The traditional hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering is alive in the driver’s hands, thrumming and vibrating to communicate what’s happening at the front tire’s contact patches.

Dodge has pitched the Charger at both men and women using advertisements designed to provoke primal responses around themes related to empowerment, control, escape and even survival, but there’s no question that this is a car for dudes. From its aggressive retro-muscle styling to the H-E-M-I lettering stamped onto the engine’s cylinder heads, the 2013 Dodge Charger is a manly sedan if ever one existed. Where the Charger departs from stereotypes is that it’s not just for middle-aged blue-collar guys trying to relive their glory days. Underneath the sheetmetal, this car is unexpectedly sophisticated. In fact, there’s really only one significant problem with the Dodge Charger, as we will discover in the review that follows.