The 2006 Dodge Charger is a fun drive, especially considering its size. Make no mistake, at more than 16 feet in length and tipping the scales near two tons, this is no sporty, svelte coupe. It's a big, heavy, full-size sedan.
All three engines deliver power smoothly. However, the V6 breathes a bit harder and requires a bit more planning ahead in heavy traffic or on crowded two-lanes. The V8s' most advanced and socially responsible feature, a multi-displacement system that conserves fuel by shutting down four cylinders when they're not needed to maintain the car's momentum, is invisible; we knew it was there and were looking for it, and we never felt the slightest trace.
Our biggest concern while testing Chargers on North Carolina interstates was how readily we settled into an 80-mph cruise. The Charger is quiet at that speed, with very little wind or road noise. We were thankful cruise control comes standard or we'd surely have gotten to meet a state trooper exercising his writing hand. Steering in the SE and SXT seemed a bit over-assisted, and could have used more on-center feel. The re-geared setup that comes with the Road/Track Performance Group delivers better feel across the speed range. We're not sure how tiring the rumbling exhaust might be over long distances at constant speeds, however.
The Charger handled well along the winding, two-lane back roads around Virginia International Raceway in southern Virginia even when carrying speeds substantially in excess of the posted limits. Indeed, we were grateful for a properly placed dead pedal to brace ourselves while exploring those roads. The Charger is moderately nose-heavy and will plow, or understeer, momentarily before the electronic stability program steps in; this means the program's threshold is set high enough that better drivers can alter their line through a corner with deft throttle application; and lesser pilots will become aware that they are pushing the envelope.
The Performance Group comes with fatter, stickier tires (P235/55R18 Michelin MXM4s) and suspension tweaks that combine to reduce body lean in corners and quicken turn-in response. A price is paid, however, as the sportier suspension and tire combination resonates more over broken pavement, not harshly, but noticeably. There's a less fat and less sticky set available as an option on the SXT, which comes standard on the R/T; a self-sealing version is included in the Protection Group.
The AutoStick transmission works equally well in either Automatic or Manual mode. In Automatic mode, full throttle upshifts wait until redline and downshifts for passing are executed with minimal delay. In Manual mode, the transmission holds a gear to red line before shifting up a gear (unless you shift sooner, of course), which then becomes the selected gear. Only by tromping the gas in manual mode can you force a downshift, and then only for as long as the pedal is held to the floor; ease up ever so slightly, and the higher gear takes back over, and somewhat abruptly.
The Charger's brake hardware is shared with Mercedes-Benz, but the software code for the stability program, brake assist and traction control systems is written by and for Dodge. Mercedes engineers could learn something from Dodge. Pedal feel is firm, braking is reassuringly linear and there's no perceived interference from the electronic watchdogs, yielding smooth, controlled stops at will, for which a couple Virginia squirrels are immensely thankful. We haven't always been able to say the same the same thing about the braking characteristics on some of the Mercedes models.
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