I’m a giant fan of the Kia Stinger, a lot in order that I believe it’s among the finest automobile introductions of the final decade. It was great: a four-door sedan with GT-like proportions and a liftback powered by a twin-turbocharged V6 engine — and you would have it with all-wheel drive. Unless you spent massive cash with one of many German manufacturers, the place else had been you going to discover a automotive like that? What made it even higher was that it got here from such an sudden place, Kia.
Sadly although low gross sales, consumers nonetheless caught up in badge notion and a market largely transferring away from distinctive, enjoyable stuff for boring crossovers killed the Stinger and it was discontinued for the 2023 mannequin 12 months. Luckily Dodge has stepped in with a substitute for the Stinger within the new Charger. Yes, I’m about to check an out-of-production Korean efficiency sedan with an all-new Dodge that isn’t even on sale but.
In releasing the specs and particulars of the all-new Dodge Charger, it dawned on me that Dodge is giving us almost the precise automotive that Kia took from us. At their most elementary, they’re the identical. The Stinger was accessible with a base 2.5-liter 300 horsepower turbocharged I4 or an optionally available 3.3-liter 365 hp V6 with optionally available all-wheel drive for each engines.
With the brand new Charger, Dodge is giving it the choice of two totally different variations of its 3.0-liter twin-turbo Hurricane I6 engine, however wording from the Dodge website is making it appear as if the high-output engine will solely be accessible within the two-door Charger; we’ll have to attend and see. Either approach although, you may have your I6 with both 420 hp or a powerful 550 hp within the high-output model. Both get paired with customary all-wheel drive and eight-speed automated transmissions.
Both the Stinger and the Charger sedan are four-door liftbacks (or hatchbacks if that’s what you wish to name them. Dodge calls the Charger’s hatch a “hidden hatch.” Whatever.) As far as dimensions, the Charger sedan has the previous Stinger beat. The Charger is very large, with a 121-inch wheelbase and an general size of 206.6-inches. This means the Charger’s wheelbase is 6.6-inches longer than the Stinger (114.4-inches) and its general size is 6.4-inches longer than the Stinger (190.2-inches). Weirdly although these massive dimensions don’t translate into massive cargo house.
The Stinger has the Charger barely beat on cargo capability. With the rear seats up, there’s 23.3 cubic toes of cargo house within the Stinger, in comparison with 22.8 within the Dodge; that grows to 40.9 cubic toes with the seats folded within the Stinger and 37.4 cubic toes within the Charger. Throw in one other 1.4 cubic toes for the Charger EV with its frunk.
But you get the thought. Dodge has inadvertently given us an American follow-up to the Kia Stinger in what’s truthfully some of the very best automotive physique types you should buy — that is made even higher by the truth that you may get the identical powertrain setup in coupe. Sure the outrageous Hemi V8s are gone, however the place else are you going to discover a massive, all-wheel drive sedan with a liftback and highly effective straight-six engine? Certainly not from another American automaker that’s for positive. If the value is true — and I pray it’s — as soon as the gas-powered Chargers go on sale in 2025, Dodge simply might need an fanatics hit on its palms.
Source: jalopnik.com