2022 Dodge Charger vs 2022 Toyota Camry

The 2022 Toyota Camry, particularly in its TRD variant, made a surprising visual impact with its striking Cavalry Blue paint, a new addition exclusive to this model. This bold colour choice, along with the aerodynamic body kit and sporty design elements like matte-black 19-inch wheels and red brake calipers, set the Camry TRD apart from its predecessors. Despite its aggressive styling, the Camry's interior remained less polarizing, featuring an unusual dashboard layout and a driver-oriented centre console. However, some design choices, such as the red gauge illumination and red seatbelts, were considered tacky and reminiscent of outdated aesthetics.

In contrast, the 2022 Dodge Charger maintained its modern and menacing exterior design, a significant update from its 2015 facelift. While the exterior exuded a contemporary appeal, the interior felt dated, with thick bezels and chunky controls reminiscent of older models. Despite this, the Charger offered ease of use with its straightforward layout. The performance bucket seats provided a snug fit, enhancing the driving experience, although headroom was somewhat limited. The Charger's design successfully blended sports-car performance with the practicality of a four-door sedan, making it a versatile choice for those seeking both style and functionality.

The 2022 Toyota Camry TRD was equipped with a robust 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 301 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, offered a spirited driving experience. The Camry TRD featured a Sport transmission mode and paddle shifters, enhancing its dynamic capabilities. Despite its performance-oriented design, the Camry TRD achieved a commendable fuel consumption rating of 9.4 L/100 km in combined driving, slightly exceeding expectations during testing. The car's track-tuned dynamics, including stiffer suspension components and enhanced braking, contributed to its solid and planted feel on the road.

The 2022 Dodge Charger offered a range of powertrains, starting with a 3.6-litre V6 engine producing 292 horsepower in the base SXT model. The performance spectrum extended to the supercharged 6.2-litre Hemi V8 in the SRT Hellcat, generating an impressive 717 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. The Hellcat Redeye and Jailbreak variants pushed the power output even further, reaching 797 and 807 horsepower, respectively. The Charger featured a Torqueflite eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available on V6 models. The Hellcat's acceleration was remarkable, achieving 0-60 mph in just 3.6 seconds, while the Widebody setup improved handling and cornering precision.

The 2022 Toyota Camry TRD offered a sporty driving position with fabric seat inserts and a tall centre console, providing comfort and stability during spirited driving. While the front seats lacked additional bolstering, they featured power height adjustment for added comfort. The Camry's rear seat accommodated two adults comfortably, though the TRD model sacrificed the 60/40-split folding back seat for improved structural rigidity. The trunk space was limited to 428 litres, but the Camry compensated with generous in-cabin storage options.

The 2022 Dodge Charger, a large sedan, provided ample legroom in both rows, though headroom was somewhat restricted. The high centre console and performance bucket seats created an intimate driving experience. The Charger's trunk offered 467 litres of space, but its small lid and high rear bumper made loading large items challenging. Despite these limitations, the Charger combined sports-car performance with practicality, offering a usable trunk and four-door convenience.

The 2022 Toyota Camry came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The TRD variant upgraded to a 9-inch display with additional subscription services and a JBL premium audio system. While the Camry lacked dynamic connected navigation, it offered voice control through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other Camry models provided advanced features like a head-up display and surround-view monitoring, but these were not available on the TRD.

The 2022 Dodge Charger featured the Uconnect infotainment system, starting with a 7-inch touchscreen and upgrading to an 8.4-inch version on higher trims. The system was praised for its user-friendly interface, with large icons for easy navigation. Both screens included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. While not the most advanced, the Charger's technology offered a balanced blend of modern features and conventional controls, enhancing the overall user experience.

The 2022 Toyota Camry was equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+, a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance features, including adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assistance. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were standard on the TRD and XSE trims. The Camry received a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS and five-star ratings from the NHTSA, ensuring high levels of safety for occupants.

The 2022 Dodge Charger, while offering some modern safety features as options, lagged behind in standard equipment. It included a backup camera and rear parking sensors as standard, with additional features like forward collision warning and adaptive cruise control available as options. The Charger received a Marginal rating in the IIHS driver’s side overlap test but earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.