2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack

2019 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack ・ Photo by Dodge

Muscle cars are a special breed of automobile — and the 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack is a special breed of muscle car. The Challenger lineup includes a range of engines from simply powerful to blistering fast track-focused monsters. If you want a big, brawny, in-your-face car that will turn heads and possibly wake the neighbors when you start the engine, then the Dodge Challenger is your huckleberry.

Your biggest decision when you buy a Challenger is which one. Although your first impulse may be to go straight toward the top of the lineup and get a Hellcat, there are good reasons to consider something in the middle. The R/T Scat Pack has plenty of power along with all the muscle car style you could want and a more affordable price tag. Let’s take a closer look at the 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack.

Plenty of Power Under the Hood

You’re buying a muscle car because you want something with plenty of power, and the Challenger R/T Scat Pack delivers. It has a 6.2-liter V8 engine with 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Press on the gas and this thing moves, especially on an open road. Getting up to speed on the highway is no trouble at all. Your biggest challenge will be keeping an eye on that speedometer and not getting carried away as you head down the on-ramp.

The Challenger is equally responsive in city driving, but it takes time to get used to using a lighter foot on the gas. The transmission handles either situation with ease, helping manage the engine’s power without rough shifts, particularly in slower traffic. Power delivery is even and measured whether you’re going flat out or just cruising from one light to the next.

Photo by Dodge

The Challenger You Can Afford

There are six models in the 2019 Challenger lineup, starting with the base SXT at $27,595. It has the baby engine of the lot, and with a muscle car, that means a 3.6-liter V6 with 305 horsepower — so it’s still plenty powerful. The model range tops out with the SRT Hellcat Redeye, which gets a 6.2-liter V8 with 797 horsepower at a price of $71,350. That’s a big jump in power and a big jump in price. The R/T Scat Pack falls in the middle of the lineup with its 485-horsepower V8 at a starting price of $39,995.

It’s the just-right Challenger that provides fantastic muscle-car styling, a powerful and responsive engine, and a more affordable price. Yes, you can get more power, but you’ll pay handsomely for it. And realistically, unless you go to a track, you’ll rarely get to fully enjoy that Hellcat engine.

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New Widebody Package Adds Style and Performance

New this year, the Challenger R/T Scat Pack includes the option for a Widebody Package that gives it serious muscle car presence and enhances performance. It adds fender flares from the SRT Hellcat Widebody, increasing the width by 3.5 inches. This makes the R/T Scat pack one mean-looking car, while improving handling and braking. This package also adds larger six-piston brakes, wider wheels and tires, and suspension upgrades. This car has a lot of power, and the brakes make sure you stop when you want to stop. They’re so aggressive that they take getting used to in stop-and-go traffic.

Upgrades included in the Widebody Package result in a lap time two seconds faster than the non-widebody version. It adds $6,000 to your bottom line, which isn’t cheap, but if you’re looking to set the best times possible at the track, this is an option you’ll want to include.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Rides Like a Muscle Car, Not a Luxury Cruiser

Performance takes priority in a muscle car, and it does so in the Challenger at the expense of ride quality. The Challenger isn’t designed to coddle passengers. It’s designed to offer the best performance and handling possible, which makes for a less comfortable ride. You will feel the bumps and dips in the road, and rougher surfaces won’t go unnoticed. The high-performance suspension helps give the Challenger superior handling that’s ideal for more spirited driving, but it’s not kind to passengers.

Despite the rough ride, seating is comfortable up front. There’s heavy bolstering to keep you in place on the corners, but it’s wide enough that it won’t squish riders with a larger frame. Power-adjustable front seats with heat are standard in the R/T Scat Pack, with the option for leather and Alcantara trims for a more luxurious experience.

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Don't want a back seat? No problem.

The Challenger is a two-door car with room for five passengers, but rear seating is tight. You can get two people back there, but three is a stretch unless you’re planning only a short trip. There’s enough shoulder room, but hip room is snug and there’s simply no place for your legs, especially with the front seats pushed back. You may not even want to use the rear seating, so you can tell Dodge not to bother and just get your Challenger with the back seat removed.

This option costs a whopping $1 and swaps the rear seats and seatbelts for a cargo net. It’s a practical choice if you don’t ever plan on rear passengers, but it’s also one that benefits performance. Seats are heavy, so taking them out of your Challenger makes it weigh less. Less weight means better performance — giving your muscle car more muscle.

Photo by Dodge

Surprising Amount of Cargo Room

You’re buying a muscle car for the power, but you won’t spend every day at the track trying to set a new lap time. There will be occasions when you need to make a grocery run, and the Challenger has a surprising amount of room for cargo. There’s 16.2 cubic feet in the trunk with a wide opening and a low load floor, so getting heavy objects in and out is easier.

While there’s no way you’re hauling lumber in the Challenger, it does have added flexibility for carrying longer items with 60/40 split-folding rear seats, assuming you didn’t opt to delete the back seat altogether. If you did skp it, which was the case in the model we drove for this review, then the area behind the front seats works beautifully for cargo. Rather than putting grocery bags in the trunk to roll around, the rear cargo net holds them snug in place.

Photo by Dodge

Advanced Safety Features Only Available as Options

The 2019 Dodge Challenger has not yet been fully crash-tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, though the similar 2018 model received mixed grades. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the Challenger its top five-star overall rating, with individual four-star ratings for frontal crash and rollover risk. All trims offer basically the same standard and available safety features. Standard features include brake assist, hill-start assist, ready alert braking, rain brake support, and an enhanced accident response system. All but the base trim also have standard rear park assist.

If you’re looking for advanced safety features including blind-spot monitoring, a rear cross-traffic alert, and a forward collision warning, then you’ll need to add the Driver Convenience Group for $1,095. It’s a good value for what the package adds and is worth the price.

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Infotainment System's Entertainment and Performance Features

Standard infotainment on the Challenger includes Uconnect with a 7-inch touchscreen, AM/FM radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and two USB ports. The R/T Scat pack gets an upgraded system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen, CD/DVD/MP3, Sirius XM, integrated climate control and vehicle information, and a six-speaker Alpine audio system. Those who want an even more premium experience have the option to add navigation and an 18-speaker Harman Kardon surround sound system. The Uconnect system is one of the easiest to learn with intuitive controls that help reduce distracted driving. The 8.4-inch screen makes following navigation easy, and the sound quality provided by the six-speaker Alpine system was excellent.

Starting with the R/T Scat Pack, the infotainment system also features SRT Drive Modes and SRT Performance pages. These provide real-time performance information and let you modify settings for the transmission, suspension, and steering to optimize the Challenger to suit your personal preferences.

Photo by Dodge

Final Thoughts

The Dodge Challenger is the kind of car people put on their wish lists to own one day. It has aggressive muscle car styling, a choice of powerful engines, and a fully featured infotainment system. While the Hellcat holds plenty of allure for its astounding performance figures, it’s not the only Challenger you can buy, and it’s not even the best choice for everyday drivers.

The Challenger R/T Scat Pack sits in the middle of the lineup with plenty of horsepower and many of the same performance features as the Hellcat, but with a more affordable price. It’s also an easier car to live with every day, although its stiff ride isn’t suited to road trips. If you’ve always wanted a muscle car and the Challenger has been on your wish list, the R/T Scat Pack is worth a test drive.

Photo by Dodge