2020 Dodge Charger Scat Pack Widebody First Drive and Review
Even with an aging platform that’s well over a decade old, Dodge consistently churns out new flavors of the Charger on a regular basis. And it seems the Charger faithful can’t get enough of them. The Charger Scat Pack Widebody makes its debut for 2020 at a time when other American auto manufacturers seem to have given up on the performance sedan.
What Is It?
The widebody approach was first applied to the Challenger Scat Pack back in 2019 and now that concept has finally been applied to the Charger. The Widebody package adds 3.5 inches of width, unique front and rear fascias with flared fenders, Brembo six-piston front calipers with two-piece 15.4-inch front brake rotors, and three-mode adaptive damping Bilstein suspension. The package also includes stiffer front springs, a bigger rear sway bar, and upgraded shocks. Electric power steering with selectable steering modes and SRT Drive Modes that feature settings for Street, Sport, Track, and Custom give the driver a customizable driving experience for just about any driving scenario.
The Charger Scat Pack Widebody features a naturally aspirated 392 cubic-inch HEMI V8 with 485 horsepower and 475 lb.-ft. of tire shredding torque. The Scat Pack Widebody gets all this pure power without a single turbo or supercharger. A functional hood scoop helps keep fresh air flowing. This engine is mated exclusively to a TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission. How does it perform? This beast can run from 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds and scorch the quarter mile in 12.5 seconds. Top speed is governed to 175 mph.
Push the starter button and you’re greeted by a rip-snorting growl from the bowels of Hades that delights your inner demon. That cacophony emanating from the rear is courtesy of the two-mode exhaust. You’ll think it’s magnificent; your next-door neighbor not so much.
All this ferocity hits the streets courtesy of Pirelli 305/35ZR20 tires mounted on 20-inch by 11-inch aluminum wheels. Talk about bite. This wheel and tire combination provides an insane amount of grip. Rarely did the Charger feel like it would fishtail at speed in tight curves or get squirrelly during launches from a stoplight. This wheel and tire combination also helps the Scat Pack Widebody pull a .98 g on the skidpad.
Driving Impressions
One of the things that makes the Scat Pack Widebody so much fun to drive are the SRT drive modes. With them, you can customize the driving experience for almost any scenario. The available modes are Auto, Sport, Track, and Custom. Auto mode is great for all-around street driving. The ride is firm, and even though the Charger is a bit more subdued in this mode, you don’t feel like you’re giving up performance. Sport mode is where we spent most of our time. It livens up the exhaust, stiffens the ride a bit, and unleashes more of the engine’s capabilities. In a nutshell, Sport mode makes the Charger downright mean. We did dabble a bit in Track Mode just to get a feel for what it does. Needless to say, the true abilities of this car shine here and we wish we had access to track to really test it out. Custom lets the driver configure the driving experience to their preferred settings for a more personal driving experience.
Interior
Granted, the interior hasn’t seen a major refresh since 2015, but it still feels quite functional. Dodge’s mantra of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” still rings true for the current Charger. Heavily bolstered seats keep you planted firmly in place, yet provide plenty of support and, most importantly, are comfortable. A leather flat bottom steering wheel with Street, Sport, and Track steering modes, a 7-inch driver information digital cluster display, and 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility are just of few of the amenities in our Scat Pack Widebody.
What Does It Cost?
The base price of our test car is $39,995. The Scat Pack Widebody option, which includes Brembo brakes, special suspension, and body-color fender flares adds $6,000. The Plus Group tacks on an additional $1,995. 305/35ZR20 3-Season tires bring on an extra $695. Add the obligatory destination charge of $1,495 and the grand total of our Scat Pack Widebody comes in at $50,180.
Verdict
If you think you need a Hellcat to get a great performing Charger, think again. The Charger Scat Pack Widebody may have 222 less horsepower than the Hellcat, but it’s a solid performer that’s quite agile and more suited for everyday driving than the Hellcat. In fact, this may be the best handling Charger out there for the money at the moment. Would the Duke boys approve? We think so.
Horsepower Memories 
The Dodge Charger, much like any car, has a lifespan that is proportional to how much care goes into its service and upkeep. With proper maintenance, the 2020 dodge charger can last for over a million miles.
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