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2017 DODGE CHARGER DAYTONA W/5.7-L HEMI Review By Steve Purdy


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2017 Dodge Charger; It’ll get you adrenalin on demand.

2017 DODGE CHARGER DAYTONA W/5.7-L HEMI
Review by Steve Purdy
The Auto Channel
Michigan Bureau

The original Dodge Charger Daytona thrilled fans at NASCAR races in 1969 and 1970 sporting an exaggerated wing on its tail and going really fast. The two-door hardtop civilian version of the car had the same big wing, hidden headlights nested within the exaggerated, sloping front fascia and enough power under the hood to make one’s heart thump with exhilaration. That Daytona was one of those cars that helped the Dodge brand solidify its street cred as a muscle car leader.

When Dodge brought back the modern version of the Charger in 2006 it remained a rear-wheel driver but now a four-door sedan rather than a coupe - and now with the famous 5.7-liter Hemi. Here we have the third generation of the modern Daytona introduced just this year (2017) in our driveway with enough power and beastly noise to make my heart thump and annoy the neighbors.

Our test car arrived with the eye-catching “Green Go” paint that nearly made us squint to look at even in our shady bit of forest. I swear it must glow in the dark. The bulging hood with functional air intake sports a brash graphic that shouts “Hemi.” A Daytona graphic across the tail, the huge 20”X9” “Hyper Black” wheels shod with performance tires, red Brembo brake calibers peeking out from behind the wheels and the retro-boxy, low-slung profile make it look like it’s poised for brutish action. And it is.

Inside, the simple, unpretentious design and layout offers little in the way of style or luxury. Rather, the large, one-piece dash houses a functional instrument panel, well-placed HVAC vents and control bezels with a multi-function touch screen on the center stack housing one of the easiest-to-navigate infotainment, HVAC, connectivity and apps systems out there. As most other cars get more complex in both design and function I found this one refreshing in its clarity and simplicity. They’ve also included a set of Performance Pages managed within the touch screen including launch control and other performance elements and readouts to entertain the serious performance driver.

Unlike its Challenger sibling, the Charger has plenty of room inside. Ingress and egress with both are easy even for a big guy like me. Seats are comfortable; trim is good quality; fit and finish are impressive, and, it scored better than most on the J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey. It would never be accused of being luxurious or forward-looking but its retro charm, I contend, is its forte.

That roar you hear, beginning with the grumble at start up, comes from from the iconic 5.7-liter Hemi V8’s combustion noises passing nearly unobstructed through the adaptive exhaust system. The more throttle you give it the more noise it makes. At full throttle, I’ll bet, it would get you a ticket for exceeding local noise ordinances. (Bravo to the acoustic engineers that worked on this project.) This version of the Hemi pumps out 370 horsepower and an impressive 395 pound-feet of torque with a 160-mph speedometer. (I swear, I did not attempt to peg it.) You can also get 475 horsepower with the 6.2 liter Hemi if you’re courageous enough. That one comes with a 180-mph speedo.


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That sweet, old-fashioned engine is updated with modern technology and mated to a slick, smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission that downshifts willingly with the throttle without the driver having to use the paddle shifters. You can also access the manual mode with the electric shifter on the console. By the way, you can still get a six-speed manual, if you prefer. Though, I must say, with the blip function and manual mode most owners, except us purists, will be happy with the automatic. The EPA estimates we can get up to 25 mpg on the highway, 16 in the city and 19 combined on regular fuel. Our experience this week confirms these to be reasonable, achievable numbers. Our average was nearly 23 mpg with a variety of conditions with my foot in it a good share of the time.

Our sticker shows the base price of the Charger R/T at $34,790. The $5,100 Daytona package includes a ton of performance and cosmetic enhancements like the Super Track Pack (Brembos, Bilsteins, performance suspension and other stuff), functional hood scoop with special cold air intake system, beautiful suede seating trim, impressive 20-inch wheels with performance tires, special performance pages on the car’s information screens and so much more we haven’t the space to list it all here. Our test car also has the Technology Package, some extra safety and convenience features and the Navigation Package that includes extra infotainment features. The bottom line on our sticker shows $44,125. I’ll go out on a limb here and say – this is a lot of muscle car for the price.

The Dodge warranty covers the whole car for 3 years or 36,000 miles and the powertrain for 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Charger Daytona’s unapologetic, modern muscle-car character permeates the driving experience. Easing down the road with minimal throttle will get your heart pumping as you feel the seemingly unlimited toque of that wonderful Hemi. But, find a safe environment to put it through its paces and you’ll have an adrenalin-filled experience you’ll not soon forget. The tough performance suspension is still civilized enough not to beat you up unless you spend a lot of time on really bad roads. The electric power steering adapts well to speed and other factors while selectable driving modes adjust throttle sensitivity, transmission behavior and other variables to treat the driver to an even more enhanced experience.

While this naturally aspirated 5.7-liter Hemi hasn’t even close to the maximum power available in the Hell Cat or the new Demon - both supercharged - it’ll still get you some adrenalin on demand. You just have to make a couple adjustments like turning off the traction control, putting it in sport mode and maybe signing up for a track day.

That has me wondering . . . what if I could get my doctor to prescribe the Daytona as an adrenalin boost. I think I need one. But I’d go for the manual transmission of course.

© Steve Purdy, Shunpiker Productions, All Rights Reserved

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