2022 Dodge Charger vs 2021 Nissan Maxima

The 2021 Nissan Maxima set a design benchmark for Nissan's sedan lineup by introducing styling elements that influenced smaller models like the Altima, Sentra, and Versa. Its prominent “floating” roofline and bold “V-Motion” grille gave the Maxima a distinctive look. The vehicle’s steeply-angled front end and large grille provided an Art Deco locomotive appearance, accentuated by blacked-out trim that lent a sinister look. By comparison, the current Toyota Avalon, although equally unique, had a bit more street presence, especially in TRD guise.

The 2021 Maxima 40th Anniversary Edition took aesthetics up a notch with a two-tone exterior featuring Ruby Slate Gray Pearl paint and a black roof. Specific 19-inch gloss-black alloy wheels, black exterior trim, red semi-aniline leather upholstery, and white speedometer and tachometer faces distinguished this edition further. The interior, especially the dark-red leather seats, evoked an 80s vibe, and the white gauge faces combined style and function effectively, showing that not all cars need digital dashboards.

Contrast this with the 2022 Dodge Charger, which has used essentially the same platform since 2005, shared with the Challenger coupe and Chrysler 300. This platform originated from an older Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Despite its age, Dodge managed to keep the Charger fresh through several updates, including a major redesign in 2011 and another facelift in 2015. The 2015 design, carried into 2022, presents a more modern and menacing look than the nostalgic muscle-car styling of the Challenger.

The interior of the Charger, though, showed its age with thick bezels and chunky buttons, making it feel almost like a small truck. While modern cabins lean towards minimalism with slim-screen bezels, the Charger's cabin prioritized ease of use with intuitive controls. The Charger’s various trims—from the V6-powered SXT and GT to the Hellcat’s supercharged V8 powerhouse—showcased both performance-oriented and aesthetic enhancements, with the Hellcat Widebody version adding aggressive wheel arches and wider tires for a menacing yet functional upgrade.

Both cars offered impressive performance, each in its unique way. The 2021 Nissan Maxima was powered solely by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 300 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque, mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). While the Maxima couldn’t quite live up to the "four-door sports car" moniker, it still proved to be an engaging drive. The V6 engine provided a satisfying 300 hp, and the CVT managed power delivery smoothly, rivaling some traditional automatics. The Maxima showed agility in corners, although its front-wheel-drive setup induced some torque steer and vague steering feedback, limiting driving enjoyment.

In contrast, the 2022 Dodge Charger offered a range of engine options. The base SXT and GT trims featured a 3.6-liter V6 producing 292 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, upgraded to 300 hp and 264 lb-ft in AWD variants. From the R/T trim upwards, the Charger embraced V8 power. The R/T housed a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with 370 hp, while the R/T Scat Pack boasted a 6.4-liter V8 generating 485 hp. The Hellcat’s supercharged 6.2-liter V8 elevated power to 717 hp, jumping to 797 hp in the Redeye and 807 hp in the Jailbreak trims. These engines, coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission and optional AWD in V6 models, delivered supercar-level acceleration and speed at a fraction of the price, particularly the Hellcat, which accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds and topped out at 196 mph.

The 2021 Nissan Maxima provided ample space for front-seat occupants, boasting the highest front headroom and legroom among its competitors. However, rear-seat passengers faced a lack of rear headroom and legroom. The positioning of seats closer to the center might have benefited weight distribution but compromised the sense of roominess, making the front seats feel cramped. Despite this, the driver enjoyed an expansive view with excellent side visibility. The Maxima’s “Zero Gravity” seats, designed for optimal support, offered great comfort but could have used more thigh bolstering. Cargo capacity stood at 14.3 cubic feet, the lowest among its sedan competitors, further constrained by the design compared to the hatchback configurations of the Kia Stinger and Volkswagen Arteon.

The 2022 Dodge Charger, while large, didn’t always feel as spacious. Its tall transmission tunnel and performance seats created an intimate front-seat environment. Both front and rear passengers had adequate legroom, but headroom was a limiting factor, especially for rear-seat occupants. Storage space for small items was also limited compared to more modern designs. However, the Charger offered a slightly larger trunk with 16.5 cubic feet of space, though accessing it could be challenging due to a small trunk lid and high rear bumper. The Charger compensated for these limitations by blending performance-car dynamics with the practicality of a sedan.

Technological aspects revealed the age of the 2021 Nissan Maxima. While equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, it showed its age in terms of graphics and usability. New for 2021 was a built-in WiFi hotspot, and both USB-A and USB-C ports were available in a convenient cubby. An optional 11-speaker Bose audio system offered premium sound. However, the infotainment interface was marred by small, hard-to-navigate icons and dated notification sounds, though Nissan did include numerous analog controls for essential functions.

The 2022 Dodge Charger featured a more updated Uconnect infotainment system, beginning with a 7-inch touchscreen on the base models, expanding to an 8.4-inch screen on higher trims. This system gained widespread acclaim for its ease of use, with large icons and straightforward menus for major functions. Standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto ensured seamless smartphone integration, enhancing the infotainment experience despite not being the most advanced tech package available.

The 2021 Nissan Maxima excelled in safety. It attained IIHS’s top "Top Safety Pick+" rating and NHTSA’s five-star overall safety rating. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward-collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, and rear automatic emergency braking. Optional features ranged from adaptive cruise control to a 360-degree camera system. However, the Maxima lacked the ProPilot Assist system available in other Nissan models, which, though hands-on, offered additional lane-keeping aid.

The 2022 Dodge Charger lagged in standard safety equipment compared to modern rivals. Apart from a backup camera and rear parking sensors, many advanced driver-assistance features were optional, including forward-collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and more. Given the Charger's powerful performance, the lack of standard safety features was a notable omission.