Hey guys, so I decided to test drive a Hellcat yesterday to see if I liked it and form my own opinion. I drove a 2016 Hellcat Challenger (automatic) with 1400 miles. The dealership had about 7 of them on the lot new and used. I know that car is not necessarily a directly comparable car to the C7, but since the price ranges are about the same I guess in a way it is...

So first off, I will say that before I even drove it, I noticed on all the cars (new and used) the panel gaps on the exterior panels were horrible. The doors, trunk ect. were all mismatched and the plastic trim panels on the front and rear bumper covers were rubbing against the paint and the paint was rubbing off the panel. I noticed it more on the Challengers than the Chargers. Not that our Corvettes are perfect, but these new Dodges were pretty bad.

I get in the car and start it up and it sounded great! The seats were extremely comfortable as well! But I guess that's where the excitement and great experiences stopped for me. When I started driving down the road, I was testing the steering feel and the suspension. From reading the forums, people would often tell the skeptics to "Drive the car before making fun of how big it is, because they did a great job with the suspension and it doesn't feel big." Well, I'll throw the BS flag on that.... the car felt MASSIVE and handled like crap. It legitimately felt like I was sitting on my couch at home and driving my living room around on the street.

I tested out the acceleration from different speeds. To say I was let down would be an understatement. 707hp should feel great and make your hands a bit sweaty, but that wasn't the case at all! I've owned two 700+hp cars (both 2003 Cobras with Whipples), and those Cobras would have straight up mopped the floor with this pig.

I returned to the dealer and was examining the interior. The fit and finish was not great and all the materials were cheap plastics and rubbers. It didn't have a $70,000+ interior, not even close. The salesman looked at me and said, "Well, what do you think?" I explained how disappointed I was and the look on his face was like I just kicked his puppy😂

So basically, I was very excited about this car and I was genuinely hoping to love it and possibly get one in the future (I would want a Charger over a Challenger). Instead, I was supremely disappointed and let down after all the hype and attention this car received from media, internet and other car guys. If you're thinking about a ridiculous horsepower car, look elsewhere, because the 4,400+lb weight of that car I think just killed it! If I'm going to cruise around and get 9mpg, I'll drive something stupid fast and worthy of that money spent.

Does anyone else have a similar story to tell? What are everyone else's thoughts on these cars?

 

Lmao!!! In the end after test driving a manual hellcat it was still a Challenger. The C7, even the base model, is still a lot more vehicle, IMO!

 

They must have had a lot full of lemons or gave you the black key. I recently traded in my 2016 Z51 M7 on a 2017 Challenger M6. IMO my experience was quite the opposite, that is why I made the purchase. It obviously does not compare in handling to the Vette, but the power on mine is insane. I don't have any issues with the fit and finish. The only issue I have is hooking up until the tires are good and warm. I am not a brand loyalist and have owned over 30 cars. I love the big muscle car feel. I can fit myself, my wife and 23 year old daughter in the car with a trunk full of luggage. I guess everyone has there own experience and opinions. I am 100% happy, but that does not mean I won't be in a Vette again at some point, I have owned 4 and always seem to find my back.

 

^^^ I definitely had the red key. I guess my experience with power is different because of the cars I've owned in the past. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was horribly slow, it's just that it didn't feel like 707hp. The comfort and room inside was the only positive thing I could say about the car. Seat of the pants feel seemed like from 0-100mph my Vette would walk away, but maybe after that it would pass...

 

^^^ Seat of the pants isn't a very accurate way to judge performance. Humans will rate cars which have large changes in acceleration as better performing than a faster car with a lower change in acceleration.

Michael

 

^^^ That is 100% true. That's why I said seat of the pants, because it was just my opinion and perception of the drive.

 

I think perception of speed is different for everyone. They are running low 11s in the 1/4 all day and people are hitting the high 10s with Nittos. The feel at full throttle between the two is totally different. The Vette was like a go cart and you felt every bit of the speed you were running. The Challenger is so smooth you don't even realize you have hit 100. What I miss most about the Vette is being able to pop the top off and cruise the beach. Edit: and the gas mileage...lol

 

FWIW, I am not a Hellcat apologist. It's just that I recently made the switch and have a love for both cars. I have recently told my wife I could see myself in a triple black GS Vert...lol. She just laughs at me and shakes her head.

 

^^^ Haha... that's what I always said when I had my 5 Mustangs. I go back and forth. I'm not brand loyal, I'll give any car a shot that sounds fun and has power. When I need a four door car (whenever I have kids) I'll have to go back to the drawing board and find a fast sedan that I love.

 

Some cars power bands are linear some are peaky
In a light swb car it can "feel" faster
Wether they are or not its personall choice, Ill pick feel/fun over actual # every time.

TPI C4 used to feel faster than it was....C4 ZR1 felt faster than a C5Z06 but they were close to the samel; stock C5 felt very slow but it really wasnt far off; my 67 EC feels super quick which it is but a C7Z06 would probably kick it to the curb.

Its all about what you like.

When coming out of a Vette anything feels huge in comparison; at the end of the day its neat to have lots of options and be living in the 2nd hp war era.

Anyone remember the 70s and 80s when everything had under 200hp and a top line sports car was nothing more than a sticker package? I do!!
dee dee dee.....let me go find my teeth brb

 

Great write up and review.

I prefer the looks of the Charger to the Challenger ten fold. I can't get over the fat, chunky, Dodge Caravan-ness of the car and I feel like people buy them for the sole fact that they can say they have 700+ crank power. Otherwise, it's just a 1/4 mile and burnout show pony IMO.

 

^^^ You caught me

I actually bought it for the cup holders. The C7s suck.

 

I recently drove my friends new Hellcat Charger. I was actually pretty impressed with the fit/finish quality. Obviously it was very comfortable and rode great. I didnt get to test its handling prowess, mainly because of the road I was on and the Nitto drag radials he just had installed.

I did make a couple 30-40 mph pulls and the car felt pretty decent, but not as fast as I as expecting it to feel.

He took the car to the drag strip a couple weeks later and it ran 11.0@122 and weighed 4700lbs with him in it. So it is making every bit of the 707 chp they claim its making, if not more.

I raced him a few weeks after that on the street in my C7Z from a 60-120 roll and I put about a 3 car gap in between us and had a slight pull, but not as much as you would think. After all of that, I was pretty impressed with the Hellcat, I think its size/weight really numbs the feeling of acceleration, but it reality, its getting down pretty good.

Versus a lighter, stick shift, 700 RWHP Cobra with a louder exhaust/blower, the mustang is gonna "feel" faster for sure. Remember, the HC is only around 600 rwhp so.... Definitely not apples to apples comparison.

 

I test drove a Charger Hellcat, and yes the car felt big, but I found a ton of variance in power and handling based on the driving mode. OP, did you try Track, Sport, Street, Custom, etc? Track was night and day different from Street or Eco mode and depending on the driving mode it determine the power level.

Yes the car is 4500+ pounds and you can sometimes really feel the weight, but for the street I thought the car did find on the limited twisty roads I took it on.

I did not launch the car but I certainly did not feel the car lacked power. It was easy to break traction but again, the car also weighs over 4500 pounds so power to weight is at play here.

I liked the car, it was just not for me. I thought the interior and overall fit and finish was somewhat lacking for a near $70K car too. But the I liked the Uconnect infotainment system better than the Vette's.

It was a very comfortable car and did have a decent backseat.

 

Next time, FLY a [Grumman F6F) Hellcat! Totally different seat-of-the-pants experience!

 

Because of the long wheel base, track mode reminds me of my buddy's old lowered Monte Carlo. The suspension gets so tight it will buck you around on the rougher roads.

 

I have a '16 Z51 and prior to that, a modified ~575 rwhp '13 ZL1. One of my good friends has a Hellcat Challenger that I've driven (bone stock) at the Texas Mile and on back roads. My impression is that it's a fantastic touring car. Seats are more comfortable than the C7 and there is (obviously) much more interior room in the Hellcat. Power is about what I expected, but it did handle and brake better than I was expecting, but still like a 4,200+ pound car.

I really like the car but as someone that takes their car to the road course frequently, it isn't the car for me. However I can see the appeal to many people.

 

Reminds me of my former Cadillac CTS-V. Car was amazingly....boring. I stupidly purchased the auto (first and last time my sports cars with have this trans). The cars fit & finish were fantastic and the ride was powerful and extremely comfortable. The car was very heavy, drank gas like there was a hole in the tank, and was, just, well,,, boring to drive. No drama. No excitement. No visceral sensation. I had a 2003 Cobra Mustang that I swear was assembled with parts made by Mattel Toys... however, that car was sooo much fun to drive! It made even short trips exciting adventures.

I went back to my Corvettes after a few ownership experiences with other brands because its all about the driving experience, as the OP noted. Speed is part of the equation, but not the be all, end all, for a lot of us.

 

I think the drama is up to you with the Hellcat. Yeah, if you put the car in Eco/Street mode on the softest settings I could see where is is boring. If you are in sport/track and put the peddle down you can have some drama with this car

 

^^^ And get the M6 like I did