Dodge Challenger SE Review

So you want a Dodge Challenger, but can't swing either the price or insurance or gas for the Hemi-powered R/T or SRT-8?

$750 buys you the cosmetics that will make your six-cylinder SE look pretty darn good.

It's called the Rallye Group. 18" aluminum wheels, a bright fuel filler door, dual stripes, a carbon-fiber looking bezel on the instrument panel and a body-colored rear spoiler.

                             

Our tester was just as you see above...bright silver metallic with black stripes. It actually got more admiring looks than the last red Challenger that came through...possibly because those are seen so often.

Best part of the deal is the SE's base price of $22,735. Second best is the gas mileage: 17 city/25 highway.

If you can restrain yourself to the SE with the Rallye package, you'll come in around $26,200 with destination charges. But the tester Dodge sent loaded it up...Preferred Package 250, Sound Group, Leather Interior Group, Power Sunroof, Media Center....running the tab up to $31,175.

With my own money? Maybe the Sound Group for $645 (the media center is $1775 and while the hard drive and steering wheel controls are nice, most of that money is for a nav system...and I'm on the record as saying those are never money well spent....not when your cell phone probably has GPS mapping)...which would land just this side of 27 large.

At only 250 horsepower, you will get smoked at the stoplights by six-cylinder Camaros and Mustangs (and that's just the 2010 models...not the steroid sixes in the 2011 models)...but if it's looks you're after, this is pretty sweet.