BEHIND THE WHEEL: Dodge Charger 2021 Hellcat Redeye turns heads

A powerful V8 engine is just one of the pros on the 2021 Dodge Charger and, with the Hellcat Redeye take that up a notch to the 797-horsepower model. This is part of the seventh generation Charger that was presented in 2011.

First off, this powerful beauty – mine was in red so everyone could see me coming – is a sedan.

Is it even right for a sedan to have such horsepower?  Well, yeah, the Dodge folks think so and I do too.

The one I had with a nice wide-body kit and top speeds of 200 miles per hour, well let’s just say sedan on some seriously good steroids.

The competitions includes several Ford Mustang varieties, the Chevrolet Corvette C6 and C7 and an earlier Dodge Viper might come to mind as well.

TRIM LEVEL OPTIONS

The 2021 Dodge Charger comes in a variety of trim levels; SXT, GT, R/T, Scat Pack, SRT Hellcat and SRT Hellcat Redeye.  All are eight-speed automatic transmission with rear-wheel drive as standard, but the SXT and GT trims also offer the all-wheel drive option.

Let’s stick with the Hellcat Redeye with its supercharged V8 engine and take note the SRT Hellcat and Redeye also come with flared fenders, 20-inch wheels, ultra high-performance brakes, adaptive suspension, strong bodywork, heat/air-conditioned seats and heated seats in the second-row. There is also driver-seat memory settings, leather-trimmed interior and a power-adjustable steering wheel.

UNDER THE HOOD

The Charger comes with five available engines, anywhere from a 3.6-liter V6 with 292 horsepower and 260 pound feet-torque to a 300 horsepower all the way to the SRT Hellcats with the supercharged 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine with 717 horsepower and 650 pound-feet to the seriously hip SRT Hellcat Redeye offering the 6.2-liter engine with the 797 horsepower and 707 pound feet.

SAFETY FIRST

I felt safe driving around since the Charger is a sedan. You have the body around you that gives you a feel for the road, but you know the power underneath. With that in mind, safety-wise  you get front and rear headrests, auto delay off headlamps, blind spot warning accident avoidance, brake drying, child seat anchors, daytime running lights, a variety of airbags, engine immobilizer, post-collision safety system, remote anti-theft alarm system, stability control, traction control, to name the array of safety measures.

INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR HIGHLIGHT

On the inside you will get an easy ride with eight-way power seats both the driver and the passenger. Front leg room is 41.8 and the rear leg room is 40.1. The cargo capacity with all seats in place is 16.5 cubic-feet, so a road trip is possible.

ALONG FOR THE RIDE

This one does use the gas, but for the sporty driver it will be worth the exchange. I did notice the roofline does block visibility, but for the Dodge Charger owner this would be a natural correction after driving the vehicle regularly. One nice feature and user-friendly is the large touch screen on the Infotainment system.

SHOULD YOU NEED TO KNOW

The basic warranty on the 2021 Dodge Charger Hellcat Redeye is 3 years/36,000 miles.

MILES PER GALLON

The miles per gallon on the 2021 Dodge Charger Hellcat Redeye I drove was 12 in the city and 21 on the highway with a combined of 15 mpg.

COST

The 2021 Dodge Charger Hellcat Redeye I drove had a base price of $69,995, but with all the goodies added on and optional equipment it came in at $90,560.

Rita Cook is a member of Women’s World Car of the Year and Texas Motor Press. You can follow her at @ritatheroguewarrior on instagram and @ritacook13 on twitter.