2020 Dodge Charger vs 2021 BMW 5 Series

Dodge had resurrected the Charger name in 2006 with a modern take on the muscle car silhouette. The menacing headlights and gaping grille that were key to this car also found their way to the current-generation car, which arrived in 2011. Then, in 2015, the Charger underwent a major facelift, while maintaining the same underpinnings and interior. This 2015 update replaced the large grille with a thin inlet, opening up the lower front grille area below the bumper. Just as significant were the changes to the headlights, taking the "menacing" theme to new places.

The Dodge Charger's cabin still honored that retro theme, while blending old and new. The large vintage-looking bezels housed modern digital displays. The Charger's rear-wheel-drive (RWD) platform required a raised transmission tunnel, lending to the tall center console. This created a cockpit-like feel for the driver and front passenger. Trim levels for the 2020 Charger included SXT, GT, R/T, and Hellcat, with further sub-trims for the R/T and Hellcat versions.

The 5 Series had the most restrained design of any current BMW sedan. It didn’t have the design flourishes of the 3 Series or the imposing size of the 7 Series. For the 2021 model year, the 5 Series got a minor styling refresh that gave the sedan a sleeker look. The standard LED headlights were a bit more streamlined than the old versions, which stood slightly proud of the front end. BMW's signature twin-kidney grille was larger than before but not comically large like the massive protuberance on the 7 Series sedan.

Other changes included trapezoidal tailpipes, new L-shaped taillights, and new front and rear bumpers for the M Sport Package. BMW said the 5 Series was 1.2 inches longer than before, but still with a reasonably-good drag coefficient of 0.27, allowing the car to slice through the air more efficiently. The interior design hadn’t changed much from last year, keeping the familiar BMW layout. From the positioning of the touchscreen to the unusual-looking shifter, to the typefaces and door chimes, everything had a specific BMW style.

The Dodge Charger offered a number of different ways to enjoy the drive, and trim levels corresponded with powertrain selection. The SXT and GT came equipped with Chrysler's 3.6-liter V6. In the SXT, it made 292 horsepower, while the GT bumped that output to an even 300 horsepower. The V6 and all other engines routed power to the rear wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission with manual tap-shift function. AWD was available as an option on the Dodge Charger SXT and GT.

The R/T came with a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 putting out 370 hp and 395 lb-ft of torque. The R/T also featured an upgraded performance suspension and an active exhaust. The R/T Scat Pack came with a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 making 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque. It also featured Brembo high-performance disc brakes and launch assist. The range-topping Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody boasted a supercharged 6.2-liter V8, making 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque.

BMW offered a wide array of powertrain options for the 2021 5 Series. The base 530i sedan got a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It could do zero to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. The 540i, which got a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine and a 48-volt mild hybrid system, boasted 335 hp and 362 lb-ft of torque, getting it from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds with rear-wheel drive, and 4.6 seconds with xDrive all-wheel drive.

The M550i xDrive sedan got a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 making 532 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, which shaved 1.0 second off the 540i xDrive’s zero-to-60 mph time. The legendary M5 got a more powerful version of the V8, with 617 hp in Competition spec. BMW said the M5 would do zero to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds. BMW also offered the 530e plug-in hybrid, with a powertrain consisting of a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, eight-speed automatic transmission, and an electric motor. Combined output was 288 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque.

There were other high-horsepower sedans out there, like the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, BMW M5, Audi RS6, and others. Few offered as much space as the Dodge Charger. In many performance sedans, the rear seats were an afterthought. But with the Charger, there was plenty of legroom, even with the seats slid back. The driver and front passenger were treated to well-bolstered front bucket seats as well as tons of head- and legroom. The Charger also boasted a large trunk, displacing 16.5 cubic feet.

In the United States, the 5 Series was available only as a four-door, five-seat sedan. The 5 Series sedan felt as spacious as its generous exterior proportions indicated. Front-seat space was competitive, and while the rear seats appeared a bit less roomy than rivals on paper, they still offered plenty of room for occupants to stretch out. At 14.0 cubic feet, the 540i had more trunk space than an Audi A6 or Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and the rear bench had a 40/20/20 split fold for longer items.

The Charger came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. All other trims of the Charger featured an 8.4-inch touchscreen. Both screen sizes ran FCA's outstanding Uconnect infotainment system. It featured Bluetooth and USB connectivity, available satellite radio, available HD radio, standard Apple CarPlay, and standard Android Auto. This system shined thanks to its simplicity. The main screen featured a lower dock of icons for media, climate, controls, phone, and settings.

For 2021, the 5 Series got a standard 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with the latest iDrive 7 system, as well as a 12.3-inch Live Cockpit Professional digital instrument cluster. Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a built-in WiFi hotspot were also standard. Graphics on both the instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen were excellent. The layout of the instrument cluster could have been better, however. As with other BMW models, a rotary knob was the default controller for infotainment functions.

Standard safety features on the 2020 Dodge Charger included a full array of front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, and rear parking sensors. Available safety features included forward-collision avoidance with automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high-beams. During Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash tests, the Charger's crash prevention technology earned the highest score of Superior.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) hadn’t crash-tested the 2021 BMW 5 Series, but the virtually-identical 2020 model received a “Top Safety Pick+” award—the organization’s highest. Standard safety features included lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams. The Driving Assistance Plus Package added adaptive cruise control, traffic-jam assist, lane-keep assist, and emergency stop assist.