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Challenger vs other 4-door performance sedans

2K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  Camden Massey 
#1 ·
How does the Challenger compare as a daily driver to cars like the M3 and the WRX STI?

In terms of:

Passengers/kids

Cargo space

Long distance highway comfort.

Blend of sportyness and daily driver comfort.

Ease of use

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I know a coupe is inherently impractical to some of these points, but I think the Challenger is in a little bit of a gray area when it come to space and doors.
 
#2 ·
I have done every one of those things and quite frankly those items are the bread and butter of what the Challenger is about. I will say though that if the kids you are referring to are still in full on car seats then you might struggle a bit getting them in and out of the car. My kids are finally at the booster seat/no seat stage so they can climb in and out of the car all day no problem. The Challenger does a hell of a job when it comes to practicality even in a two door cruiser. The trunk is massive and after you lay down the seats you would be amazed at how much crap you can fit in the car. I have taken my car on a few road trips of a thousand miles or more and I have to say it is a great road trip vehicle. I am not going to lie though, I would take my 2015 Yukon XL if I had to road trip with the family. There would be no way I would venture across state lines with a backseat full of kids and luggage in the trunk. I think it would just be too much. For the cruise around town or maybe the next town over, sure why not. My car gets looks and compliments nearly all the time and you would be surprised to find out that I rarely ever get challenged for a stop light race. Most people cruise up to my car to see what it is and realize that it is no slouch and then just back off.

I think it is a great daily driver that can handle all of the different elements of weather and I can do nearly everything I need to do with it besides hauling something to the dump. I have a beater truck for all of those other trips to Lowes or the dump or something.
 
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#3 ·
OK, I'm bored, wife and kid are in Phoenix, so I'll throw in my 2 cents. Of course, you get what you pay for :grin2:

M3, pricewise, you can buy a Hellcat, and kill pretty much anything. Cmon 707 HP? Oof. WRX STI, looks to be around R/T price wise, being lighter might be a bit quicker than an R/T, but not sure.

Passengers/kids... Challenger will seat 5, but tall people will not be comfortable in the back for long trips.

Cargo space... trunk is huge, will easily hold 2-3 bodies :grin2:

Long distance... I took my 09 from Tucson AZ to Ogden UT every summer. 15 hour trip, very comfortable. I can only imagine the SRT, with its way superior seats, will be better.

Blend...They're plenty sporty, and make for a docile daily driver. Lotsa fun when you plant the skinny pedal (Hemis), and if you opt for an SRT, you get adjustable suspension for the twisties.

Since you seem to be interested in 4 doors, and the M3 is on your list, perhaps consider a Charger SRT. Both the 392 and the Hellcat will be impressive, and you get the advantage of more room in the back.

Good luck with your decision.
 
#4 ·
The grey area is a little black in my opinion since access to the back seat in a Challenger in my opinion is not that easy, especially on the drivers side. I got out of an E60 Dinan 550i to get into the SRT and the SRT is comparable in comfort although not up to the fit and finish of the BMW. The room inside the front seats of the Challenger is bigger than the BMW. The trunk in the Challenger is also much bigger than the BMW.


I have not been disappointed in my switch. Especially when the foot hits the floor.
 
#5 ·
What price do you put on utility? On exclusivity? On value?

A BMW M3 is a very nice auto. It is expensive to acquire and maintenance/repair costs are very high. BMW dealers can be few are far between in distance. Insurance is higher than comparable autos. Kids will diminish the resale value due to excessive wear and tear. Easy to use as a family car for children of any size and most physical abilities. The hood and doors are aluminum, so dings and dents can be expected and repair isn't as easy as a steel door. The inline 6 cylinder engine is world famous for torque.

The Subaru WRX-STI is a nice vehicle. It is AWD and great in snow, rain, and dirt/gravel roads. The one problem is that if one owns an AWD car, all tires must be replaced at the same time. If one doesn't, the differential sizing in the circumference of the tires can cause binding and damage in the transfer case/differential. The Subi is not a cheap auto and it holds value very well. They are difficult to buy at a discount, since they are in demand. Easy to use as a family car for children of any size and most physical abilities. The new body design is polarizing and the turbo is not a good performer in hot climates. It is great in cool climates.

I won't evaluate the Challenger, because it is a 2 door and not a direct comparison to the above vehicles. The Charger is a better comparison to the M3 and the WRX-STI. I am obviously biased towards the Challenger, although I did own a BMW 3 series a long time ago.
 
#6 ·
My Challenger is a daily driver, except when we get a rare snow, and I drive the 4x4 truck. I have taken 4 other adults on short trips, and the 3 in back are fine but have trouble getting in and out. I have also taken a grandkids in car seat, and it's a bit harder to get him in and out of the back with two doors. Still, 90% of the time it's just me, and maybe 8% my wife and I only. I actually find the seat very comfortable on a 5-6 hour trip, the longest I have gone in it, as did my wife. It's a lot roomier than her 4 door Escape, front, back and cargo. The only real downside is the blind spot visibility.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Passengers/Kids: Space is not the problem. My Challenger feels like it has comparable backseat space to a smaller sports sedan, maybe just a little bit less. It's the lack of doors. We have one 14 month old in a rear facing convertible. If it goes in the middle, there's decent space for average sized passengers and drivers. If there was more than one rear facing seat the car wouldn't work well for transporting the kids and a passenger at the same time. The challenge is to get a toddler or infant into a rear facing car seat in the middle where it uses the least space. If the kid isn't capable of crawling in there on his own you have to grab them, twist yourself into the back seat, then put him in the seat and bucks him in. Either that or have someone hand them in to you if you have help. If you yourself are not nimble enough to do that it's a real challenge. Once they're forward facing and they can assist with getting in it gets a lot easier. I don't want my kid to grow up too fast but I look forward to my life getting easier transporting him in the Challenger when he's front facing. For times when I don't want to deal with getting him in there I also have a crew cab half ton which I can get him into and out of in a few seconds with no fuss.

Cargo space: Trunk looks nearly as big as my wife's TLX. Surprisingly big, No complaints there. We did a 2 hour road trip loaded down with stroller, 2 medium sized bags, and various other stuff crammed in there. We went for a weekend getaway and had no issues fitting everything.

I think it's an awesome car for long distance comfort and day to day driving. The wife was astonished at how good the ride and handling compromise is over rough pavement. Barely any wind noise, and the engine settles down to a tolerable rumble at speed.

For ease of use, I had all systems in the car figured out in my first 5 minutes behind the wheel. And I have an RT plus with the 8.4 inch screen and NAV. It's a very user-friendly and ergonomically correct car with the menus in the touch screen logically arranged. There's some things I still don't know how to do when I drive the wife's Acura that I end up leaving unadjusted. The Challenger felt very intuitive after my first 10 minute test drive.

I would overall rate it a fine vehicle for older kids in forward facing seats, booster seats, or just seatbelts. For infants and toddlers in rear facing carseats, it's more difficult. Doable with just one, but real hard to deal with on a day to day business for more than one child and a front passenger. I don't mind it when I move the car seat over from the truck to the Challenger just for weekend driving but it would get old real quick day in and day out.

If the dog is coming too we take my Tundra or the wife's sedan instead.
 
#8 ·
I know that this isn't an answer to the question that you asked, but if you're comparing the Challenger to a four door performance sedan, why not include its four door brother...The Charger?

It's comfortable, will hold five easily and if you get a Scat Pack, SRT or Hellcat version, it will also haul the groceries too!

If you're comparing an M sedan, then in my opinion, the Hellcat Charger is a better deal and probably cheaper too depending on if the M is new or used.
 
#9 ·
Call me crazy, but I think you are talking about the Charger.

You do realize that the Challenger is a 2 door and the Charger is a 4 door, right?
 
#10 ·
I do know it's a two door, but it has a more usable back seat so I'm looping it in with other cars with semi or full back seats. It's also a price point thing. You can have a lot of different types of cars for under 40k, all fun in their own right, but different all the same.
 
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