2020 Dodge Challenger vs 2020 Porsche 911

The 2020 Porsche 911 was a testament to the brand's enduring design philosophy, blending classic elements with modern enhancements. Renting a 911 in Miami, the experience was akin to stepping into a cinematic moment, reminiscent of "Bad Boys For Life." The 2020 Carrera S, with its sleek dark blue exterior, was a marvel of engineering and aesthetics. The 992 model introduced subtle yet impactful changes, such as the widebody styling and the elegant rear design, which included vertical slats and a single thin taillight. The 911's athletic stance and fluid shapes were complemented by its minimalist interior, which, despite its simplicity, offered a luxurious feel with options for exquisite leather finishes. However, the base interior left much to be desired, with its rubbery materials and lack of premium features, assuming customers would opt for upgrades.

In contrast, the 2020 Dodge Challenger embraced its retro roots while offering a spacious and driver-focused interior. The Challenger's design paid homage to its 1970s predecessor, maintaining a muscular silhouette with modern updates like vents and scoops. Inside, the cockpit enveloped the driver, combining vintage aesthetics with modern technology. The Challenger's trim lineup offered a variety of options, from the SXT with its 18-inch wheels and 7-inch touchscreen to the high-performance SRT Hellcat with its supercharged V8 engine. The interior was roomy, with ample rear-seat legroom and a large cargo space of 459 litres, making it a practical choice for those seeking both performance and comfort. The Challenger's infotainment system, Uconnect, was praised for its intuitive design and ease of use, further enhancing the driving experience.

The 2020 Porsche 911 was a paragon of performance, with its unyielding chassis and remarkable handling capabilities. It featured two 3.0-litre flat-six engines, each turbocharged, delivering 379 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque in the Carrera models, and 443 hp and 390 lb-ft in the Carrera S variants. The 911's rear-engine layout provided exceptional grip, allowing it to outperform many supercars. The PDK eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission was standard, offering seamless gear changes, while a seven-speed manual was available for purists. The 911's staggered-diameter tires and adaptive suspension options contributed to its agile handling, though the ride could be firm over uneven surfaces. Despite its sporty nature, the 911 was also a comfortable daily driver, with decent fuel efficiency and all-wheel-drive options for year-round usability.

The 2020 Dodge Challenger offered a range of powertrains, starting with a 3.6-litre V6 producing 305 hp and 268 lb-ft of torque in the SXT and GT trims. The R/T trim featured a 5.7-litre Hemi V8, delivering 475 hp and 410 lb-ft with a manual transmission, or 372 hp and 400 lb-ft with an automatic. The Scat Pack 392 boasted a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 with 485 hp and 475 lb-ft, while the SRT Hellcat's supercharged 6.2-litre V8 produced 717 hp and 656 lb-ft. The Hellcat Redeye took it further with 797 hp and 707 lb-ft. The Challenger's performance was enhanced by features like Brembo brakes, launch control, and adaptive suspension in the Widebody variants. The SRT Performance Pages allowed for extensive customization of drive modes, making the Challenger a versatile performance machine.

The 2020 Porsche 911 was designed as a true touring car, offering supportive front seats and excellent visibility through large windows. The cabin's simplicity focused on driving, with minimal controls and an intuitive infotainment system. The 911 provided 132 litres of front trunk space and 264 litres with the rear seats folded, though the back seat was best suited for small children. The convertible model's soft-top could be operated at speeds up to 50 km/h, adding to its practicality. The 911's design was user-friendly, with no extreme door cutouts or thick sills, making it easy to drive and park daily.

The 2020 Dodge Challenger stood out with its spacious interior, offering ample legroom and headroom for a coupe. The rear seat was accessible via a quick-release latch, though the retro styling and large rear pillars limited visibility. The Challenger's cargo space was impressive at 459 litres, surpassing competitors like the Camaro and Mustang. The traditional rear-wheel-drive setup resulted in a large centre console, though storage cubbies in the doors were helpful. The AWD variant had a large hump in the front passenger footwell due to additional drivetrain components, but overall, the Challenger provided more passenger space than its rivals.

The 2020 Porsche 911 came standard with navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and high-resolution touchscreens. Porsche Connect offered remote functions and onboard LTE WiFi. However, the base stereo was underwhelming, and many desirable features like swiveling headlights and power-folding mirrors were optional. The Premium package added a Bose stereo, blind-spot monitoring, and ventilated seats. Advanced tech like a night-vision camera and Porsche InnoDrive enhanced the 911's capabilities, though some basic features were costly extras.

The 2020 Dodge Challenger featured a standard 7-inch touchscreen with the Uconnect system, known for its intuitive layout and ease of use. The system included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, with an available 8.4-inch screen offering navigation and real-time traffic updates. The Hellcat trims included an Alpine premium stereo, with a Harman Kardon system available as an upgrade. The Challenger's digital display in the instrument panel was user-friendly, with logical menu layouts and steering wheel controls for easy operation.

The 2020 Porsche 911 had not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS, likely due to its price. Standard safety features included forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection and parking sensors. Optional features were lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring.

The 2020 Dodge Challenger came with standard safety features like front and side-impact airbags, traction control, and brake assist. The optional technology group added forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and rain-sensing wipers. The Challenger earned four stars in front driver's side crash testing and five stars for the front passenger side from NHTSA. It received a "Good" rating in many IIHS crash tests but had a "Marginal" overall score.