One Week Test: The 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T is a Study in Extremes

Sometimes life comes at you in extreme ways and the same could be said about the two extremely different cars that I tested during the past two weeks. One was the Honda FCX Clarity which runs on hydrogen and emits only water vapor. It was like the year 2026 and one of Al Gore's nighttime fantasies all rolled into one insanely high tech package.

The other was this "Detonator Yellow" 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T muscle car that rumbled its way into my life with an old school 372 horsepower 5.7 liter Hemi V8 and a 13.2 mile per gallon unleaded habit. The Challenger looked, felt and even smelled so retro that I was there had to be some form of time travel involved in its arrival at my house so I searched high and low for a hidden flux capacitor. Alas, no such "Back to the Future"-style antics were involved in its creation.

So what did I make of these utterly divergent modes of personal transportation? Let's just say I learned that I have learned that I quite like extremes. Despite some initial reservations, I became a big fan of the 2010 Challenger R/T mainly because there is quite simply no other car like it. This is the kind of stuff that Chrysler is very good at doing. Creating utterly unique automotive statements.

You may say the Challenger R/T competes with the Mustang (so polished and refined it lacks the edge of a "traditional" muscle car) and the Camaro (a stylistic mess inside and out and it looks horrible in yellow) but they are like this Dodge only in the fact that they are all two door coupes. Would you say the Dodge Challenger R/T competes with the BMW 3-series coupe? No, because they appeal to different people.

That is the essence of the Dodge Challenger R/T because it still possesses the edgy brutality that is sadly missing from other so-called muscle cars. So dust off the eight-track, crank up the Steely Dan and let your hair grow out-it's time to recapture your misspent youth with the 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T.

Exterior Styling

Love it or loathe it, the 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T makes a very bold statement-especially in a color like yellow. Although I usually hate yellow cars, this one actually started to grow on me so much so that some even said the car "suited me." So If I had to buy a yellow car, the only one I would want to be seen in would be the 2010 Challenger.

Other than the color the 2010 Challenger is a brilliant piece of retro car design. It looks masculine, aggressive and even apes the old 1970's Big-Three calligraphy script for the chrome "Challenger" logo. The best touch? The chrome effect gas flap cover has the word "fuel" written on it. So simple, austere and oddly macho.

Interior Design, Build and Utility

The interior is surprisingly comfortable for four and while some of the plastics/trim feels out of place in a near $40,000 car it all feels very well assembled. The powerful air conditioning is controlled by three easy to use knobs that are chunky and move with an oily smooth precision. The navigation/audio head unit might have a smaller screen than some competitors but it has great iPod integration and costs less than most at $1,435.

The leather seats have a very retro quilting design and they proved comfortable during long drives. There are also little lights on the seatbacks so passengers entering the rear seats can see where they are going at night. This last touch makes me think perhaps there were plans for a Challenger convertible (because ragtops can't have overhead map lights) before Chrysler filed for bankruptcy. That would have been so much cooler than the Sebring convertible.

There are a few niggles with the interior like the door handles which are conveniently located by your knee and the white faced dials which are only retro if you consider 1994 retro. Also, thanks to side impact protection efforts (which did result in a 5 star rating from the NHTSA) the map pockets are borderline useless.

The trunk, however, is positively huge at 16.2 cubic feet but it unfortunately suffers from a high liftover height due to the taillight design. But then all cars in the 1970s had difficult to access trunks and at least the Challenger comes with a split folding rear seat. So although you might think the 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T is just a weekend toy it is also a surprisingly capable and useful daily driver.

Pricing, Economy and Features

$39,000 may sound like a lot for a muscle car but when you take into account how many toys this car boasts then it starts to make sense. Not only is it a comfortable boulevard cruiser but thanks to all of the performance accoutrements that come along with the six-speed manual transmission (see options list), the 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T can also be a potent track-day weapon.

As was mentioned earlier, the 5.7 liter Hemi V8 has more of a thirst for unleaded than Lindsey Lohan has for Jagermeister (13.2 miles per gallon as tested in freeway and around town driving). But if you can live with the fuel economy you can surely save some money by going a little lighter on the options thereby keeping the price closer to the R/T's $30,860 base price.

Driving Impressions

The experience of driving the 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T isn't something you do it is something you feel. It is visceral, animalistic yet somehow entirely natural. It feels mechanical and connected and just a little bit last century. But is that really a bad thing?

Granted, the six speed manual is notchy and the clutch isn't exactly designed for heavy traffic commuting. But when a multi-lane expressway in a deserted industrial section of town opens up in front of you there is nothing like the feeling of slamming the pistol grip shifter into each gear just as you hit the redline.

The noise of the engine, the sensation from the shifter and even the rather loosey-goosey steering feel is exactly the stuff you experienced in classic muscle cars of yesteryear. The only difference is that the 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T has really good brakes. Overall, the experience is brutal and it might not be for everyone, but driving the Challenger is a whole heck of a lot of juvenile fun. And really, when you think about it, is there any other kind?

How Dog and Kid Friendly is It?

The 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T is actually surprisingly dog and kid (as long as they are out of car seats) friendly. The rear perch, while roomy enough for two adults, would be especially comfortable for kids up until their teenage years. The leather and plastic trim may not be the most lustrous to the touch but having put this coupe through a bit of abuse over the 4^th of July holiday I can say it is scratch and scuff resistant.

Final Thoughts

When you drive this car you feel like a rebel outlaw fighting for nothing less than your independence. Because that is what the Dodge Challenger R/T is all about-being yourself. And if your true "self" is an uber-macho, retro styled muscle car then this just might be the perfect car for you.

Vehicle Tested: 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T

Base Price: $30,860

Price as Tested: $39,615 (including destination)

Options on Tester: Detonator Yellow Paint ($225), Customer Preferred Package 27M-leather seats, heated front seats, black R/T stripes, functional hood scoop, power heated mirrors ($3,350), Electronics Convenience Group-keyless go, instrument cluster display screen, steering wheel mounted audio controls, tire pressure monitoring system, iPod connectivity, Bluetooth, Homelink, ($1,165), Sound Group 2-368 watt amplifier, 8 Boston Acoustics Speakers ($185), 6-speed manual transmission-adds performance axle ratio, WP2 20-inch chrome alloy wheels, heavy duty brakes, limited slip differential, bright pedal trim, Hill Start Assist, Performance Steering, Track Pack ($995), HID(High Intensity Discharge) headlamps ($595), Media UConnect Center with NAVIGATION, CD, HDD, DVD, RADIO, SIRIUS-($1,435)

Engine: 5.7 liter Hemi V8 Engine

Power: 372 horsepower/400 lb. feet of torque

Fuel Economy (EPA): 15 city/24 highway

Economy as Tested: 13.2 miles per gallon

Trunk: 16.2 cubic feet

Safety (NHTSA): Five Stars (Driver, Passenger Front)

Five Stars (Left, Right Side Impact)

Four Stars (Rollover)

Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles

5 years/60,000 miles powertrain

Assembled in: Ontario, Canada

Engine built: Mexico

Transmission built: Mexico

U.S. Canadian Parts: 70%