2023 Dodge Charger Sxt on 2040-cars

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2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat revealed [UPDATE]

Almost immediately after we drove the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, we began wondering: what's next? Pumping 707 horsepower into the Challenger seemed so crazy - and so intoxicating - we just assumed that Dodge would try that trick again.
Rumors swirled about a Charger Hellcat. Frankly it makes even more sense than the Challenger version. The Charger is a bigger car, and Dodge has never been shy about dropping monster engines under its hood. Hell (cat), we've seen Charger mules running around town that appeared to be the super sedan.
And finally, it's here. The 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat was revealed today at a preview event near Detroit, and it will be a centerpiece of the Chrysler display this weekend at the Woodward Dream Cruise.

The Dodge Neon is coming back... to Mexico

It's been a long time since we've seen a new Dodge Neon putt-putting around. But soon it will be back, and in North America, too, if you want to get technical about it. But this time, the Neon will be limited exclusively to Mexico. According to Ward's Auto, FCA is planning to import the Fiat Tipo to Mexico, but rebadged under the Dodge brand and with the Neon nameplate on the trunk... even if it doesn't have those signature round headlights, or a three-speed automatic transmission. Never heard of the Fiat Tipo? It debuted almost a year ago as the Aegea Project, and went into production shortly thereafter – similarly called the Egea in Turkey where it's made, but the Tipo in other European markets. It's a budget-oriented, C-segment compact with a range of four-cylinder engines, and though designed from the get-go as a four-door sedan, it rolled into Geneva last month in hatchback and wagon forms as well. The Tipo is built at the Tofas plant in Bursa, Turkey, alongside the Fiat Doblo – which is also shipped over to North America, rebadged as the Ram ProMaster City. In the Mexican market, FCA also sells the Fiat Siena sedan as the Dodge Vision, the Mitsubishi Mirage rebadged as the Dodge Attitude, and the Fiat Strada as the Ram 700 – all nameplates exclusive to our neighbors to the south. Whatever its origin, it'll be interesting to see a Neon again the next time we venture South of the Border – particularly considering that the Neon was arguably the last time that Chrysler had a competitive compact on its hands. The Caliber that followed never gained the same kind of traction, so to speak, and FCA recently ceased production (for the time being at least) of the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200 to focus on larger trucks crossovers – the likes of which the Caliber tried to emulate (in style, if not in substance).

Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.