2015 Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack
2015 Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack Review
Insane at any speed.
Web2Carz Contributing Writer
Published: September 15th, 2015
The Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack is nuts. There are no two ways about it; this car is fiscally, socially, economically, and probably morally irresponsible. And if you think that's a bad thing, then you're not the kind of person who should be driving this car anyway.
The Dodge Charger in general, and the R/T Scat Pack in particular, are not meant for average car buyers. This car is a throwback to another era, and if you don't care for that era, chances are you won't care for this car.
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Exterior
The latest look is the Charger's best yet. It's fully modernized while still maintaining enough classic design cues to make it instantly recognizable. The Charger is an old-school barge. A big, heavy rectangle with a blank, yet menacing monobrow stare.
Nearly everything has been redone on the 2015 Charger: hood, fenders, fascia, doors, head lights, tail lamps, and wheels. The overall look is the same; there's still that bent-carpet-staple-shaped indentation on the sides, but the front end is noticeably different.
The headlights are no longer set back from the grille, but rather integrated all into one flowing shape. It's more aerodynamic looking, it's sleeker, and it is more true to the spirit of the original Charger look. -
Interior
Dodge has done a creditable job improving the look of its interiors, but the materials still feel a tad cheap for a car that tops out close to $50K. Like the exterior, almost everything on the interior is new: the digital gauge cluster, the center stack, the steering wheel, and the shifter.
I'm not a fan of Dodge's rounded-corners-on-everything design style, but the interior is better. The steering wheel has a sportier-looking Dodge logo and the wheel-mounted controls no longer look like they were ripped out of a 2006 Lexus.
The cabin is cavernous. It feels like it could easily seat seven, even though it only seats four (five if you want to be ridiculous), which is also true to the original, which was a four-seater. -
On the Road
Purists may argue over just how "authentic" these modern muscle cars are, but one thing that can't be denied is that driving a V-8-driven sled like this is a unique experience. It's truly insane; probably the most insane car you can get for under $80K. It's true, nobody needs this much horsepower, but it's equally true that nobody can possibly not enjoy driving a car this crazily powerful.
So yes, the look, the tech, and the price may make this a different animal from the original upon which it's inspired, but the experience of driving it is undeniably retro. Also extremely retro is the fuel efficiency, if one can even use the word "efficiency" when referring to a car that gets 14 mpg, even without ever being put into Sport+, let alone Track mode.
But practicality is definitely not something Charger buyers give a tinker's cuss about (they'd better not), going "off the chain" is. This car is off the chain at idle. Actuate the accelerator, even slightly, and you'll soon understand this car's true purpose: to be a complete and total menace to society.
At the end of the day, the most retro thing about the Charger is its dimensions, which not only look and feel retro, but drive rather retro. It's as nimble as a car of this size and heft can be, but that's not so much. After all, you're not supposed to be whipping this car around curves, you're supposed to be drifting. Which you will be, frequently, whether or not you even know what the word drifting means.
The most incongruous aspects of the Charger, from a retro standpoint, are the advanced safety features. With adaptive cruise, lane departure assist, and autonomous braking, you can actually make your Charger more or less self-driving on the freeway. Why anyone would want a car like the Charger to drive itself is beyond me, unless maybe it's the only way you can keep yourself from speeding. -
Conclusion
The Charger is among the last of a dying breed; high-horsepower, V-8-driven, rear-wheel behemoths that can be drifted effortlessly, and can lay patches like there's no tomorrow. Unfortunately, thanks to the abysmally low gas mileage (we managed to stay around the minimum of 15 mpg, but just barely), that "no tomorrow" thing might happen sooner than later.
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Specs & Prices
b>Engine: 6.4-liter naturally aspirated V-8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Drivetrain Layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Power Output: 485 hp / 475 lb-ft
Fuel Economy (mpg): 15 city / 25 highway
Base Price: $39,995
As Tested: $46,765 (incl. $995 destination)
Available Features:
Technology Group: Bi-function HID headlamps, blind spot and cross path detection, adaptive cruise control with Stop, Full speed forward collision warning plus lane departure warning with lane keep assist, advanced brake assist
Driver Confidence Group: Power memory mirrors with manual fold, Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen AM/FM/SXM/BT/NAV, 3D navigation, HD radio
Other Options: Leather with alcantara performance seats, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, audo-adjustible exterior mirrors552-Watt Beats audio system with 10 speakers plus subwoofer
• For more information such as specs, prices, and photos of the 2015 Dodge Charger, click here: 2015 Dodge Charger.