2018 Dodge Challenger GT AWD Review - Maybe You Don't Need a V8

At one point during my time with the 2018 Dodge Challenger GT, I fired it up and shook my head.

“That can’t be right,” I thought. “It sounds like a V8, but the GT is a V6.”

Which it is – all-wheel drive GT models are powered by a 3.6-liter V6 making 305 horsepower and 268 lb-ft of torque. No V8 on offer here.

Yet, the V6 has a bit of the aural aura of a V8, if not the acceleration.

Two hundred and sixty-eight lb-ft of torque doesn’t seem like enough for a car that weighs over two tons, and you do miss the extra grunt of the V8 Challengers. But it’s still enough for around-town cut and thrust – enough that if you’re willing to forego cruise-night cool points and you don’t need our lady of blessed acceleration on the regular, this version of the Challenger is just fine.

Back in the day, cars like these were referred to as “insurance beaters” or slapped with the sexist label of secretary’s cars. Today’s base-engine pony cars are more than that, though. They are both performance bargains and commuter-friendly editions of iconic sports performers.

Adding all-wheel drive to the mix doesn’t seem to alter the Challenger experience all that much. While Dodge has improved the model’s handling incrementally over each passing year – to the point that the big-power trims are relatively track friendly – the Challenger will never not feel large and heavy, not as long as it continues to exist on its current platform. It’s more spry than it used to be (unlike most of us), but that’s not its best trait.

Like its big brothers, the Challenger GT succeeds best at acceleration, and sounding cool while so doing. Its second-best trait is the interior – although Challenger interiors across all trims are starting to get long in the tooth from a design perspective, the size of the cabin remains appreciated. That’s one of the benefits of sharing a platform with the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans.

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Another benefit is that the Challenger is a pleasant highway cruiser – it feels more like a large sedan than a low-level muscle car. Again, there are reasons why the V6 versions are commuter cars – and a lower price and higher fuel economy are also part of the bargain. So, too, is a more relaxed (relatively speaking) ride.

There’s not a whole lot new for 2018 – most of the news is limited to the availability of 19-inch wheels.

That’s no shock – while Dodge sometimes brings about big updates for the more-powerful versions, as it did this year, the overall Challenger milieu remains fairly constant over time.

Which is fine. The exterior styling has aged well, interior materials are acceptable for the price, and you get decent available content. Among those goodies: adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic detection, remote start, leather steering wheel, premium audio, navigation, and UConnect infotainment. These features were all part of various packages – standard equipment includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, fog lamps, heated and cooled front seats, heated steering wheel, satellite radio, and dual-zone climate control.

Starting sticker price is $33,495, and the options packages brought it up to $38,965, plus $1,095 destination.

You end up with a respectably performing muscle car that isn’t as fire-breathing as its brethren, but still has enough guts to allow you to have some fun. It will also be a tad easier to drive in snow (although we all know tires are the real key), and it won’t lighten your wallet as much.

Yeah, the V8s are more fun. A hell of a lot more fun. The V6 may be a logical value choice, but logic and value don’t often matter with muscle cars. Still, if you can live without the extra cylinders, the V6 will work just fine.

[Images © 2018 Tim Healey/TTAC]