Dodge vehicles have always been known for their bold, in-your-face looks. To spice things up a little, Dodge has decided to bring back the lime green color that was seen on almost all the Dodge cars in the 1970s, and it'll do so at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show. With the 2020 Ford Shelby GT500 and the Chevy Camaro ZL1 1LE being in the news lately, is this a move out of desperation? Perhaps, Dodge has taken up the 'challenge' to 'charge' its range. Bad pun, eh?

Update 02/14/2019: We've updated this review with images and video of the lime green 2019 Dodge Charger taken at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show. Check them out for yourself in the gallery at the bottom of this page!

Background

The Dodge Charger, without a doubt, is one of the smartest muscle cars on the market today. It's not very-aggressive, it's not humble, but it clearly shows its not to be messed around with. It is, however, known to be the center-of-attraction because of its blingy, bold colors. As if colors like 'Plum Crazy' and 'Go Mango' were not enough, Dodge decided to wipe the dust off a lime-green color, that it used to spray-paint on the 1970 Dodges, known as 'Sublime.' It later made a comeback in 2007 for a limited number of Charger R/T Daytona models and then made an appearance on the Challenger lineup as well. This shade was also seen on the limited-edition of the 2018 Ram 1500 Sublime Sport pickup truck. Other than the two models from the Challenger lineup, the Sublime shade will be available on the Charger in the Scat Pack and the SRT Hellcat models. Other than this funkiest new color, the 2019 Dodge Charger will be available in 14 in-your-face colors that include:

-* B5 Blue

-* Destroyer Grey

-* F8 Green

-* Go Mango

-* Granite Crystal

-* IndiGo Blue

-* Maximum Steel

-* Octane Red

-* Pitch Black

-* Plum Crazy

-* Sublime

-* TorRed

-* Triple Nickel

-* White Knuckle

Steve Beahm, Head of Passenger Car Brands – Dodge//SRT, Chrysler and FIAT North America, said,. “Our Dodge//SRT muscle cars give our customers what they want, an incredibly wide variety of performance models and high-impact color options. Whether it’s Sublime paint, all-wheel-drive capability, or 797 horsepower, Charger and Challenger stand out. By bringing back a high-impact color like Sublime across the 2019 Challenger and Charger lineups, we’re continuing to give our enthusiast customers another way to make their muscle cars even more unique when they showcase the legendary Dodge performance attitude.”

2019 Dodge Charger Walkaround Video

2019 Dodge Charger Exterior

Upfront, Dodge has offered a hood-scoop adds to the muscle-car character of the Charger. What I liked the most here is the minimal use of chrome across the body of the Charger. It is limited just to the badges. In the Scat Pack and the SRT Hellcat, the headlamps units are neatly integrated into the black, slim performance grille with dual air inlets that is exclusive to these two models. The bumper features mesh grille at the bottom and in the foglamp housing. The Sublime Charger is same as the 2019 Dodge Charger and is essentially just a new shade on the existing car. The Dodge Charger looks phenomenal with the new shade and its trademark muscular looks and don't-mess-with-me attitude.

The side profile, in one word, looks sexy! The famed Coke-bottle shape on the side doors, the bulged-out fenders, and the smoking-hot 20-inch wheels look fantastic. And, in the Sublime edition, the 10-spoke alloys are painted in black. While the wing mirrors are body-colored, the window sills also come with the black treatment. At the rear, the Charger is well-sculpted. The design language maintains the whole care-free attitude same as the front. Be it for the roads, or race-strips, this car will leave everyone in awe.

2019 Dodge Charger exterior dimensions

2019 Dodge Charger Interior

Compared to the previous models, the SXT does not receive any updates to the standard equipment list. It still comes with the same features like the halogen headlights, electronic stability control, remote start, and a cap-less fuel system, to name a few. The SXT comes with regular cloth sport seats and the three above it, the SXT AWD, the GT and the R/T, are offered with cloth performance seats. The seats on Scat Pack are embossed with the Bee logo, while the top trim offers optional Alcantara seats.

Move higher up the trim hierarchy and you'll realise the cabin getting filled with more and more features. The cabin looks good overall, but feels cramped. This car seems as though Dodge gives a damn about the last row passengers. Legroom is just about enough, seats lack enough support, and the sloping roofline eats into the headroom. And, if possible, wear knee braces if you plan to, or are forced to be a rear occupant. The heavily-bolstered front seats are not a luxury; they are a need in this powerful beast to keep the passengers in place. Surprisingly, the cargo space is quite spacious at 16.5 cubic feet.

If I were in the market for a performance muscle car, I would prefer it the old-school way with few electronic shenanigans. The Sublime trims of the Charger will be well-equipped, but it comes with asterisk. Just like every other car these days, most of the desirable stuff falls under the 'optional' category. And, let me tell you, this is vicious mindplay. The company offers an 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment system on all the trims other than the SXT. The SXT is offered with a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is supported on all the trims. The Scat Pack and the SRT Hellcat models allows you to enable features like Drag mode, transbrake, active suspension, etc. Other features include -

-* Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control

-* Electric Power Steering

-* Power Driver’s Seat

-* Keyless Entry

-* Parking Sensors

-* Backup Camera

The things offered on the Scat Pack, such as dual carbon stripes, Satin Black hood, and Bilstein adaptive dampers, to name a few, are absolutely drool-worthy. So, if you're faint-hearted, you will see yourself shell-out a lot of moolah on the add-ons. As for the SRT Hellcat, there's new badging on the dash, and you have an option to upgrade to the 20-inch Monkey Brass wheels and an Alacantra interior.

2019 Dodge Charger interior dimensions

2019 Dodge Charger Drivetrain

It is not exactly a fast car, but still has enough punch and handles well. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an automatic transmission. Yeah, that's bummer if you were looking for a budget Dodge with a third pedal. The SXT AWD and the GT come packed with the same engine, but a different power output. The engine produces 300 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque in both the trims. The GT, however, is offered with a performance suspension, a 3.07 rear axle ratio, and paddle shifters. With these few add-ons, the GT behaves radically different from the SXT AWD. Both the trims are mated to an eight-speed transmission, but the SXT AWD receives power in all the wheels, unlike the GT which sees power being sent to the rear wheels only.

If you're looking for something powerful than the GT and the SXT twins, but don't have the moolah for the Scat Pack or the Hellcat, then the R/T should be your pick. You also get an eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission system and a 2.62 rear-axle ratio. So, if you don't care that it looks same as the lower trims and are only concerned about what's under the hood, the R/T is the one for you.

This is where all the action lies and is basically what the Dodge Charger stands for. The Scat Pack comes with a 6.4-liter, V-8, SRT Hemi MDS engine. It churns out 485 horses and 475 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic TorqueFlite transmission with optional paddle shifters. A new launch control and line-lock system come as standard on this model. You can also opt for the adaptive dampers. This car can do a 60-mph sprint in 3.8 seconds flat before losing breath at 203 miles per hour!

It develops a mammoth 707 horses and 650 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via the same eight-speed TorqueFlite transmission and paddle shifters. The SRT Hellcat can zoom from a naught to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds flat! Monstrous, right? The SRT Hellcat also comes with adaptive dampers, after-run chiller, and torque reserve as standard. The active dampers allows you to select different suspension tuning with Auto, Sport, and Track modes.

2019 Dodge Charger drivetrain specifications

2019 Dodge Charger Prices

The Dodge Charger's has a very wide price bracket. The price for all the trims are as follows:

Dodge has not yet revealed the prices of the Sublime Charger yet. However, we speculate it to cost around $1,500-$2,000 more than the standard Charger Scat Pack and SRT Hellcat trims.

2019 Dodge Charger Competition

Chevrolet Impala

The Impala is an all-around package that ticks all the boxes on paper, but does not excel in anything. The Impala looks muscular, is quite long, and Chevrolet has been more than generous with the Chrome usage. It rides on 18-inch wheels, which look a size small for a car that has a great road presence. We would strongly recommend opting for the 19-inch or 20-inch wheels that are available as an option. On the interior front, the cabin feels very premium for the price you pay. The cabin is precious for the front and rear passengers alike. The Impala is well-equipped and comes with features like:

-* Power driver's seat

-* 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple - CarPlay

-* Leather upholstery

-* Parking sensors

-* Bose Speakers

-* Power Moonroof

-* Heated Front Seats

-* Keyless Ignition

The Chevy Impala is powered by a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces a mere 197 horses; so, we won't even talk about it. However, the company offers the Impala with a 3.6-liter, V-6 unit that produces 305 horses and 264 pound-feet of torque. The ride and handling is super smooth and thanks to the steering feedback, this car feels brilliant on curves. Push it hard in the corners and the Impala will not break a sweat. Overall, the car is a value-for-money proposition and has enough

grunt to take on the three entry-level trims of the Dodge Charger.

Read our full review on the 2018 Chevrolet Impala

Chrysler 300

This Bentley lookalike is an underrated performer. The 2019 Chrysler 300 is 15-years old, and it's not deterred by the fact that it is not anyone's first choice. With its long hood and short deck, the 300 is a smart car that grabs the eyeballs. People who like simple, elegant 'cars' with a contemporary design are in for a treat. Even on the inside, the Chrysler 300 exudes class. Opt for the higher trims, and you will realize what luxury actually means -at least in this price bracket, anyway. The legroom, headroom, and overall space in the cabin is more than plenty. In terms of features, the car is very well-equipped with stuff like:

-* An 8.4-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Bluetooth and USB ports

-* Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control

-* Keyless Ignition

-* Heated steering wheel

-* Heated front seats

-* Leather upholstery

Although entry-level variants have hard plastics, the higher trims come with features like an analog clock, quilted leather seats, and natural-toned wood trim work that can put some luxury cars to shame.

The 300 comes packed with a 3.6-liter, V-6 engine that churns out 292 horses. The 300S makes 300 horsepower with the same powertrain. Wait a second! This engine specification sounds familiar, right? Well, that's because the same mill has been used in the Dodge Charger as well! It is good enough to calm the short bursts of adrenaline rush, but not for long spirited driving. For the latter, Chrysler offers a 5.7-liter V-8 engine that produces 363 horses and 394 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Shell out bucks for the top-trim and you can get paddle shifters and a sport-tuned suspension as well. The Chrysler 300C is a viable candidate to go up against the Dodge Charger R/T.

Read our full review on the 2018 Chrysler 300.

Genesis G80

This South-Korean brand is still finding its feet, but has a strong fan-base and the potential to trump the best of the best. The car looks handsome in all its subtle, elegant colors. The front fascia receives a new grille and copper finished headlights that make it look aggressive. On the interior front, the G80 passes with flying colors. If you're looking for a luxury car with features south of the $60,000 price bracket, the Genesis G80 is your best bet. The broad, comfortable wide seats can put you to sleep within minutes - they are that comfortable. The cabin is spacious in terms of legroom and headroom as well, thanks to the high roofline. Even the feature list is strong, with the main highlight being the 9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

If safety is your major concern, you will be mighty impressed by the safety spec-list the G80 boasts. All G80s come standard with forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors with rear cross-traffic alert, active lane control, adaptive cruise control, active head restraints, and nine standard airbags including a driver's knee bag that protects lower-limb injuries in a crash.

If you choose the top 'Ultimate' trim, you can get unique a sport-tuned suspension with continuous damping control, 19-inch wheels, a sport steering wheel with ventilated front seats, carbon-fiber interior trim, copper accents throughout, a quad-tipped exhaust, and a suede headliner. The top-trim comes with a 5.0-liter, V-8 engine under the hood. It produces 420 horses and 383 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to all the four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. All-in-all, the Genesis G80, in its ultimate avatar, is a complete package that ticks all the boxes on paper and the heart.

Read our full review on the 2018 Genesis G80

Conclusion

The Dodge Charger has had a strong fan-base since its inception. The 2019 Dodge Charger ticks all the boxes well, but does not have standout qualities like the Mustang or the Camaro. It's more like jack of all trades and master of none. It is a well-balanced package that gives you a barrage of engine options and variants to choose from. The muscle car segment is the one where the fanboys would go to any extents to prove that their favorite car is the best. Since I don't want to start a rumble here, I'll leave the 'best car of the lot' decision up to you.

The 2019 Dodge Charger is already on sale. The 2019 Sublime Dodge Charger models can be ordered starting February 2019 The Sublime Charger, along with the Challenger, will grace the 2019 Chicago Auto Show with their presence. Maybe the organisers can spend a little less on the lighting since the bright, lime-green color with light up the arena as it is!

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Dodge Charger.

Read our full review on the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat.