Most of the vehicles I get to drive for auto reviews are trucks and SUVs. I prefer four-wheel-drives, and full-time four-wheel-drives are my second choice for off-road travel. But there are some all-wheel-drives that can get you almost anywhere you want to go, especially if the trails you’re driving on are dry.
Granted, those vehicles have more than a little ground clearance, and they’re intended to be driven on the dirt. That’s why I was a little surprised when I got invited to a Dodge Challenger press event.
This Challenger isn’t your typical muscle car, though. Yes, it’s still a muscle car, with 305 horsepower and 268 pound-feet of torque. It still has the distinctive, masculine styling of the Challenger of the ’60s and ’70s. But the 2017 Dodge Challenger GT is a muscle car with a twist. This one’s all-wheel-drive.
Yep, an all-wheel-drive muscle car. But to give you the spirit and the playfulness of its heritage, you can turn off the all-wheel-drive and go into the rear-wheel-drive sport mode for those times when you just want to play. But if you’re going to load the snowboard into the trunk and head up an icy mountain pass, the all-wheel-drive and the traction control will keep you from taking an unscheduled skiing trip.
It’ll never be an elk hunting rig, but dang, it’s fun to drive. So if you already have a pickup, and you’re looking for a second vehicle to take out and enjoy, but still want to have the safety and convenience of all-wheel-drive, you should really check out the Challenger GT. But don’t drive one unless you’re serious about buying one, because you’re going to love this modern muscle car.
