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. 

Pathological test drives a land yacht (used)

The Land Rover Range Rover is like expensive wine. It only tastes good if you exploit it for what it is really meant to be used for.

Most expensive wines come with several flavors to choose from and so does the Range Rover. Standard 3-liter supercharged six-cylinder pumps out 340hp and really isn’t anything to brag about, but it is flexible and doesn’t feel short on puff. The optional 380hp form makes more sense. The 3-liter turbocharged six-cylinder diesel has the lowest output of the range at 254hp but makes up for that with 443lb-ft torque. The diesel engine in this makes no sense whatsoever. Most considering the Range Rover won’t care about running costs because let’s face it you’d consider every other option that’s cheaper. Top of the range 5-liter supercharged eight-cylinder pumps out 510hp and 550hp and both are the best of the best here. Acceleration is so fast that you’d immediately forget that you were in a heavy 4x4 unless you try to turn a corner fast and oh dear you’ll be brought back to reality real quick.

It’s not designed for heavy corners most would say. Tell that to BMW and the X5/X6, Porsche Cayenne. Both seem to defy logic of any SUV with fantastic handling. However, we aren’t talking about BMW or Porsche. We’re talking about Land Rover the almost fully capable land yacht if you wanted to call it one.

The closes to off-road we could do in this beast was maybe more of the light mud and grassy stuff. Yeah, we ourselves thought it was pretty lame but these are the cards we were dealt and well we were going to make the most of it! Our tester car came equipped with the eight-cylinder engine and well it was the most expensive on the lot too. It’s no wonder the Range Rover Sport exists. This 4x4 isn’t cheap and neither is the equipment for the four-wheel-drive. There were so many off-road selections and several ways to get out of sticky situations that it would leave your head spinning. It was indeed a joy to drive around in just the mild stuff and yes it climbed on top of all that was thrown at it. (Of course the light stuff.)

Honestly most buyers won’t even tackle the off-road trails or go anywhere near them. So we decided the best thing to do is to drive it like how 99% of most buyers will and that’s around suburbia and in heavy traffic jams. I can honestly see where the diesel would be more appealing because a 5-liter eight-cylinder in stop/start traffic is like driving a Bugatti Veyron at speeds below 20mph. It’s meant to be driven fast and to its full potential and you can’t achieve that with grandma in the fast lane doing 15 below the speed limit and the mom on her cell phone yelling at the kids in the backseat to quiet down. You’ll be annoyed but the seats are superb and the overall visibility is outstanding despite it being so tall and wide. It does often feel top heavy but let’s face it, even we have limits and trying to push this heavy thing to its limits is well not something we are interested in embarking.

The stop/start technology isn’t all that refined and it does leave a lot to be desired. Most will just immediately shut it off every time they turn on their vehicles, but it does save gas though!

Steering feedback is pretty good for a 4x4 and handling is more secure and borderline athletic. It’s not BMW or Porsche but it’s decent.

The interior is what matters the most to us because you spend all most all of your time there. Yes this 4x4 has the most luxurious interior you can possibly ask for. The materials used feel soft and luxurious and it doesn’t disappoint one bit. There’s decent space for everyone to get comfortable and I don’t really see how anyone couldn’t love British Luxury, it’s so understated sort of like Scandinavian Luxury (ala Volvo). We did however run into a lot of electrical issues and many of them were just plain annoying. The infotainment screen decided to basically reboot itself while we were using the navigation to find our destination. It took about 15 minutes to restart and when it finally did the navigation system suddenly couldn’t find our destination after the reboot. The auto high beam headlights often got confused by everything from street lights, the reflectors on the road and lightly shaded areas the high beams insisted that they need to be activated. The parking sensors completely failed after a rain storm. These issues were addressed with Land Rover and they did fix the problems after we returned the vehicle.

The base Range Rover comes with Autonomous Emergency Braking, 19-inch alloy wheels and a 13-speaker 380watt sound system. HSE comes with sliding panoramic sunroof with power blind, 14-way power front seats with memory setting, heated rear seats and auto-dimming exterior mirrors with power-fold feature. Supercharged trim adds 21-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights and All-Terrain Progress Control.

The Range Rover is one of those 4x4s you’ll either love or loathe. Most will loathe it because the reliability issues and of course the high starting price. But for those who can make it rain of course won’t mind the high starting price and the steep running costs, it’s the luxury that matters the most and yes the Range Rover can and will deliver.

Likes: The Range Rover is excellent on-road and off-road, a feat that’s just plain impossible to achieve. It has a presence that is hard to ignore. British Luxury is so much better than the Germans. Eight-cylinder engines are so quick you’ll forget that this beast is a heavy one.

Dislikes: Electrical issues cause worry in reliability long-term. Running costs aren’t cheap.

Devon’s pick: The 3-liter turbo-diesel should make the most sense but it doesn't. If you have the money to buy and run a Range Rover chances are you don't care about running costs and the 5-liter supercharged eight-cylinders are the way to go, and you won't regret it! 

(Used) Land Rover Range Rover Sport (Review)

Photo provided by M93

The Range Rover Sport isn’t your typical Land Rover. Of course there is the legendary off-road capability and the unmistaken Land Rover looks. What makes the Range Rover Sport so different is the fact that it adds a splash of sport to your typical Range Rover, but is this a good thing?

Performance: There are two engines to choose from, a 5-liter V8 producing 375hp and a supercharged version of the 5-liter V8 producing 510hp. Picking between the two depends on the depths of your wallet. The non-supercharged V8 does a well enough job of propelling the Range Rover Sport around with no difficulty, while the supercharged form offers effortless acceleration.

Ride & Handling: The Range Rover Sport isn’t a sports machine and the hefty curb weight will suggest that. However, driving the Range Rover Sport on twisty narrow roads, you’ll instantly forget that this is a large heavy sport utility vehicle. Handling is good while ride comfort is also very posh and comfortable.

Refinement: There’s virtually no wind and road noise to complain of with the Range Rover Sport. The eight-cylinder engines emit a lovely snarl that sounds contagious when pushed hard on an open highway. The supercharged version sounds almost like a jet plane which is a welcome add to the overall driving experience.

Practicality & Space: If you want a sport utility vehicle that makes you feel like king of the road. The Range Rover Sport will do just that and will do it very well. The driver’s seat feels more like a throne, with oodles of support and adjustments to allow drivers of all sizes to get comfortable with ease. The instrumental panel is fuss free and is very easy to navigate. Rear passengers will enjoy plenty of legroom and headroom. The boot is also very spacious and roomy.

Equipment: The Range Rover Sport comes well equipped no matter what trim you choose. However, the higher the trim levels you climb the more expensive your Range Rover Sport gets. The HSE trim comes with Xenon headlamps, navigation system, 20-inch alloy wheels and full leather interior. Supercharged version offers high performance brakes, sporty exterior trim and of course the silky smooth supercharged engine.

Buying & Running cost: Buying a Range Rover Sport isn’t a cheap proposition. The base trim starts at $60,000 which will be good enough for most buyers; the mid-range adds $5,000 more with a luxury package. Top of the range adds the supercharged engine and few extras for a higher price tag of $76,000. You’ll need deep pockets for running costs, as the eight-cylinders both are gas guzzlers. The supercharged version guzzles gas as fast as it accelerates.

Reliability: The Range Rover Sport interior has many soft touch materials that feel high quality. They look and feel long lasting. However, the biggest question that still remains is reliability. Land Rover’s reliability record is very spotty, long term reliability of the mechanicals and electronics is still rather iffy.

The Range Rover Sport really is a great sport utility vehicle to own. The interior is very well crafted, the seats are very comfortable and the overall driving experience is very rewarding. The supercharged version offers effortless acceleration, all while offering light weight moves in a heavy weight package. However, the downside is you’ll pay a pretty penny to buy one and you’ll need deep pockets for running costs. There is still some concern for reliability and of course the ‘high baller’ image that the Range Rover Sport carries.

Devon's Pick: HSE trim offers a strong eight-cylinder engine and enough equipment to satisfy most buyers. Plus it's the cheapest of the Range Rover Sport range. 

Likes: Strong engines, luxurious interior with comfortable front seats. Handles well for weight and size; king of the road feeling when driving.

Dislikes: High running costs, iffy reliability record, not the vehicle for those who want to be discrete with their wealth.

Devon M