can produce 292 horsepower and a torque of 260 lb-ft. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a five-speed automatic transmission. However, according to us, going for an eight-speed automatic transmission is a better decision. Regardless, the base engine can move the charger from 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds and can finish a quarter-mile in 14.9 seconds.

Pick SXT and you unlock the all-wheel-drive system which certainly notches up the overall driving experience. Picking up the Blacktop package which is only given on SXT and SXT Plus enables engine and exhaust tweaks results in increased horsepower from 292 to 300hp. 

cold air induction, sport-tuned exhaust along, and a sports mode is also added to the package. You can also avail of the Rallye Appearance package which offers the same additions. 

Although the standard engine of Charger is pretty good on the road, compared to its rivals, it easily surpasses Taurus but is slower than both Chrysler 300 and Chevrolet Impala. However, its rivals can’t offer the same aggressive driving experience as Charger which is a plus point. With the highest power output, the competitors from the Chevrolet are standing in the first place. 

Powerful engines come with average fuel economy. But the story changes here as the standard V6 engine of the 2013 Dodge Charger offers decent fuel economy. It returns a mileage of 18 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highways, and 31 mpg when combined. On top of that Dodge loaded the Charger with a 19.1 gallons fuel tank which is pretty good and results in decent driving range; making it a good choice for daily usage as well as for long route trips. The cranked-up V6 engine somehow offers similar numbers making it a viable option.

When the Charger is stacked against its rivals, you will find it losing behind the others as all three offer better fuel economy. The least fuel consumption is observed in the Chrysler 300 which offers one mpg and 4 mpg more in the city and on the highway as compared to the Dodge Charger. Then we have the Impala which is following 300’s lead. Lastly, in the second last position, Ford Taurus is trying to growl towards the Dodge Charger.

Unlike other vehicles in its class, the interior design of the 2013 Dodge Charger is a bit more aggressive. Nonetheless, the interior design is pleasing, the cabin has good quality materials The dashboard design might feel a bit odd though, especially because of how the gauge cluster and infotainment system are designed to look like one big unit moved toward the driver. The standard tilt and telescopic steering wheel can be upgraded with a heating feature, leather wrapping, and paddle shifters on higher trims. As for the passengers, the front row gets bucket seats with premium cloth material and a 6-way power driver seat. 

Go for higher trims and front heated seats are given. With the Rallye appearance package sport cloth upholstery on SXT and sport, leather-trimmed upholstery on the SXT Plus can be chosen. But the SXT Plus has standard premium Nappa leather seats. As for the rear row passenger, a folding bench seat is available which can be upgraded to heated rear row seats. Both rows offer adequate room for passengers with an optimal level of comfort. However, the sloped roof causes a shortage of headroom for rear-row occupants. Thinking about loading cargo? A 16.5 cubic feet of trunk capacity is available which is moderate in size but surely offers a wide opening. The inside of the cabin however offers limited storage spaces for small items. 

When compared to the Taurus, the Charger’s cabin is very spacious. The rear row headroom however is a bit lesser than the others because of its sloped roof. As for the Impala, it has leading front legroom. The Dodge Charger’s trunk capacity is slightly better than Chrysler 300’s but lesser than the others. Standout interior features:

• Keyless entry and ignition
• Heated front seats
• Premium cloth upholstery
• Leather-trimmed upholstery (optional)
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror with microphone
• power tilt/telescoping heated steering wheel (optional)
• Die-cast paddle shifters (optional)

How intuitive is the 2013 Dodge Charger’s infotainment unit?

Surprisingly, the infotainment system of the Dodge Charger is pretty good. Sure the base SE trim comes with a 4.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. But every other trim has an 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen which has been updated with enhanced UConnect software. Other standard features such as a CD player, an iPod/USB audio interface, and a 6-speaker sound system are also given. 

SiriusXM, which is standard on the SXT trim, is optional under the connectivity package. This package also includes Bluetooth and voice command whereas the Navigation/rear backup camera package as the name suggests adds ParkView rear backup camera and navigation system. Rallye appearance or blacktop package, both adds beats audio group including 10 amplified speakers with subwoofer. Standout infotainment features:

• 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Navigation system (optional)
• six-speaker sound system
• SiriusXM (optional)
• Bluetooth (optional)
• 4.2-inch electronic vehicle information center

Just like its performance, the 2013 Dodge Charger’s exterior muscular styling makes it a unique vehicle in the crowd. At the front, you get very mean-looking automatic headlamps and a bright grille. Both sides of the Charger have been contoured providing an interesting design with body-colored side mirrors. Power heated side mirrors are available on all trims except the base one. As you go from front to back you will notice a sloped roof that might look interesting but compromises headroom for the rear row occupants. 

At the rear, you get a big joint taillight and two exhaust tips below. 17-inch alloy wheels and acoustic windshield and front-door side glass are given standard on the base Charger. First, two trims can avail of the Sports appearance package which provides 18-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels, key-colored rear spoiler, and rear stabilizer bar. Rallye appearance or blacktop package you can get 20-inch gloss black aluminum wheels. For 2013, new color options are available including billet silver metallic, phantom black tri-coat, granite crystal pearl coat, and copperhead pearl coat.

Dimensions wise the Charger is somewhat similar to the Chrysler 300 but smaller than the others. Its weight however is on the lighter side. The 5-inch ground clearance is also decent for its class. That said, Chrysler 300 is the heaviest of the lot but the Ford Taurus is also dimensionally larger than the rest. However, the largest wheelbase belongs to the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 while the shortest one is offered on the Chevrolet Impala. Standout exterior features:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• 18-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels (optional)
• LED racetrack tail lights
• Automatic headlights
• Fog Lights
• Dual bright integrated exhaust
• Rear spoiler
•  HID headlights (optional)
• Rain-sensing windscreen wipers (optional)
• Power sunroof (optional)

Despite being a powerful machine, the 2013 Charger performs pretty well when it comes to safety. Based on the LD platform which is shared by Chrysler 300, Charger offers solid built quality which also comes with a decent set of features. The NHTSA has given an overall 5-star safety rating to the 2013 Charger and the IIHS not only assigned it a ‘Good’ rating but also crowned it as the ‘top safety pick’ in the 2013 full-size sedan segment.

Sure, you will find basic features such as various multi-stage airbags at different key positions, stability and traction control, and rain brake support. But an adaptive cruise control is also available throughout the lineup. Driver confidence package is available which loads a forward-collision warning system, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-path detection, and park sense rear park assist. Standout safety features:

• Cruise control
• Intelligent Battery Sensor
• Security alarm
• Sentry Key engine immobilizer
• Adaptive cruise control (optional)
• Forward collision warning (optional)

Powerful engines and aggressive design might make the 2013 Charger solely for a specific set of buyers who are eyeing a thrilling experience. But fear not, Dodge has given a decent level of comfort and spacious cabin with an adequate set of features inside the Dodge Charger which makes it an all-rounder. However, low fuel economy does deduct some points. So if you drool over such qualities then you should consider getting a 2013 Dodge Charger.