2023 MINI Cooper vs 2022 Dodge Charger

The 2022 Dodge Charger had a long history, running on a platform that dated back to 2005. Despite its age, Dodge managed to keep the Charger fresh with significant updates in 2011 and a major facelift in 2015. The exterior design was modern and menacing, contrasting with the more retro-styled Challenger. However, the interior felt dated, with thick bezels and chunky buttons that gave it a small-truck feel. Despite this, the cabin was user-friendly and straightforward.

The Charger offered a range of trims, from the base SXT with a V6 engine to the high-performance Hellcat and Jailbreak variants with supercharged V8 engines. Each trim added unique features, such as sport-tuned suspensions, premium stereo systems, and advanced safety features. The Hellcat Widebody, in particular, transformed the Charger into a well-rounded performance machine with its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine, upgraded suspension, and Brembo brakes.

The 2023 MINI Cooper was available in various body styles, including a two-door hatchback, four-door hatch, and two-door convertible. This third-generation model was larger than its predecessors but still maintained its compact size, making it one of the smallest cars on the market. The design was playful and authentic, with features like gradient paint effects, 18-inch wheels, and red brake calipers giving it a unique look.

Inside, the MINI Cooper featured Chesterfield leather seats with diamond-patterned stitching and a distinctive dashboard design with a giant circular touchscreen. The interior was high-quality and abstract, yet never felt cheap. The Cooper S and electric SE models could be ordered in the Resolute Edition, which added special paint, unique wheels, and bronze accents. The all-electric MINI Cooper SE, launched in 2020, remained mostly unchanged for 2023.

The 2022 Dodge Charger offered a range of powerful engines. The SXT and GT models featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, with a slight bump to 300 hp and 264 lb-ft in the AWD versions. The R/T trim introduced a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with 370 hp and 394 lb-ft of torque. The R/T Scat Pack took it up a notch with a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 delivering 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque.

The Hellcat variants were the pinnacle of performance, with a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 engine producing 717 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. The Redeye and Jailbreak models pushed this even further, with the Redeye offering 797 hp and 707 lb-ft of torque, and the Jailbreak reaching 807 hp. All engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and RWD was standard, with AWD available on V6 models.

The Hellcat's acceleration was incredible, with a 0-60 mph time of just 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 196 mph. The Widebody setup, with its 11-inch-wide Pirelli P-Zero tires, improved handling and allowed the Charger to take corners with more precision. The SRT Performance Pages menu offered customizable drive modes, enhancing the driving experience.

The 2023 MINI Cooper JCW was the quickest Cooper, featuring a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine producing 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. This engine was shared with BMW's FWD models, ensuring smooth revs and strong pulls even in top gear. The six-speed manual transmission had an abrupt clutch take-up, making it ideal for teaching manual driving but challenging for smooth launches. The eight-speed automatic transmission was also available and engaging.

Base MINI Cooper models had a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-three engine with 134 hp and 162 lb-ft, while Cooper S models featured a detuned version of the JCW engine with 189 hp and 206 lb-ft. The electric MINI Cooper SE offered 114 miles of range and similar output to the gasoline Cooper S. The JCW's handling was enjoyable, with flat cornering and adaptive dampers, but the steering lacked immediacy, detracting from the "go-kart" experience.

The 2022 Dodge Charger was a large sedan with a high center console and performance bucket seats that created an intimate front-seat experience. Both rows offered ample legroom, but headroom was limited, especially in the rear seats. The Charger provided 16.5 cubic feet of trunk space, but the small trunk lid and high rear bumper made loading large items challenging. Despite these limitations, the Charger offered sports-car performance with four doors and a usable trunk, making it versatile.

The 2023 MINI Cooper offered good outward visibility and plenty of legroom and headroom in the front seats. The rear bench in the two-door model was cramped, and the cargo hold measured just nine cubic feet, expanding to 34 cubic feet with the seats folded. The four-door models offered more cargo space, with 13 cubic feet and 41 cubic feet with the seats up and down, respectively. Convertible models had only eight cubic feet of cargo space but featured a tailgate that folded down like a pickup truck's for easier access.

The convertible's roof rails allowed the fabric section to slide back like a sunroof, providing a pleasant open-air experience. The MINI's instrument panel had a matte finish to reduce glare, but the central display was tough to read. The infotainment system used both a touchscreen and buttons, but the buttons were located too far down. The glowing ring around the touchscreen responded to various inputs, adding a playful touch to the driving experience.

The 2022 Dodge Charger came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen running the Uconnect infotainment system, known for its user-friendly interface. The base SXT and GT models had the option for an 8.4-inch version, which was standard on higher trims. Both screens featured Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While not the most advanced, the Charger's technology was well-integrated and easy to use.

The 2023 MINI Cooper featured an 8.8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM satellite radio, connected apps, LED headlights, and Union Jack-patterned taillights. Cooper S models in Signature trim added a panoramic moonroof and heated leatherette seats. The infotainment system used older BMW iDrive software, lacking the slick interface of newer BMW models. However, it included unique features like the Openometer and playful sounds and chimes.

The 2022 Dodge Charger showed its age in terms of safety features. Standard equipment included a backup camera and rear parking sensors, but the camera's image quality was poor. Optional safety features included forward-collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, rain-sensing wipers, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.

The 2023 MINI Cooper came standard with eight airbags, rear parking sensors, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warning. However, it lacked blind-spot monitoring and other advanced safety features. Adaptive cruise control was available on certain versions with the automatic transmission. The NHTSA had not rated the MINI Cooper, but the IIHS gave it high ratings in five out of six crash tests for the structurally identical 2014 model.