Above all, Charger is just plain fun to drive

ROAD TEST: 2017 DODGE CHARGER SXT RALLY E AW D

It’s been two years since I last drove the Charger SXT Rallye AWD — and that was after an almost four- decade absence from Dodge’s iconic muscle car. In my youth it was all about the power, which I experienced mostly from the shotgun seat of my buddy’s 383- cubic inch, B- body ’ 68 Charger. Two years ago, impressed by the grip afforded by the SXT Rallye’s all-wheeldrive system, I mused whether the full- sized four- door could be considered a legit alternative to the far pricier Europeans.

Now, however, I’m left wondering how long Chrysler — check that, FCA — can hang onto this model. After all, it’s been sitting on the LX- platform since 2005 and, if you believe the insiders, won’t get the new Alfa Romeo- derived platform until 2020. Sure, the Charger has seen a couple of redesigns — the seventh- generation model debuted in 2011 and was updated in 2015 — but this car has some old bones.

That said, those bones are still pretty good. Chrysler was DaimlerChrysler when the Charger was resurrected in 2005, and that LX platform has more than its share of Mercedes DNA. Sure, the primary competition — Ford’s Taurus, the Chevy Impala and Nissan’s Maxima — are newer, but the big, made-inOntario Dodge isn’t exactly sucking wind. The Charger was the top- selling large car in Canada last year ( the Chrysler 300 was second). That’s the good news. The bad is that sales for the fourdoor were down 17 per cent from 2015 and, just as telling, the entire large-car segment was down 11.4 per cent.

As much as I don’t hate big SUVs, there’s not a single one of them that will handle better when roads get slick than a well-engineered car with a proper all- wheel- drive system. And the Charger, aged it might be, is a well-engineered car with an available AWD setup that’s rock solid.

Without getting overly techy, the main thing is that there’s no noticeable transition or driver intervention between rear-drive and AWD. When not required, the system automatically disconnects the front axle, enhancing the performance and handling inherent in a rear-drive car. Not only is the Charger SXT suitably grippy when the snow flies, it’s just plain fun to drive — with winter tires installed. OK, maybe not as big a riot as the reardrive SRT 392 or Hellcat, but responsible, four-season fun.

Under the Charger SXT’s hood is the smooth running and effortless power of Chrysler’s 3.6-litre Pentastar V6, the only engine offered with the all-wheel drivetrain. Check that; it’s the only engine for civilian AWD versions of the Charger. Police forces can get the intimidating Charger Enforcer version with a 5.7- L Hemi V8 and AWD. Mopar motorheads in snowbelt regions should be righteously miffed!

Realistically, t hough, there’s little hardship having to make do with the V6. It turns out a solid 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque in standard form. And if you check off the option box for the $1,395 Rallye Appear- ance Group, not only do you get go-faster-look bits such as a gloss black fascia appliqué, R/T front-end “appearance,” Rallye badge and rear spoiler, the engine gets up- rated to 300 hp and 264 lb-ft, thanks to a cold- air induction system, sport-tuned exhaust and a little ECU recalibration.

There’s also a Sport mode button on the centre console that will deliver a little more mechanical aggression, so there’s no need to go into hiding when the Euro-snobs show up with their 4Matics, xDrives and Quattros.

The 3.6-L engine is bolted to a slick-shifting eight-speed manumatic, complete with paddle shifters to play with should you so desire, though there’s not a ton of reward for the effort. Even when leaving the transmission to its own devices, the big Dodge moves with a confidence that belies its bulk (a robust 1,920 kilograms). For that, you can thank Chrysler’s upgrades to the 2015 model, which brought upgraded rear- wheel- drive architecture, electric power steering, new cast- aluminum axles and housing, and a more comprehensive Sport mode, including rear-biased torque on AWD models for livelier handling.

Inside, the Charger SXT’s cabin is laid out with a sporting driver- focused interior that i ncludes soft- touch materials, a seven- inch customizable gauge cluster and — new for 2017 — the fourthgeneration version of the Uconnect system, which includes performance improvements with faster startup time, enhanced processing power, multi- touch gesture capability, plus higher resolution and sharper graphics. Apple CarPlay enables iPhone users to access Apple maps, messages, phone and music through Siri voice control or the 8.4-inch touch screen. Android Auto enables easier access to Google voice search, maps and music via the touch screen or steering wheel controls.

There are no fewer than seven versions of Charger available in Canada, ranging from mild- mannered, fullsized family sedan to oldschool muscle car — SE, SXT, SXT Plus, R/T, R/T 392, SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat.

Growing up during the 1960s when the muscle car horsepower wars were in full swing, I can’t help but gravitate to the SRT rumblers. Thinking with my head instead of my heart, though, the $41,145 SXT AWD is, despite the Charger’s overall “maturity,” still a very suitable fourdoor sedan for our winterdominated country.