Dodge Challenger vs Chevrolet Corvette

The Chevrolet Corvette's current generation began in 2020 and quickly captivated the sports-car world. It came in Coupe and Convertible body styles, but even the Coupe featured a removable roof panel, essentially making it a "Targa top." Despite driving the Convertible, we preferred the Coupe because it allowed visibility of the V8 engine through its glass panel—a view obscured by the Convertible with its multiple panel layers and small rear vents. With its large side intakes, the Corvette evoked the presence of a mid-engine Ferrari supercar. Focusing on the driver, the cockpit design featured a center console that served as a barrier, heavily favoring the driver. The comfort and climate controls ran along this barrier, prioritizing form over function and necessitating a learning curve. Meanwhile, the touchscreen interrupted the dash's flow but offered an intuitive layout, making it user-friendly. The Corvette came in three trims: 1LT, 2LT, and 3LT. The base 1LT had features like 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels, a fully digital instrument panel, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, leather upholstery, and a Bose 10-speaker stereo. Upgrading to the 2LT added navigation, a performance data recorder, a 14-speaker Bose stereo, heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, driver’s seat lumbar control, wireless device charging, and a head-up display. The 3LT added GT2 bucket seats and additional soft-touch leather surfaces. We drove the 3LT Convertible with the 70th Anniversary Package, which included red seat belts, unique black wheels with a red pinstripe, distinctive badging, and other special design elements. The heated seats, heated steering wheel, and raised windows allowed comfortable driving in cold November weather in New England. On the other hand, the design of the Dodge Challenger Black Ghost took cues from a privately-owned 1970 Challenger RT SE that became legendary among Detroit drag racers. The 2023 model, based on the SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody, boasted 807 hp from its supercharged 6.2-liter V8. Its Pitch Black paint, white rear fender graphics, and retro touches like chrome Dodge lettering and Mopar-sourced hood pins, complemented by 20-inch Satin Carbon wheels, reinforced its vintage appeal. Unlike the Corvette, the Challenger embraced its old-school roots in design, having a more traditional look since its design introduced in 2008. Luxury touches in the interior included premium Laguna leather upholstery, simulated suede on the steering wheel and headliner, and genuine carbon fiber trim layered over inexpensive plastic, offering commendable build quality. Modern tech features were sparse, focusing on the enjoyment of driving a retro-styled muscle car.

The Corvette sought to balance tradition with innovation by placing its engine behind the driver, a longtime dream of its designer, Zora Arkus-Duntov. Its mid-mounted 6.2-liter V8 engine produced 490 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque, with our test model's Performance Exhaust elevating those numbers to 495 hp and 470 lb-ft. The power channeled through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to rear-wheel drive. The Corvette, with the Z51 Performance Pack, accelerated from 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds and achieved a top speed of 194 mph. Our test model included winter-performance tires suitable for the cold New England weather, ensuring safer traction and handling. The Z51 Performance Package also enhanced the Corvette's capabilities with a performance rear-axle ratio, heavy-duty cooling, an electronic limited-slip differential, performance tires, and an upgraded rear spoiler. It provided a dual personality through various driving modes: Track, Sport, Tour, Weather, MyMode, and the customizable Z-Mode. In Sport or Track modes, the Corvette felt like a precise athlete, whereas in Tour, it softened for a more comfortable ride. Conversely, the Black Ghost's acceleration was stupefying thanks to its high-output 807 hp and 707 lb-ft of torque from the Hellcat Redeye's supercharged Hemi engine. The eight-speed automatic transmission handled this power, but the car's rear end got loose if the accelerator was pressed too hard. Achieving sensible speeds saw an addictive power build well past a sane velocity. Testing on a straight, empty highway showcased the car's formidable acceleration, while city driving required a more controlled approach to keep its angry rumble from disturbing peace. The Challenger's 6.2-liter V8 engine, with its supercharger whine, was impossible to ignore, waking the neighborhood every morning. Despite its size and weight, the Challenger maintained its handling with adaptive damping suspension, Brembo brakes, and sticky Pirelli tires, although it felt less nimble than a Camaro or Mustang on tight mountain roads. Dodge’s SRT models offered Auto, Sport, and Track driving modes. The Track mode lessened the safety features' intervention, demanding a cautious approach from the driver on challenging routes. The fuel economy wasn't impressive at just 15 mpg combined, but it was expected for a car of this power and capability.

The Corvette offered remarkable versatility for a sports car. It featured front and rear trunks, with the rear trunk spanning the car’s width, capable of holding a golf bag, and the "frunk" holding a weekend bag and a backpack, providing a combined cargo space of 12.6 cubic feet. The power soft-close function on the rear trunk lid was a welcome touch. However, the Convertible’s “up” position compromised headroom for taller drivers, forcing a specific driving position to avoid head bumps. The optional lifting front axle was immensely useful for navigating steep driveways and speed bumps. In contrast, the Challenger's size made it more comfortable and practical. The Black Ghost’s sport-bolstered, heated, and ventilated front seats were wide, and the driver’s seat offered six-way power adjustment. The long doors of the coupe could be a challenge in cramped spaces. The interior view was engaging, reminiscent of a classic muscle car, despite some outdated elements like the flapping cables from the hood pins. While the Challenger prioritized driver experience over utility, it still offered practical features. Its larger size allowed comfortable seating for back-seat passengers, a rarity among muscle cars. The trunk provided 16.2 cubic feet of space, more substantial than the Corvette’s and even comparable to some family sedans, although it had a high lift-over height, making it less convenient for heavy luggage.

In the Corvette, the 8-inch touchscreen might have looked out of place but provided significant benefits to the driver with Chevy’s Infotainment 3 system, featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The layout was logical, and the large icons made navigation easy. The volume and channel-change buttons on the steering wheel could be hard to use due to their awkward positioning. The fully digital instrument panel adapted with each drive mode, showing performance-focused or general information depending on the mode, echoed by the head-up display. The Challenger, shared with the Charger and Chrysler 300, didn't boast high-tech features but included Performance Pages in the SRT variants, offering data and configurable settings, like driving modes, line-lock, and launch control accessible via dashboard buttons. The 8.4-inch Uconnect 4 touchscreen was user-friendly, providing wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth streaming, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The Black Ghost also came with navigation and a Harman Kardon premium sound system, although bass-heavy sound quality and aging voice recognition were minor drawbacks. The Challenger featured knobs and buttons for volume and climate control, providing a tactile, minimal-distraction interface.

The Corvette came standard with a backup camera, front and side airbags, and rear parking sensors but lacked modern driver assistance features such as forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. The 2LT trim improved safety with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and GM’s rear camera mirror, enhancing rear visibility. The Challenger’s safety offerings were sparse. Traction and stability control, a low-resolution reversing camera, rear parking sensors, automatic high-beam headlights, and a blind-spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert were available, but forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control were not. The car relied heavily on the driver’s skill to maintain control. The NHTSA gave the Challenger favorable safety ratings, but the IIHS only rated it well in outdated tests.