Dodge Challenger vs Jeep Wrangler

Verdict: The Jeep Wrangler is still one of the best off-roading vehicles available, and the 4xe's plug-in hybrid powertrain offers fuel-saving capability, along with plenty of low-end, all-electric torque. While still a bit of a bear to drive on paved roads, few vehicles offer the sort of style and rugged performance that a Wrangler 4xe does.

The Jeep Wrangler has been the star of the off-roading show for decades, only recently facing real competition in the form of the Ford Bronco. Now five years into its fourth generation, the venerable Wrangler gets a mid-cycle refresh that focuses on technology, safety, and refinement—with just a splash of upgraded capability thrown in for good measure.

In celebration of their final year turning perfectly good 305/35ZR20 Pirelli P Zeros into black stripes and circles on pavement, the Hemi V8-powered 2023 Challengers come in several “Last Call” special-edition models. Based on the R/T Scat Pack, the Challenger Shakedown and Swinger versions are limited to 1,000 examples each. Dodge will build 3,000 SRT Demon 170 models for the U.S. market, each making 1,025 horsepower. The rarest “Last Call” 2023 Challenger is the Black Ghost, limited to 300 units.

Verdict: For better and for worse, the 2023 Dodge Challenger is a time capsule, sending drivers back to an era where horsepower was the ultimate goal and fuel economy was a merely trivial anecdote. As it enters its final year, the Challenger offers more power than ever before, giving a dose of muscle-car performance heavy enough to match its irresistibly cool looks.