2010 Dodge Challenger

6.2-liter HEMI V8
It's the HEMI that brings the Challenger legend to life and with 425 horsepower and 420 pounds-feet of torque, this 6.2-liter monster motor ensures only a handful of cars will be able to keep up.

13-speaker Kicker Audio
Available only on the SRT8, Dodge calls this 13-speaker, 522-watt sound system the "mother of all audio", and we agree. With this system cranking your favorite tunes, the only notes sweeter than the ones inside the car are found at the end of each exhaust pipe.

When compared to the Challenger's exterior, the lackluster interior design seems to fall flat. The four-spoke steering wheel from the base Charger is definitely out of place, as is the transmission selector (it should be a pistol-grip knock-off similar to the optional manual transmission's knob). Comfortable front bucket seats do a good job of holding the driver and front passenger in place and the Challenger's rear seat can comfortably fit two adults; the same cannot be said for either the Mustang or Camaro. Sub-par plastics don't do much to brighten the interior, but a long list of creature comforts makes spending time inside the Challenger enjoyable nonetheless. A sizeable trunk also gives the Challenger a leg up on its Mustang and Camaro rivals.

The Challenger's exterior is less about retro and more the logical evolution of the original. This strong connection to the past allows the Challenger to attract both old and young, with bright, over-the-top exterior colors, bold stripes and available accessories such as hood scoops and body-colored rear "Go-Wing" spoiler. The narrow side glass helps disguise the Challenger's Charger-based roots; we just wish Dodge could have incorporated the original car's hardtop roll-down rear windows into the design.

The Challenger offers a choice of three engines, all based on trim levels. The base SE has a 250-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 that offers good performance for the money, but is no barn burner. The value leader is the R/T, with a 372-horsepower HEMI V8 plucked from the Charger R/T and paired to a five-speed AutoStick or available six-speed manual transmission. At the top end resides the SRT8's 6.1-liter HEMI engine (so named for the hemispherical chambers in the heads). Producing a whopping 425 horsepower and even more impressive 420 pounds-feet of torque, the only drawback to owning this powerplant is the cost incurred at the pump and possibly the court house.

3.5-liter V6
250 horsepower @ 6400 rpm
250 lbs.-ft. of torque @ 3800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/25

5.7-liter HEMI V8
372 horsepower @ 5200 rpm
400 lbs.-ft. of torque @ 4400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/24 (manual), 16/25 (automatic)

6.1-liter V8
425 horsepower @ 6200 rpm
420 lbs.-ft. of torque @ 4800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/22