The exterior has aged very well, but the interior of the Challenger 2-door coupe is a disappointment. We're inclined to look the other way thanks to the affordable pricing, but the Mustang delivers more at the same price.
Two things deserve praise, however. The Challenger is easily the most comfortable and spacious of the famous muscle car trio, and it can seat four adults. Thanks to continuous updates over the years, it has managed to stay on top of connectivity trends too.
The Challenger's low stance and two-door coupe styling make it tricky to get in and out of, especially for rear passengers. Its doors open wide, but they are heavy. The front legroom (42 inches) takes up most of the interior space, but the 33.1 inches of rear legroom isn't that bad. Front headroom is ample at 39.3 inches, while the rear passengers get 37.1 inches. Front seats come with eight-way adjustment (power adjustment for the driver), making it easy to find a suitable driving position.
Once inside, four fully-grown adults should be comfortable. This is one of the Dodge's unique selling points in comparison to its direct rivals. However, it's not an easy car to see out of due to the expansive rear pillars and the small rear window. Unfortunately, there's no blind-spot monitoring to help out in tricky situations, so you'll have to depend on the backup camera; at least rear parking sensors are standard on the GT and up.
Dodge Challenger Trims | SXT | GT | R/T | R/T Scat Pack | R/T Scat Pack Widebody |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seating | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Headroom Front Seat | 39.3 in. | 39.3 in. | 39.3 in. | 39.3 in. | 39.3 in. |
Headroom Back Seat | 37.1 in. | 37.1 in. | 37.1 in. | 37.1 in. | 37.1 in. |
Legroom Front Seat | 42 in. | 42 in. | 42 in. | 42 in. | 42 in. |
Legroom Back Seat | 33.1 in. | 33.1 in. | 33.1 in. | 33.1 in. | 33.1 in. |
Shoulder Room Front | 58.5 in. | 58.5 in. | 58.5 in. | 58.5 in. | 58.5 in. |
Shoulder Room Rear | 53.9 in. | 53.9 in. | 53.9 in. | 53.9 in. | 53.9 in. |
Hip Room, Front | 55.3 in. | 55.3 in. | 55.3 in. | 55.3 in. | 55.3 in. |
Hip Room, Rear | 47.8 in. | 47.8 in. | 47.8 in. | 47.8 in. | 47.8 in. |
The interior looks and feels cheap, but it is screwed together properly. Dodge dresses the interior in houndstooth cloth as standard. This even includes the top-end Super Stock, which we review separately.
On high-performance models, you get additional side bolstering to keep yourself in place. To get Nappa leather seats, you need to add the Plus Package at an additional $3,095 and the Driver Convenience Group at $1,480. These add a lot of interior kit, as well as better, higher-quality sports seats. There are three color options available: Black, Black/Ruby Red, and Black/Caramel. Adding Nappa/Alcantara to the R/T Scat Pack and Widebody requires additional packages to the value of around $7,500.
Yet another example of the Challenger's relatively spacious nature. It has a 16.2-cubic-foot trunk, which is just 0.3 cubes down from its Charger sedan sibling. That's more than enough room for the daily errands, including the school run. A new Challenger is the perfect car for a gearhead who isn't quite ready to move on to a family sedan yet. The rear seats can also be folded flat to increase luggage capacity on the odd days you need it.
Interior small-item storage is less impressive. Only front passengers get door pockets and a set of cupholders and the storage under the center armrest is small. Those are your only options. We suspect the front cupholders will likely be the default place for storing phones, keys, and sunglasses.
Dodge Challenger Trims | SXT | GT | R/T | R/T Scat Pack | R/T Scat Pack Widebody |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trunk Volume | 16.2 cu. ft. | 16.2 cu. ft. | 16.2 cu. ft. | 16.2 cu. ft. | 16.2 cu. ft. |
It's pretty apparent where Dodge spent most of the development money, and it certainly wasn't in the comfort and convenience department. Dodge gives you the basics across the range, while the nice features are restricted to the options list. Standard fare includes an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat that includes two-way lumbar, a manually tilt-and-telescoping steering column, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, cruise control, a rear parking camera, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The GT spec adds rear park assist and the R/T Scat Pack gets a deluxe security alarm.
All models up to the R/T come with a seven-inch Uconnect 4 system with Bluetooth, voice command, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and two USB ports. The R/T Scat Pack upgrades to an 8.4-inch Uconnect 4C system and adds SiriusXM and a climate-control display.
A six-speaker sound system is standard on both V6 models, and the R/T. The Scat Pack Widebody are equipped with six-speaker premium Alpine sound system with an amplifier. A nine-speaker Alpine sound system is available up to R/T level and from R/T and up, an upgraded 18-speaker Harman Kardon sound system becomes available as well. If you want the Harman Kardon sound system in a V6 model, you first have to upgrade the infotainment system to Uconnect 4C Nav.