The Charger SRT HELLCAT and Charger R/T Scat Pack are well-known vehicles in the Dodge lineup. Flashy good looks, luxurious options, and big horsepower make them excellent buzz models. These cars not only sell well, but they also drive traffic into showrooms supporting the sale of the more conservative models. Today we are looking at one of those conservative models.
The Charger SXT Blacktop is among the best selling vehicles in the Charger lineup. With a sticker price of under $35,000, it is an affordable, fun sedan. Equipped with the 292 hp Pentastar V6 mated to the TorqueFlite 8-speed transmission the Charger SXT Blacktop is a reasonably quick and nimble sedan.
Our test model is as typical as any you would find on your local Dodge lot. This is the bread and butter Charger as some would say. At a base price of $28,995 USD, the Charger SXT gets the usual amenities everyone expects from a standard car these days like power mirrors and driver’s seat but it also includes ParkSense Rear Park Assist, and Keyless Enter ‘N Go. Our test car had one option checked off, the Blacktop Appearance Group. At $1,295, this package adds the satin black spoiler from a Scat Pack or HELLCAT, 20-inch x 8-inch gloss black aluminum wheels, gloss black interior and exterior accents, sport suspension, and satin black exterior badging. The total sticker price of our tester came out to $31,685. Subtract some incentives, and this car could potentially be driven out the door for just under $30,000. That’s not bad at all!
As a decently equipped family car, this Charger is perfect for hauling a small family around and having fun at the same time. Equipped with the standard 7-inch Uconnect touch screen and Apple CarPlay, simple yet comfortable cloth seats, soft touch vinyl, and plastics, and multiple charging ports it is easy to see why these cars are so popular. Apple CarPlay works with ease, simply plug your charge cable into the USB port inside the console then connect your phone and instantly the interface appears on the screen. You have access to voice-controlled phone calls, voice to text, and even music and navigation apps like Pandora or Waze.
I spent the last week hauling my daughter back and forth to school while also commuting to my day job. The Charger SXT Blacktop has gotten the job done with ease. In mixed driving, I am seeing 21-23 mpg thanks to my heavy foot which is used to a 392 under the hood. However, being more judicious with the throttle, highway mileage of 31 mpg is more than achievable, and I bet if I was a little more careful I could get 25 mpg in mixed driving.
Overall I’m actually a bit smitten with this car. The only thing I would have changed on the car was I would have preferred the SXT Plus model mainly because it comes with LED fog lights. While it has nowhere near the scale of flashiness and brute performance of the 392 and HELLCAT-powered cars, the simple Pentastar V6 can hold its own and is plenty powerful for someone that needs to compromise between performance, price, and efficiency. It’s no wonder why these cars make up the majority of Charger sales… They are simply great cars for the everyday person who doesn’t want an appliance CUV.
2019 Dodge Charger SXT Blacktop Image Gallery:
