2023 Dodge Charger R/T review: the most ridiculously American car that I’ve ever driven

I can’t think of any other car that I’ve driven in the past 5 years that put a smile on my face as big as the 2023 Dodge Charger R/T did.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s a horrible car. It’s too big for it’s own good. Build quality is questionable, and it just can’t get around a corner with any amount of grace.

That said, it’s as obnoxiously loud as it is fast. Even when driving it normally, it sounds like you’re breaking every law in the books. It was designed and built for hooligans. For those who don’t like like being told what to do. It’s the automotive definition of ‘rowdy’, and it’s an absolute blast – despite it’s glaring flaws.

Scott driving a 2023 dodge charger r/t — I forgot what I was talking about at this very moment, but it probably had something to do with the fact that I don’t have enough tattoos to fully enjoy this car

My full review of the 2023 Dodge Charger R/T

Full disclosure. I’m a fairly boring guy who (at the time of this writing) daily drives a 2010 Honda Fit. Although I have a 2012 5.0 Mustang as my “fun” car, a full-size sedan such as the Charger is very much outside of my wheelhouse. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t have a blast driving it though.

First impressions

Never in my life have I felt like I knew a car in and out even before driving it. This generation of the Dodge Charger was first unveiled in 2006, and updated in 2011. It’s an extremely popular vehicle, and I’ve seen a million of them (give or take) over the years. The sound that these things make has left a impression on me as well.

2023 Dodge Charger R/T Avis rental car — Walking up to a Charger R/T for the first time while holding the key fob made me feel like a *total* badass. I can’t even believe that Avis trusted me with this much car. Perhaps they thought I was short on testosterone or something?

It has a presence. Sure, it’s a large (dare I say “fat”) four-door sedan. However, I have never seen a vehicle of this size look so muscular and mean. From the flared fenders and wide wheels to the aggressive front lip, this thing looks like it means business – even while standing still.

2023 dodge charger RT rear three-quarter view — *“Ooh, dat ass!”* She thicc.

2023 dodge charger R/T front three-quarter view — You know it’s a good car when you start saying pervy things out loud. Let’s get out of here before I get arrested…

Driving impressions

The 2023 charger RT is not for the timid. It’s extremely large and difficult to park in tight spaces. Backing up requires your full concentration. It’s not the kind of car you can whip around corners without looking like a total a**hole.

It’s also extremely fun to drive in a straight line. Ripping away from stop lights, even at quarter throttle, is a little rambunctious. And a whole heck of a lot of fun.

Sitting behind the wheel of a 2023 dodge charger R/T — It took less than 60 seconds to come to the conclusion that there are pros and cons to crawling around parking garages at 5 mph in this thing. **Pro:** it sounds so nasty! **Con:** it’s a pain in the a** to squeeze into (and around) tight spaces.

It leans in the corners and squats on acceleration. Every movement is dramatic and exaggerated. I personally hate daily driving cars such as this, yet the Charger R/T makes it somewhat tolerable and curiously addictive. It’s fantastic for cruising on the freeway, and even better cruising through town ripping away from every stoplight.

Cruising around in a 2023 dodge charger R/T at night — *“Yeeee-hawwwwwww!”*

POV Driving a 2023 dodge charger R/T — Honestly, it drives exactly how I would expect a large four-door sedan to drive. It’s smooth, tracks dead straight, and doesn’t require much effort to cruise down the freeway at or slightly above the speed limit.

2023 dodge charger R/T paddle shifters — Ripping through the 8-speed transmission manually (via the paddle shifters) was fun at first, but I left it in automatic mode most of the time. Mostly because I didn’t want people to think of me as a total douche (at least more than they already do).

Style and design

There’s simply no way of describing a 5,300 lb four-door sedan as “elegant.” The 2023 Charger R/T is a porker – measuring 198.4 inches in length, 75 inches in width, and 57.8 inches in height. Let’s see what I can do here…

2023 dodge charger R/T in gray — Still, after all these years, it’s a darn good looking car. The scoop-like indentation on the front doors and the low roofline are my two favorite design elements.

2023 dodge charger R/T front splitter protector — If you do end up purchasing a Charger of your own, be sure to take the yellow edge guards off of the front splitter. Otherwise everyone will think that you are driving a rental car. How *embarrassing*.

Stock 2023 dodge charger R/T — Lots of cuts and scoops in the bodywork of this bad boy. I like the spoiler too. It’s just too bad that everyone knows that I’m a poser driving a rental car.

2023 dodge charger R/T design details — Here’s a closer look at the side scoop. I’m not afraid to admit that I am slightly aroused by this.

The engine

The 2023 Challenger R/T features a 5.7 L HEMI V8 pumping out 370 horsepower at 395 lb/ft of torque. That’s a lot of motor – even for a car weighing 5,300 lbs.

2023 dodge charger R/T 5.7 L V8 engine — Yeah, that thing got a HEMI. Pay no attention to the fact that it looks so poorly maintained. #rentalcarlife

While I wouldn’t necessarily call the Charger “fast”, it’s quick enough to get yourself into trouble if you’re not paying attention. It certainly fast enough that you need to make sure that the front wheels are pointed straight before letting ‘er rip.

HEMI badge 2023 dodge charger R/T 5.7 L V8 engine — I do realize that exhaust tuning is the primary factor when it comes to engine sound, but I’m going on record as saying that this 345 cubic inch 5.7 L V8 is the best sounding engine in a mass produced vehicle that I’ve ever heard.

This engine is pulls evenly all throughout the powerband. Not only does it have gobs of torque available down low in the RPM range, it’ll pull very hard all the way to redline. The best part? It’ll sound like you’re going balls out at any speed. Even when you’re navigating a rental car parking lot at 5mph.

Fact: this thing sounds even better than the 2016 Hertz Shelby GT-H Mustang. Prior to this review, I considered it to be the best sounding production car of recent times.

2023 dodge charger R/T hood open — Perhaps the most interesting thing about this engine is the fact that it’s not even large enough to fill the engine bay. Not that I condone such a thing, but there’s plenty a room for smuggling contraband if one were so inclined.

Handling

You’re reading the wrong review if handling and suspension dynamics are important to you. The 2023 Charger is about as old school as it gets when it comes to precision driving. But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a lot of fun.

2023 dodge charger R/T 20 inch wheels — This car is so big that it makes the 20 inch wheels (on 245/45ZR20 tires) look puny. The benefit of this, of course, is that it makes smoky burnouts and donuts super easy.

The R/T package does include upgraded suspension components consisting of beefier sway bars and sport tuned coilovers. Good news: this stuff does make a difference (at least compared to the base model). Bad news: it’s still going to be soft (and a little sloppy) in tight canyon driving.

2023 dodge charger R/T looking over dashboard and steering wheel — It’s not terrible! Compared to the 2022 Chevy Malibu that I recently drove, this thing corners like a sports car(ish). It also goes over bumps like a sports car, so this isn’t what you want if what you want is a comfy land yacht.

Interior

There’s no hiding the fact that this was a car designed in the early 2000s. Sure, there have been a few updates to the interior over the years, and the 2023 version looks somewhat modern. It’s when you start comparing it to other cars (such as the 2021 BMW 330i) where it starts showing it’s age.

2023 dodge charger R/T Dashboard center stack — Yeah, everything about this dashboard just screams Nickelback (with a little Kelly Clarkson mixed in). #2006FTW

The best part of the interior (by far) are the front seats. They’re big, bolsterous, and extremely supportive. These are the kinds of seats that you sit *in* rather than *on*. On the flip side, they’re not quite as nice as the seats in the 2018 Challenger R/T Scat Pack. Those were epic.

2023 dodge charger R/T front seats — OMG the seats. They may not look like much, but they cradled me (and my skinny a**) like an excited mother holding her newborn for the very first time.

2023 dodge charger R/T cupholders — **Good news:** the cupholders in the center console are huge. **Bad news:** plastic everywhere. We’re talkin’ the cheap stuff!

2023 dodge charger R/T infotainment screen — The infotainment screen (and the user interface) is about archaic is the rest of this interior IMHO. The worst part? It’s not Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compliant. Booooo!

2023 dodge charger R/T USB ports — It’s not *completely* archaic though. Dual USB-A ports (and an auxiliary jack) are located under the center armrest.

2023 dodge charger R/T rear seat — Interesting. Rear seat legroom seems to be fairly tight for a car of this size. Buy this car to augment your rebel personality – not for the backseat space.

2023 dodge charger R/T adjustable headrest — Great news! The large headrests are very simple, highly adjustable, and won’t mess up yer mullet.

Finally, to cap off my musings about the interior, here’s a picture of the trunk (demonstrating the ease in which it will swallow two full-size suitcases). Dayum!

Gas mileage (lol)

I spent three days with the car you see in these pictures, driving at a total of 217 miles. Most of that was highway driving, but I did spend a not-so-insignificant amount of time ripping away from stoplights at every chance possible. My average gas mileage? 18 mpg. It was my fault, I totally deserved it, and I’d do it again without hesitation. This car is that much fun.

2023 dodge charger R/T at the gas station — At the gas station. Why aren’t there any other Dodge Chargers here? $20 bucks says one would have pulled up if I could’ve waited another minute or two.

Pros and cons

I can’t think of any other four-door sedan quite like the R/T. It’s excessive enough in all the right places to make a law-abiding guy such as myself remember what it feels like to be young and rebellious. This concerns me. At the very least, it reminds me that I’m not quite dead yet.

Pros

The sound! It’s the best sounding mass-produced American car of 2023 IMHO.
The amount of thrust available at any RPM is insanely impressive for what is essentially an old school V8.
It excels at highway cruising like few other cars can. It’s big, floaty (but not overly vague), and can accelerate in and out of traffic at 80mph like a boss.
It’s actually comfortable.

Cons

Build quality. This isn’t the choice for anyone who wrinkles their nose at any car that creaks and rattles over railroad crossings.
I’m sorry, but it’s obnoxious. The sound, the size, and even the way it looks is nothing short of excessive. It’s the perfect car for assholes who don’t give a f**k about anything (or anyone) but themselves.

2023 Dodge Charger R/T review: the most ridiculously American car that I’ve ever driven