The Charger has mass appeal. It’s fast on command, provides an exceedingly comfortable ride for four adults, and the sight lines are great. This four-door sedan didn’t stumble for a moment during a one-week test drive that included city streets, expressways, and rutted gravel roads. Charger re-energizes its driver and passengers with a silky-smooth ride, throaty growl, and zippy passing power. The 120.2-inch wheelbase sedan adores back seat occupants, so no one will feel cramped with 40.1 inches of rear seat legroom and the available heated rear seats. Charger’s interior is a treat for the eyes, especially the navigation system graphics. Gear and grocery transporting is handily accommodated by 16.5 cubic feet of trunk space.

The 2012 model is the first sports sedan among the domestic automakers with an available 8- speed automatic transmission. It’s offered on rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive Chargers fitted with the 3.6-liter V6 that produces 292 horsepower at 6350 rpm and 260 pounds-feet of torque at 4800 rpm. Also new for the 2012 model year are paddle shifters with a ‘sport’ shift mode as standard on the Charger SXT and SXT Plus trims that are paired with the Rallye Appearance Group or Blacktop package. The sport mode equates to faster gear changes and higher-holding revs. Rear wheel drive Charger SXT Plus with V6 engine and ZF’s 8-speed automatic transmission carries a MSRP of $28,495 and collects estimated mpg of 19 city and 31 highway.