Good Morning All,
I've been meaning to post this for a while for anyone who might be interested in a comparison of these two monsters. Let me add a disclaimer that I don't address topics that are apparent, such as interior space. Instead this is focused on how the cars feel in the real world.
Having owned a 2015 Challenger Scat and now a 2016 Charger Scat, I can vouch for the fact that the differences in how they drive is readily apparent. Despite the fact that they are both E-segment chassis held over from the old Daimler-Chrysler days the way they hold the road, accelerate and behave is markedly different.
Challenger: To me this is a big, stupid muscle car. I say "stupid" with a sense of affection. The Challenger is great fun to drive and is a definite attention getter however it's prone to certain "antics" in it's handling characteristics. With the A8 transmission, matting the gas in first gear results in a very squirmy rear end that struggles for traction vis a vis an interesting side to side tail wag. Once the rear tires hook, it goes but it's not as friendly on the launch. Again, this is great fun and very entertaining but not always conducive to getting off the line quickly.
Cornering performance is also good but seems to be affected, especially at the limit, by suspension rake. When comparing the Challenger and Charger, the Challenger sits higher in the rear and has a shorter wheelbase (116 inches). It's still fun but even with 3 degrees of built in negative camber it can be twitchy at the limit on hard corners.
Charger: The Charger is definitely more low profile than the Challenger. I don't get as much attention in it (which is OK with me) but it feels like an entirely different animal. I would describe the acceleration characteristics as more linear. With the same engine and transmission combination, I can roll the Charger out to 4000 RPM in first gear, floor it, get a small chirp and instant acceleration. This is likely the result of the longer 120" wheelbase and the more even suspension setup (Charger is lower in the rear and has much less wheel to fender gap).
Cornering is a vastly different experience. The Charger is much more predictable at the limit and feels more planted. The Challenger screams muscle car and the Charger firmly declares that it's a performance sedan. It's much more balanced and communicative when carving turns in stock form. In the Charger, adding 275s all around is something I'll get around to. In the Challenger I felt that it was more of an immediate need.
Both are excellent cars but have a very different feel to them. I know this is intentional on FCAs part and they've created enough separation between the two to make people choose on more than just subjective variables. Both are very easy to live with, reliable and stupidly fast for the price point. When it comes to ticking my boxes however, it's the Charger all the way. I wanted a Gentleman's Hot Rod and it suits me perfectly. Ask my wife and the Challenger wins hands down.
To each their own and I hope this helps someone wandering through and wondering what they're like to drive. If I had my choice, I'd own both!
Cheers,
Andy
I've been meaning to post this for a while for anyone who might be interested in a comparison of these two monsters. Let me add a disclaimer that I don't address topics that are apparent, such as interior space. Instead this is focused on how the cars feel in the real world.
Having owned a 2015 Challenger Scat and now a 2016 Charger Scat, I can vouch for the fact that the differences in how they drive is readily apparent. Despite the fact that they are both E-segment chassis held over from the old Daimler-Chrysler days the way they hold the road, accelerate and behave is markedly different.
Challenger: To me this is a big, stupid muscle car. I say "stupid" with a sense of affection. The Challenger is great fun to drive and is a definite attention getter however it's prone to certain "antics" in it's handling characteristics. With the A8 transmission, matting the gas in first gear results in a very squirmy rear end that struggles for traction vis a vis an interesting side to side tail wag. Once the rear tires hook, it goes but it's not as friendly on the launch. Again, this is great fun and very entertaining but not always conducive to getting off the line quickly.
Cornering performance is also good but seems to be affected, especially at the limit, by suspension rake. When comparing the Challenger and Charger, the Challenger sits higher in the rear and has a shorter wheelbase (116 inches). It's still fun but even with 3 degrees of built in negative camber it can be twitchy at the limit on hard corners.
Charger: The Charger is definitely more low profile than the Challenger. I don't get as much attention in it (which is OK with me) but it feels like an entirely different animal. I would describe the acceleration characteristics as more linear. With the same engine and transmission combination, I can roll the Charger out to 4000 RPM in first gear, floor it, get a small chirp and instant acceleration. This is likely the result of the longer 120" wheelbase and the more even suspension setup (Charger is lower in the rear and has much less wheel to fender gap).
Cornering is a vastly different experience. The Charger is much more predictable at the limit and feels more planted. The Challenger screams muscle car and the Charger firmly declares that it's a performance sedan. It's much more balanced and communicative when carving turns in stock form. In the Charger, adding 275s all around is something I'll get around to. In the Challenger I felt that it was more of an immediate need.
Both are excellent cars but have a very different feel to them. I know this is intentional on FCAs part and they've created enough separation between the two to make people choose on more than just subjective variables. Both are very easy to live with, reliable and stupidly fast for the price point. When it comes to ticking my boxes however, it's the Charger all the way. I wanted a Gentleman's Hot Rod and it suits me perfectly. Ask my wife and the Challenger wins hands down.
To each their own and I hope this helps someone wandering through and wondering what they're like to drive. If I had my choice, I'd own both!
Cheers,
Andy