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Overview

The 2009 Dodge Charger is a full-size, four-door sedan that makes a bold design statement and backs it up with serious horsepower. A wide range of models is available, but all are comfortable cruisers, offering drivers a friendly haven from traffic and bumpy freeways.

The model line ranges from the basic but entertaining 2.7-liter Charger SE to the high-performance 425-hp SRT8. Between them are 3.5-liter V6 and 5.7-liter V8 models. The 3.5-liter V6 delivers entirely adequate performance for the mid-grade SXT model, while the V8s generate thrilling acceleration performance and make all the right noises. All-wheel drive is available for all-weather capability.

The Charger illustrates just how multi-talented and accomplished today's high-performance cars are compared to the unidimensional hot rods of yesteryear. The Charger has all the pavement-ripping, gut-thumping power of the old muscle cars, but it's packaged with modern creature comforts and tempered by handling competency. With either V8 engine, the Charger is fast in a straight line, and it corners better than those muscle cars of the past. However, it is large and heavy, measuring more than 16 feet in length and tipping the scales near two tons, so it's not as nimble as a sports car, or even a pony car.

The Dodge Charger hit the market a few years back and was an instant hit with the public.  The roomy sedan was not what every Dodge lover was hoping for, but along with a popular performance sedan, the Charger also proved to be a great replacement for the Intrepid in Dodge's police car program.  The Ford Crown Victoria had long been the norm for police departments around the US, as their V8 was far more powerful than the 3.5L V6 found in the Intrepid, but when the Charger police models became available, the 5.7L Hemi made the new Charger a popular choice over the Crown Vic.

 

The 2009 Dodge Charger, like other Hemi-powered models will receive a boost in power, now offering 368 horsepower and 395 lb-ft of torque, making the Charger an even better choice for high speed pursuit.  But rising gas prices and growing concerns about fuel economy have caused many to question the police using V8 vehicles, but Dodge has addressed that as well, with their Multiple Displacement System (MDS).  Previously unavailable on the police models, the MDS offers around 20 percent better fuel economy over a non-MDS model, so along with a bump in power, the Charger is also friendlier on the tax payers when at the pumps.  So, not only is the Charger one of the more efficient V8 powered cars in its class, but the police variant surpasses all of its competitors in power, acceleration, and top speed.