Pathological hate becomes hooligans with a Dodge Charger Hellcat

Sell the house. Risk everything in Vegas or ask your great auntie for an advance in your inheritance. Do whatever it takes because you don’t want to go to your grave without ever have driven or owned a Dodge Charger Hellcat.

What makes this vehicle special is what’s under the hood. A 6.2 supercharged eight-cylinder pumping out 707hp. Yes you’ve read correctly 707hp! Speed junkies if you find this lacking, you need a F1 race car. 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds means that flexibility won’t be an issue here. Power delivery is smooth with good drivability around town when you aren’t driving like a hooligan. Steering input is decent but not great; it still feels lacking when you’re pushing through corners and bends. We really wish that it had more feedback. Handling is also decent too but at times it feels overwhelmed and the ESP intervenes instantly. We haven’t tested the Hellcat without the ESP on but from what we’ve heard you’ll need knuckles of steel.

 The 6.2-liter engine produces a lovely soundtrack that is very contagious. It is very hard to keep this beast below 60mph without really wanting to thrash it even then the engine encourages you to push it harder. Those who value their driver’s license are advised now to use a race circuit to really tap into the full potential of the engine. It doesn’t feel like it has 707hp when you drive it normally and yes it is very comfortable to drive too. It may not be a Mercedes or BMW when it comes to quality and refinement but who cares when it has this much horsepower?

Reliability maybe a little bit of concern though; as Dodge has consistently ranked poorer than some of its more direct and more expensive rivals. At least it’s nice knowing that you have the fastest sedan on the block.

The performance is great but the interior is more meh. Dodge did a decent job with some of the plastics but many of them feel cheap in quality. The UCONNECT infotainment system is a lot easier to use but it still feels lag-y at times and slow to respond. The front seats do offer decent comfort and adjustability. Second row passengers shouldn’t have too much to complain about and the boot space is generous in size. However, visibility is pretty iffy due to the small side windows and long front bonnet and rear boot; luckily a parking camera for the rear comes as standard.

Standard kit is pretty good too and it should be considering the starting price, but you have to factor in that this is the only sedan with this amount of performance. LED headlamps, digital cluster display and sport-tuned steering all come standard. 20 inch alloys and LED fog lamps come standard as well.

It’s hard to fault the Dodge Charger Hellcat because well 707hp is 707hp. The speed junkies can finally rejoice, but for those who are looking for a little bit more in between just high horsepower figures may be a little disappointed with this package. Interior quality is so-so and reliability is not the strongest point either. But this is the closest to a street legal hyper car you can buy without the price tag of one. Bravo Dodge!

Likes: Engine soundtrack is a symphony to the ears. Flexibility isn’t an issue here, 707hp, come on man! Interior is roomy and offers decent space for five and a decent boot.

Dislikes: Interior is meh and reliability is so-so. Refinement could be better too.

Overall: A fast sedan that doesn’t require an arm and leg to buy. Running costs? Who cares! It’s 707hp you know what you’re getting into. 

Short-drive (of course we critique) new cars

Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat

Likes: The cheapest 707hp sedan one can buy. The engine exhaust note something that the devil himself put together. Acceleration that will shame almost everything on the road.

Dislikes: Interior build quality is iffy. We couldn't drive it like we wanted and it begged us to push it harder.

Overall: It's high performance in the rawest since of the word.



Dodge Challenger Hellcat Demon

Likes: It takes performance to the next level. The exhaust note is something only the devil himself would put together. Jaw dropping price of admission.

Dislikes: It only comes with one seat (driver's seat) and the rest are optional. Some may find it very hard to drive it non-aggressively.

Overall: A Challenger that's been demon-possessed.



Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

Likes: The option for those who wanted a Charger Hellcat but need all-wheel-drive. It's pure insanity how quick this SUV is.

Dislikes: The temptation to drive this like a hooligan is way too much even for us to handle.

Overall: It's all about getting their in the quickest and loudest way possible.



Dodge Durango SRT

Likes: The eight-cylinder engine, acceleration and exhaust note comes from Satan himself. It can seat up to seven people.

Dislikes: It guzzles gas like it's going out of style.

Overall: It a seven-seat muscle car, the way Satan himself intended it to be.



Ram 1500

Likes: 'In your face' exterior styling. Engines that sound beefy even when driving casually. It's big and offensive and will probably sell in droves. Available 12-inch infotainment screen.

Dislikes: It can be cumbersome to drive around town. Don't ask about the fuel bills. Build quality that is still questionable.

Overall: The only pick-up that made us question if we need a pick-up.