Transportation

Car Review: 2015 Dodge Charger

Published

12 years ago

February 17, 2015

By Frank S. Washington
NNPA Columnist

WASHINGTON, D.C., – Dodge is billing the 2015 Charger as the world’s only four-door muscle car. The brand says the restyled Charger is the quickest, fastest and most powerful sedan on the planet. What’s more, Dodge does have the right stuff under the Charger’s hood to back up the claim.

At the top of the power perch is the 2015 Dodge SRT Hellcat with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that makes 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. Mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, this four-door rocket has a top speed of 204 mph. That makes it faster than its corporate cousin, the Dodge Challenger Hellcat, with a top speed of 199 mph.

Next up was the 2015 Dodge Charger SRT 392. It was powered by a 6.4-liter normally aspirated HEMI V8 that made 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic gear box is standard to all trim lines of the new Charger.

Third on the Charger muscle scale is the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 that makes 370 horsepower. This model has cylinder deactivation that will shut off half of its cylinders when not needed. That’s most of the time.

Although the new car still looked like a Charger, everything about this Dodge has changed. Only the rear doors and the roof are the same. New were fenders, front and rear fascia as well as the front doors. The new aluminum hood appeared to be a little more curved.
The radius of the Dodge Charger’s side scallops was changed and the C-pillar was pulled rearward into the deck lid. The sedan had LED running lights and LED fog lamps. There were also front and rear performance fascias and side sills for the HEMIs, a new three-piece spoiler as well as black performance spoilers and SRT body color performance spoilers.

But amid all of Dodge’s intoxicating power and appearance packages, we decided to concentrate on the 2015 Charger with the least amount of power. We had experienced all of the HEMIs when we test drove the Challenger, it shares the same engine family. Thus, we opted to test drive the 2015 Dodge Charger SE, the entry level model.

It is nowhere near as exotic as its more powerful siblings but this car along with the SXT Charger is the volume model. In other words, Dodge will sell more copies of these two models then the others combined.

Powered by a 3.6 liter V6, engine that made 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, that is bumped up to 300 horsepower with the Rallye Package, the SE also had an eight-speed transmission. All the forward gears help the 2015 Dodge Charger SE get 19 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway and 23 mpg combined.

On a 100-mile drive to Summit Point Motorsports Park in West Virginia, we found the Dodge Charger SE to be a whole lot of car. There was a bunch of stuff our test vehicle didn’t have: no navigation system, no 8.4-inch touch screen or voice controls. But it did have the Charger chassis and styling.

The car was solid on what can only be described as a rain soaked day. Still, it was real world conditions and this Charger gave an excellent account of itself. Although the Charger can come with all-wheel-drive, we had a rear-wheel-drive version. Though the pavement was wet and looked slippery, the car’s grip on the road was sure.

It was solid, really solid. With every bump, crevice and rut we traversed in the pavement, we could feel the quality of its build. Our 2015 Dodge Charger SE was quiet as rain fell with every turn of its tires. Still, all of the weather and the congested traffic that came with it remained outside of the car. None of it was transmitted to the interior through wind or road noise.

The 2015 Dodge Charger was a sedan in function not just in its number of doors. We climbed into the back seats and had plenty of leg, head and hip room. The car could carry four adults in real comfort.

Power was there when we needed it. Yes, our 2015 Dodge Charger SE didn’t have the brute force of any of the HEMIs, but with 292 horsepower it wasn’t a snail. It had enough oomph to get out of the way, to stay out of the way, to lead when needed and to avoid texting-while-driving idiots. It handled with rifle shot accuracy.

Our test car featured Dodge’s customizable 7-inch full color information display. That is a lot words to say TFT screen. We had the five-inch touch screen and the aluminum bevel surround made them look like one unit. The new electronic T-shifter mimicked hydraulic gear selection which was a nice touch.

Our 2015 Dodge Charger had a couple of option packages: 18-inch all season performance tires, satin carbon aluminum wheels and a body colored spoiler. The second option package included satellite radio, rear park assist, remote start and a front license plate bracket for those regressive states.

The soft touch dash could have been a little softer but this was a base model. And we did think the plastic template on the climate controls could have been of a higher quality; not much just a notch. However, that undoubtedly would have increased the price.
For $30,580 as tested, we thought the 2015 Dodge Charger was a lot of car for comparatively few dollars.

With base prices ranging from $27,995 for the SE to $69,995 for the Hellcat, five engine choices and scads of trim lines, we think the 2015 Dodge Charger has a power and appearance package for just about every purse.

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com.

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Fate of Bay Area Public Transit Hinges on Regional Transit Measure

Voters in five Bay Area counties will decide the fate of a regional sales tax measure on Nov. 3 that could determine the future of local public transportation. If approved, the Regional Transit Measure would implement new sales taxes in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Francisco counties starting in 2027. The funding aims to address massive financial deficits facing agencies like BART and Muni, providing nearly $1 billion annually to prevent station closures and service cuts. Read more.

Published

3 weeks ago

October 27, 2026

Post News Group

By Tanay Gokhale, Bay City News

On Nov. 3, voters in five Bay Area counties will vote on a regional sales tax measure that, if it fails, could prompt local transit agencies to close train stations and cut bus service.

If passed, the Regional Transit Measure, or RTM, will impose a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties as well as a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco starting April 2027.

The tax would raise an estimated $980 million annually for 14 years to fund the region’s public transit agencies, which are struggling with massive financial deficits. Revenue would go to BART, Muni, Caltrain, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, the San Francisco Bay Ferry, Golden Gate Transit, and other transportation agencies operating in the five counties.

In California, a regional measure for a new sales tax would normally require a two-thirds majority approval if the state Legislature directly places it on a ballot. Transit advocates, however, chose to collect signatures to make the sales tax a citizen-initiated ballot measure that would lower the threshold to a simple majority of votes cast across the five counties.

The RTM received more than 241,000 signatures, exceeding the 186,000-signature threshold required to qualify for the ballot.

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Commentary

Why AC Transit Director Joel Young is My Choice for AC Transit Board Ward 3

Former AC Transit Director Patrisha Piras is endorsing incumbent Joel Young for the AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 3. Piras highlights Young’s tenure as the longest-serving member of the current board and his role in securing over $600 million in funding for the district. Young has previously served as board president and is credited with advancing clean-energy initiatives and workforce development programs. Piras cites his institutional knowledge as vital for navigating current financial challenges to ensure regional connectivity. Find out why Young is being recommended for another term.

Published

3 weeks ago

October 25, 2026

Post News Group

By Patrisha ‘Pat’ Piras Special to The Post

As a former AC Transit Director for more than a decade, I know firsthand what it takes to serve effectively on the AC Transit Board. That is why I am proud to endorse Joel Young for election to the AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 3.

Joel’s dedication to AC Transit and the communities they serve has been unmatched. Throughout his years on the Board, he has been a tireless advocate for riders, employees, and residents who depend on reliable, affordable public transportation every day. The majority of his colleagues have shown their trust, respect, and confidence in him by electing him as Board president.

As the longest-serving member of AC Transit’s current Board, Joel has played a pivotal role in securing more than $600 million in funding for the District, advancing clean-energy transit initiatives, strengthening workforce development programs, and helping position AC Transit as a national leader in innovation and sustainability. His leadership has extended beyond the Bay Area, representing AC Transit on the national stage and advocating successfully for investments that strengthen public transportation across the country, even with the current federal administration.

At a time when transit agencies face significant financial and operational challenges, Joel brings the experience, institutional knowledge, and steady leadership needed to help guide AC Transit forward. He understands that public transportation is about more than buses and infrastructure. It is about connecting people to jobs, schools, health care, and opportunity while ensuring that our communities remain accessible and economically vibrant.

Joel Young has a proven record of working with others to deliver results, protect transit service, and fight for the resources needed to meet the evolving needs of our region. His dedication, leadership, and commitment to public service make him exceptionally qualified to represent AC Transit Ward 3.

I strongly endorse Joel Young for the AC Transit Board of Directors and encourage Ward 3 voters to support his election by Nov. 3.

Patrisha “Pat” Piras is a former AC Transit director.

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Featured

Opponents Smear Effective African American Transit Director as Election Nears

Incumbent Joel Young is defending his seat on the AC Transit Board against allegations of harassment stemming from a public interaction in 2026. Supporters of the director cite his record of securing $600 million for bus services and leading civil rights initiatives as evidence of his effectiveness. They argue the accusations regarding a group photo interaction have been politically weaponized by opponents to influence the Ward 3 election.

Published

4 weeks ago

October 19, 2026

Post News Group

By Kitty Kelly Epstein

I am an academic and a community activist. I take women’s issues, including workplace harassment and discrimination, seriously. I have been following the AC Transit Ward 3 election and have become concerned about what I believe is a serious injustice.

Joel Young is an effective AC Transit director. He has secured more than $600 million for local bus service and fare affordability. He led the Freedom Bus Project, integrating civil rights history, art and transit. He was presiding over the board of AC transit when it won the 2023 Outstanding Public System Award, and he raised $1 million for the hydrogen fuel cell bus program. These are just a few of his accomplishments.

I reviewed the allegations of unwanted physical contact and harassment made by AC Transit Director Sarah Syed against Director Joel Young, I believe the events of Sept. 24, 2025, have been characterized in a way that does not accurately reflect what occurred.

That interaction took place during a group photo after celebrating the life of a longtime Board member who passed away. From the video I reviewed, it appears that individuals were consoling one another and exchanging hugs in a public setting surrounded by numerous witnesses.

Young’s interaction with Syed appears consistent with those expressions of sympathy and it appears that Young was attempting to extend a gesture of goodwill toward Syed.

I am concerned by how this incident has been recently used as a political tool to influence the outcome of the AC Transit Ward 3 election and support Young’s opponent.

Syed and her supporters launched a targeted political campaign, first through the Alameda County Democratic Party and subsequently by organizing a letter from a group of majority-white elected officials who have endorsed Young’s opponent against Young, who is Africa American.
Furthermore, this manufactured controversy distracts voters from the critical issues facing AC Transit. The public deserves a substantive debate on service reliability, ridership recovery, passenger and operator safety, financial stability, regional equity, and future transportation infrastructure. The electorate should be evaluating which candidate possesses the judgment, experience, and vision to lead AC Transit forward – not reacting to a distorted personal interaction.

Regardless of one’s political views or preferred candidate, allegations of harassment should never be weaponized for electoral purposes. We all know that exaggerated or unsupported accusations can undermine public understanding of, and trust in, efforts to address genuine sexual harassment and violence.

Kitty Kelly Epstein