The 2023 Dodge Challenger is a muscle car icon in its final model year, and it’s going out with a bang with special Last Call editions. Pricing starts at $30,545. The modern muscle car concept has been tried a few different ways, but none has stuck to its roots as faithfully as the Dodge Challenger, now in its final model year for this generation. It’s aesthetically similar to the classic Challenger of the 1970s, but it’s a thoroughly modern performance car with user-friendly tech features and a comfortable interior. A wide range of engines gives the Challenger the muscle to back up its appearance, especially in the iconic SRT Hellcat models. The chief rivals of the Dodge Challenger are the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro.
2023 Dodge Challenger Pricing
The 2023 Dodge Challenger starts at $30,545 for the base SXT trim. The R/T trim is your ticket into the V8 club and starts at $39,385, while 807 horsepower can be yours for as little as $83,650. But most buyers stick with something under the $50,000 mark. R/T Scat Pack models have a Gas Guzzler Tax that ups the base price, while the SRT Hellcat and SRT Super Stock trims include the tax and an 8-speed automatic transmission option. These are the manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP) and don’t include the $1,595 factory-to-dealer delivery fee (destination charge). Before buying a Challenger, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Dodge Challenger resale value is about average for the segment. This is the final model year for the Dodge Challenger in its current form, and it’s going out with a bang. Several Last Call special edition models include the Black Ghost edition for the SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody, the Shakedown special edition for the R/T Scat Pack models, and the Swinger special edition for the R/T Scat Pack Widebody. These are essentially appearance packages for their respective trims, with “Last Call” plaques under the hood. The 2023 model year also brings back retro paint options, including Plum Crazy, B5 Blue, and Sublime Green. R/T models with the 5.7-liter V8 engine now have “345” badges on the front fenders indicating the engine’s displacement in cubic inches. Finally, the Jailbreak package is now available for every Challenger trim with “SRT Hellcat” in the name. This turns up the customizability for details like wheels, stripes, seat upholstery, painted brake calipers, the color of the Hellcat badges, and more. Even the fuel door is customizable.What’s New?
Driving the 2023 Dodge Challenger
The driving experience of the Dodge Challenger varies quite a bit depending on what’s under the hood. Let’s start with the standard V6. The V6 in the Challenger is hardly a compromise. Its healthy 303-horsepower rating is more than adequate for the daily commute, and it’s by far the most fuel-efficient choice in the Challenger lineup. It’s also the only engine available with all-wheel drive (AWD). We’ve found the handling a bit ponderous compared to the more agile Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang. If the Dodge Challenger is on your shopping list, we don’t blame you if you insist on a V8. The “345” 5.7-liter Hemi V8 in the R/T trim is the most affordable. This is a nice upgrade over the base V6, and you can get one with an old-fashioned manual transmission for a more engaging drive. However, the manual isn’t as precise as we’d like, and we must admit that we prefer the responsive 8-speed automatic. The Goldilocks V8 in the Challenger lineup is the “392” V8 under the hood of the R/T Scat Pack models. In terms of power and price, it’s positioned between the R/T model and the ferocious, supercharged SRT Hellcat. The Scat Pack gets a big boost in power and torque over the R/T, and the fuel economy is about the same. This engine is also available with a stick shift, and you can get it with a widebody kit. Upgrading to the supercharged V8 in the SRT Hellcat makes driving the Challenger a whole other experience. Smashing the gas pedal and getting thrown back in your seat while the supercharger sings its song has to be experienced to be fully appreciated. You may have thought the standard Hellcat engine was already “high-output,” but the final boss in the Challenger engine lineup is the high-output 807-horsepower version of the supercharged V8. You get this mill in the SRT Hellcat Redeye and SRT Super Stock trims. The Hellcat Redeye is simply a more powerful Hellcat, while the Super Stock is intended to be a drag-racing car with drag radial tires, a standard widebody kit, and a suspension and differential optimized for drag racing. This engine is for you if your quarter-mile time is your top priority.
Practical Interior
The interior of the Dodge Challenger feels dated compared to more modern sports cars. This cabin was most recently refreshed in 2015, a significant upgrade at the time, but now it’s showing its age in 2023. That said, we like the comfortable seats and the user-friendly Uconnect infotainment system. The Dodge Challenger is a surprisingly practical muscle car. Since it’s a bit bigger than its top two competitors, the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro, it has a bench back seat with decent legroom, plus you get a roomy trunk. We wouldn’t want to be back there for a cross-country road trip, but these rear seats are much more accommodating than the ones in the Challenger’s American rivals. This coupe doesn’t have the 4-door practicality of the Dodge Charger, but it’s a sports car you can drive daily, even with occasional passengers.
Iconic Styling
This generation of the Dodge Challenger came out way back in 2008, but we haven’t gotten tired of looking at it yet. Its design borrows heavily from the original Challenger of the early 1970s, and it’s an outstanding execution of a modern muscle car with retro styling. There’s a ton of visual variety in the Challenger’s model range. It has numerous appearance packages, an available widebody kit for the high-performance trims, and three special Last Call editions. Essentially, the more power under the Challenger’s hood, the more aggressive it looks. Another nod to the Challenger’s roots is the retro paint colors reminiscent of classic Mopar muscle cars. The palette of paint options includes Sublime, Plum Crazy, Go Mango, Sinamon Stick, and several others.
Our Favorite Features and Tech
Thrilling engines Uconnect 4C Available AWD Last Call editions Widebody models Jailbreak package
There are five engine options for the Challenger, four of which are V8s. Horsepower ranges from 303 to 807, so you can pick the level of performance that suits your budget and your appetite for performance.
The standard Uconnect 4C infotainment system in the Challenger is feature-rich and user-friendly. It comes with handy connectivity features like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
All-wheel drive is optional in the Dodge Challenger, a claim the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro can’t make. The AWD system adds all-season practicality to the V6-powered Challenger.
Three Last Call editions mark the end of this generation of the Challenger. The Black Ghost adds a dark, aggressive look to the SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody, and the Shakedown Special Edition adds a red and black motif inside and out to the R/T Scat Pack models. The Swinger Special Edition adds a retro look to the R/T Scat Pack Widebody with “Gold School” wheels and badging, a green side stripe and interior stitching, and woodgrain interior trim.
As its name implies, the widebody package widens the wheel arches to accommodate wider wheels and tires and impart a more aggressive look. It’s available for the R/T Scat Pack and SRT Hellcat models and standard on the SRT Super Stock.
The Jailbreak package opens up the customizability of the Dodge Challenger. You can customize details like seat upholstery, brake caliper colors, stripe packages, and much more. For 2023, every SRT Hellcat model comes with the Jailbreak package.
Engine & Transmission
The 2023 Dodge Challenger lineup includes a whopping five engine options. Standard V6 3.6-liter V6 345 V8 5.7-liter V8 392 V8 Like the 5.7-liter V8, you can get the 392 with an automatic or a stick shift. 6.4-liter V8
The base V6 engine in the Challenger is a good choice for everyday practicality. This engine comes with the SXT and GT trims. Not only is it the most efficient engine option, but it’s the only one available with all-wheel drive. Even with AWD, the V6 gets better fuel economy than all the V8s.
303 horsepower @ 6,350 rpm
268 lb-ft of torque @ 4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/30 mpg (RWD), 18/27 (AWD)
The 5.7-liter Hemi V8 is the most affordable and efficient of the several V8 engines available in the Challenger. It’s also the least powerful, but it has the thrust and the sound to make the Challenger R/T a real muscle car by anyone’s standards. You can get it with a responsive 8-speed automatic transmission or a more traditional 6-speed manual.
375 horsepower @ 5,150 rpm
410 lb-ft of torque @ 4,300 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/25 mpg (auto), 15/23 (manual)
The R/T Scat Pack models come with a 6.4-liter V8, a substantial improvement over the smaller V8 in the R/T trim. This is the sweet spot of power, value, and efficiency in the Challenger lineup. If the R/T is too weak and the Hellcat is too expensive, the R/T Scat Pack is just right.
485 horsepower @ 6,100 rpm
475 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/24 mpg (auto), 14/23 (manual)
SRT Hellcat Supercharged V8
The Hellcat moniker for Dodge muscle cars has only been around since 2015, but it’s already a legend. This supercharged V8 cranks out more power and torque than you’ll know what to do with, but that’s the point of the Hellcat. The performance of the Hellcat is comparable to the Chevy Camaro ZL1.
6.2-liter supercharged V8
717 horsepower @ 6,100 rpm
656 lb-ft of torque @ 4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/22 mpg
High-Output Supercharged V8
If the standard SRT Hellcat isn’t quite powerful enough power for you, there’s still one more rung to climb. Found under the hood of the Hellcat Redeye and Super Stock models, this is one of the most powerful engines ever bolted into a production car. You usually have to go to an exotic supercar to get these kinds of power and torque numbers. This is for drivers who demand a true factory drag-racing car.
6.2-liter high-output supercharged V8
807 horsepower @ 6,400 rpm
707 lb-ft of torque @ 4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/21 mpg
More Challenger fuel economy information is available at the EPA’s website.
3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty
The 2023 Dodge Challenger is covered by a 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. These warranties are average for this class.
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