2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat

The Dodge has always been an American Muscle Car Legend for decades now and has in many ways defined the term Muscle Cars to the World from America along with the Corvette and Mustang. Starting from 2002, the SRT or Street and Racing Technology brand has served Dodge in the same way as M served BMW and AMG served Mercedes.

Powering the 2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat is a 6.2L DOHC Supercharged HEMI V8 Motor generating a Massive 707HP and 650lbs-ft of Torque. The comes with both an 8 Speed Automatic and 6 Speed Manual Gearbox, Adaptive Suspension and a whole bunch of other Tech. The primary rivals to the include the Shelby GT 350R and the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

The 2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat comes in only trim which is the Stock Charger SRT Hellcat. However, unlike other Muscle Cars, the Charger SRT Hellcat does not miss out on Automatic Air Conditioning, Leather Seats, Multimedia Touchscreen Navigation System with Gesture Controls and a lot more other features.

Trim	Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Sedan
MSRP	$62,495
Key Features	LED front map lamps
	LED rear courtesy reading lamps
	LED-illuminated door panel map pockets
	18 Harman Kardon high-performance speakers with 900-watt digital amplifier
	HD radio system with Apple CarPlay
	SiriusXM Satellite Radio
	20 Black Alloy Wheels
	Brembo Brakes and Adjustable Suspension
	Lane Change Assist and Blind Spot Detection

The Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat is fitted with a supercar-baiting 707hp 6.2-liter supercharged engine and offers class-leading levels of acceleration and unmatched tire-melting ability Carbuzz.com

Many people and gearheads like us, the USP for the 2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat has to be its Maniacal Engine. The 6.2L Supercharged HEMI generates power in a manner most future owners of the Hellcat would have never experienced before. The HEMI V8 has been in the business for a while but in its current generation and state of a tune has to be its best iteration so far as power delivery is super smooth and effortless.

In fact, the power is so savage, that if you try doing 0-60 sprints in the stock all-weather tires, you will end up burning out the tires frequently rather than attaining speed and traction. For those who want to know what makes the Charger SRT Hellcat special, well The Charger SRT Hellcat created the record of being the fastest production car to do a quarter-mile sprint.

Models	Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Sedan	Ford Shelby GT 350R Coupe	Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Coupe
MSRP	$62,495	$62,345	$61,140
Engine	6.2L V8	5.2L V8	6.2L V8
Transmission	6 Speed manual	6 Speed manual	6 Speed manual
Horsepower	707 hp@6200rpm	526 hp@7500rpm	650 hp@6400rpm
Torque	650 ft-lb@4800rpm	429 ft-lb@4750rpm	650 ft-lb@3600rpm

Transmission duties are performed by a 6 Speed TREMEC Manual Transmission or a quicker 8 Speed Automatic powering the Rear Wheels. Both transmissions perform the job of transmitting the power well but the automatic is slightly quicker of the two and comes with Paddle Shifters that doubles the driving fun.

Acceleration

The acceleration from the gargantuan V8 is just exhilarating. Even though the engine generates 707HP, one would expect acceleration times to be under 3 seconds. But in reality, it isn't. The manual takes 3.9 secs and the automatic takes 3.6 seconds to reach the 60MPH mark. This is because the stock tires aren't able to cope up with the mammoth levels of powers that the HEMI V8 generates. This isn't to tell that the stock tires are bad but it's an indication for the customer to change the tires if he wants to beat the competition on drag strips. As a result, there is a lot of wheel spin and tire burnouts and just dabbing on the pedal quickly isn't the most sensible thing to do while achieving a good 0-60 timing in the Charger SRT Hellcat.

Models	Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Sedan	Ford Shelby GT 350R Coupe	Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Coupe
0-60 MPH	3.6 sec	4 sec	3.4 sec
Quarter mile	11.7 sec	12.3 sec	11.3 sec
Engine	6.2L V8	5.2L V8	6.2L V8
Emissions (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	11.0	11.0	11.1

Opting for the Pirelli P Zero tires does increase traction and reduces wheel spins hence translating in a better 0-60 timings.

Ride and Handling

The Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat has its own pros and cons when it comes to the ride and handling. Dodge has updated heavily when it comes to improving the handling of the Challenger. Along with the Air Intakes for the supercharger on the bonnet, the Hellcat has extra air intakes on the hood flanked by vents to push it out. An aggressive front spoiler sits below the bumper to add to the downforce and aids the aerodynamics resulting in better handling.

The only downer to the Handling of the Dodge is its own weight. Weighing in at 4448lbs, the Dodge Hellcat SRT is the heaviest in its segment which results in a lack of confidence while cornering or making high-speed maneuvers. There is understeer in some occasions while hard cornering due to the high weight but straight-line stability is improved due to the same reason.

When it comes to riding, it is mostly plush when comparing against the rivals and adaptive suspension makes things even better. The suspension tunes up well when you change the driving modes (auto, sport, track, and custom) and stiffens or softens up accordingly. Custom mode allows the driver to change the ride settings to his specification and hence soften or stiffen the ride as and when needed.

Braking

Braking duties are handled by six-piston Brembo calipers in the front and front piston Brembo calipers at the rear. The braking is stupendous, to say the least, and the Brembo offers great heat dissipation from the calipers and offers great feel and feedback.

Model	Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Sedan	Ford Shelby GT 350R Coupe	Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 coupe
Brake Front (in.)	15.4	15.5	15.3
Brake Rear (in.)	13.8	15	14.4
Curb Weight (lbs.)	4335	3655	3883
60-0 MPH (ft.)	N/A	99	97

We, however, feel that if the would have been a little bit lighter, the Dodge could have been the car to beat in this segment.

Even though the houses a mighty 6.2L V8 motor, some clever technologies inside the Charger SRT Hellcat doesn't make it guzzle fuel as one would expect it to. Dodge has equipped the Charger SRT Hellcat with fuel saver technology that disables four out of the eight cylinders of the Dodge while cruising on the Highway in one-tenth of a second.

Model	Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Sedan	Ford Shelby GT 350R Coupe	Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 coupe
MPG (city)	13	15	14
MPG (highway)	21	21	20
MPG (combined)	16.6	17.7	16.7

When it comes to two-door coupes there are inevitable compromises to interior space especially in the rear. The however is the most spacious in its class and while getting in the back may require a bit of contortion, there is space for three passengers. Trunk space is class-leading too- Carbuzz.com

Seating and Comfort

The Interiors of the will remind you of the Interiors from Classic American Muscle Cars. The materials ask to be built out of better quality materials unlike the rubberized materials used. One of the areas where the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat simply outclasses its competition is in the area of interiors space, seating and comfort. The Charger SRT Hellcat offers actual usable passenger space in the rear for adults, unlike its competition which struggles to seat adults in the rear seats.

Model	Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Sedan	Ford Shelby GT 350R Coupe	Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 coupe
Passenger capacity	5	2	4
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	39.3/58.5/42.0	37.6/56.3/44.5	38.5/55.0/43.9
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	37.1/53.9/33.1	-	33.5/NA/29.9

The seating is very comfortable and relaxing for long drives and seating three abreast in the rear should be no issue. The headroom and shoulder room in the front is the Best in class while the Legroom in the rear is best in class as well. This, coupled with decent fuel efficiency results in comfortable long drives.

The list of interior features is given below :

• A/C with Automatic Dual Zone Temperature Control
• Sport Suspension
• Auto-Dimming Rear-View Mirror
• Monotone Paint

Infotainment System

Keeping in line with the ever-changing technological advancements in the World, Dodge has equipped the Charger SRT Hellcat with a whole host of technological features. The Driver's console has a seven-inch screen for the driver Info display and an 8.4 Center screen for multimedia connectivity. Other Features include :

• Gesture Controlled Infotainment System
• Support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Updated UConnect Infotainment System
• Two Zone Automatic Climate Control
• 18 Speaker 900W Harman Kardon Audio System
• Sirius XM Radio connectivity

Cargo Volume

Unsurprisingly, the Charger SRT Hellcat beats its competition hands Down and puts the competition to shame when it comes to cargo space. Despite being a coupe, the cargo volume inside the Charger SRT Hellcat is 16.2 cubic feet, which is unheard of even by coupe standards.

Model	Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Sedan	Ford Shelby GT 350R Coupe	Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 coupe
Cargo Volume (ft.3)	16.2	13.5	9.1

At the dawn of the pony-car renaissance in the late 2000s, the hunky most resembled its retro roots. That basic design still attracts attention, but Dodge's big coupe is showing its age compared with the enticing evolution of the Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang Caranddriver.com

Dimension and Weights

As we saw previously, the Charger SRT Hellcat has one of the most Spacious Cabins in the segment. This is due to the fact that the Charger SRT Hellcat is the tallest, widest, and lengthiest in its class. The also outclasses its competition in terms of weight as well as this is the heaviest car in its class as well. This tends to hamper cornering abilities and affect fuel efficiency figures but does aid straight-line stability.

Model	Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Sedan	Ford Shelby GT 350R Coupe	Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 coupe
Curb weight (lbs.)	4335	3655	3883
Length(in)	200.8	189.7	190.2
Width(in)	75	75.9	75.0
Height(in)	58.3	53.6	52.9
Ground clearance (in)	4.5	5.9	3.9
Wheelbase (in)	120.4	107.1	110.7
Track width (in) F/R	64/63.7	63.3/63.7	63.4/62

The Ground Clearance isn't the best in class but the Charger SRT Hellcat does well to keep speed humps at bay by not letting the bump scrap the underbody of the car.

Exterior Features

Some prominent exterior features include :

• 4 Circular HID Headlamps in the front
• LED Taillights
• Rear Spoiler
• Engine Mounted Shaker Air Scoops
• 20 Alloy Wheels
• Quad Exhaust Tips

 

The IIHS and NHTSA are yet to rate the 2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat but considering that itself has passed those tests with flying Colors, we expect the Charger SRT Hellcat to replicate the same. For complete peace of mind to the passengers inside the Charger SRT Hellcat, Dodge has equipped the car with some good safety and driving assistance features which include :

• Lane Change Assist
• Blind Spot Detection and Warning
• Dual Front Airbags and Curtain Airbags for 1^st and 2^nd Row of passengers
• Low Tire Pressure Warning
• ABS And Driveline Traction Control
• Content Theft-Deterrent Alarm system

 

Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat vs. Ford Shelby Mustang GT 350R

The Dodge hellcat always had American Muscle cars as its primary rivals and for 2019, the Shelby GT 350R is one of them. The GT 350R is the most powerful iteration of the Mustang and this is reflected in its pricing, which is the closest to the Dodge. The low weight of the Mustang gives it good power to weight ratios despite being less powerful than the Dodge. The Mustang also has better track characters and is better in cornering around tracks. But this is where the Mustang loses its sheen. The Dodge has way more power than the Mustang, has great interior space and cargo capacity and bonkers straight-line stability manners. The Dodge simply outclasses the Mustang in terms of day to day practicality but it does lose out on track manners or putting great lap times.

Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat vs Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

The Chevrolet Camaro was always a great performance car and with the ZL1, Chevrolet has turned the Camaro into an Impeccable track monster. The Camaro was designed to tame the Nurburgring and the record books are a testimony to this fact. The Chevy has the Dodge licking its boots when it comes to having fun on Track or setting great lap times any day. But when a Vehicle is good at track, usually it's the other way around on the road and this is where the Dodge excels. The Dodge has insane power numbers but has been built for both Road and Track. The Dodge has usable space at the Rear and can seat 5 people. Also, the Dodge has a better suspension which is less stiff than the Chevy making long rides on the Dodge way more comfortable than the Chevy.

With the title of most powerful Production car till date, the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat does have some pretty big shoes to fill and it does that admirably. The Dodge triumphs over its competition and can easily be said to be the best car albeit the stiff suspension tuning. Dodge has a legacy of performance and the Dodge Charger continues that lineage. From heart-pounding power to unexpected efficiency, it makes for one unforgettable ride.

How fast is a Dodge Charger SRT?

The new Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat delivers a staggering 0-60 MPH time of just 3.6 seconds. With the help of a supercharged HEMI® V8 engine, the Charger SRT Hellcat is capable of hitting a quarter mile on the track in just 11 seconds.

Are Dodge Chargers reliable?

The Dodge Charger is an OK car. However, this car isn't pragmatic, and many rivals look and feel more upscale inside and get better gas mileage. This Dodge also earns a poor predicted reliability rating

What are common problems with Dodge Chargers?

Some of the problems experienced by Dodge Charger owners involve the gear shift, water pump, alternator, timing belt, radiator and thermostat, electrical problems, stalling, ticking noises, battery issues, sunroof motors, airbag recalls and more.