2013 Dodge Charger SRT Review: Performance and Features

If you think of an icon, you might picture George Washington or Michelin Stars. For automobile enthusiasts, an icon is a spectacular muscle car. Today, we’re diving into one of America’s most loved muscle cars: the 2013 Dodge Charger SRT. It was time to put this beast through some rigorous tests.

For those unfamiliar, SRT stands for “Street and Racing Technology,” a badge used by the Chrysler Group. Besides the Dodge Charger, you can find SRT versions of the luxurious Chrysler 300, the monstrous Dodge Challenger, and the mighty Jeep Grand Cherokee.

We received a beefy muscle car tuned for optimum street and racing performance, and I was thrilled to spend an entire weekend with the Dodge Charger SRT.

Style

The exterior of the Charger SRT significantly differs from the standard Charger. Key features include:

• A massive gloss black grille
• A performance sculpted hood with air vents
• 6.4 litre HEMI badges on the fenders
• Numerous SRT badges on both the exterior and interior

The Charger SRT is a handsome car with ample swoops and lines, a neat rear spoiler, and stunning 20” lightweight aluminum wheels. Its design can be polarizing—there’s no middle ground.

Interior Features

Upon entering, you’ll see a stereotypical sports car red leather interior. Both the driver and front passenger enjoy:

• Large, well-bolstered ventilated seats
• A combination of Nappa leather and Axis perforated suede
• SRT embroidered badges on the seat backs

The leather-wrapped steering wheel is well-weighted and features:

• A flattened bottom
• A chrome section with the SRT badge
• Buttons for radio control on the back

The center console boasts the segment's largest 8.4” color touchscreen, displaying vehicle statistics, radio stations, and maps. SRT owners can access various performance metrics, including:

• 0 – 100 km/h sprint times
• Braking distances
• Lateral and longitudinal G-forces
• Horsepower and torque outputs
• Steering angles

Additionally, the Charger SRT is equipped with a premium Alpine sound system featuring 19 speakers and a 12-channel, 900-watt amplifier.

However, the spare tire's placement above the boot floor limits cargo space, making it less practical compared to rivals like the Jaguar XFR.

Safety Features

The Dodge Charger SRT boasts several safety features, including:

• Ready Alert Braking
• Rain Brake Support
• Active head restraints for the driver and front passenger
• Full-length side-curtain airbags
• Driver's knee airbag
• Front seat-mounted side-thorax airbags
• Rear camera and rear park assist

Though the Rain Brake Support may see limited use in the UAE, it’s reassuring to know you’re in safe hands with the Dodge Charger SRT.

Drive Performance

The performance frontier of the Dodge Charger SRT is impressive, featuring a massive 6.4-litre HEMI V8 engine delivering:

• 470 horsepower
• 637 Nm of torque

Test figures showed a 0 – 100 km/h time of 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 280 km/h. Surprisingly, the Charger SRT has only a 5-speed transmission, which offers a significant amount of speed per gear, avoiding the need for frequent downshifting.

While at a traffic light, I discovered that switching the traction control off and back on enabled launch control. Here is one of our rough test clips:

For practical driving, the Charger SRT offers cruise control, although it tends to run 2 km/h over the set speed.

The Adaptive Damping Suspension (ADS) provides three suspension settings: Normal, Sport, and Track. Track mode adds a gear-holding feature, enhancing driver control over gear shifts, even at high RPMs. However, the Charger SRT can feel bouncy and unstable at speeds over 220 km/h.

Verdict

As my weekend with the Charger SRT concluded, I reflected on my experiences with one of the best cars I drove in 2013—the Nissan 370Z. Despite the Charger’s larger engine and additional horsepower, the 370Z offered a more engaging drive.

The Dodge Charger SRT is undoubtedly the best muscle car in its price range, providing superior performance and practicality for just a few thousand more. However, for AED 40,000 less, the 370Z is a fun and worthy alternative.