It’s wintertime in the Midwest, and that means it’s going to be a snowy day.
You want to take your Challenger out for a little drive to see how it handles, but you’re not sure how it will perform.
Then this is your article, and I will inform you how good the Dodge Challenger is.
Table of Contents
- How well does a Dodge Challenger do in the snow?
- How Much Snow Can a Challenger Handle?
- Which Dodge Challenger Features Will Improve Winter Driving?
- Does Dodge Challenger Have Snow Mode?
- Does Dodge Challenger need winter tires?
- Is a Dodge Challenger all-wheel drive?
- Is Dodge Challenger Reliable?
- Conclusion
How well does a Dodge Challenger do in the snow?
The Dodge Challenger does very well in light to moderate snow. All-wheel drive and traction control are obvious benefits. However, since the Challenger’s ground clearance is only about 5.2 inches, I don’t recommend that you cross snow thicker than 4 inches.
The Challenger also has a run-flat system that can help you get stuck in a snow drift. A run-flat is typically on tires monitored via sensors; if a tire loses pressure or air, it will not be flat. The wheel will still spin, and the car can still drive around with only 3 of the 4 wheels touching the pavement.
The Challenger with AWD is an overall great car for snowy weather since it has excellent safety features and is capable of driving through most blizzard conditions.
Important: The Dodge Challenger comes standard with RWD (rear-wheel drive); All-wheel drive is optional. Since RWD has a bad reputation for driving in snow, you need to be careful in choosing a Challenger model. All-wheel drive is available on Dodge Challenger produced starting from 2017. Older Challenger only comes with RWD.
How Much Snow Can a Challenger Handle?
The Challenger can handle up to 4 inches of snow in a snowy winter.
The Challenger’s weight and size are its most significant assets when it comes to snow, and the weight helps it keep stable on the roads when you go out for a drive in the wintertime.
However, the small ground clearance can be a problem driving in the snow in a Challenger.
Which Dodge Challenger Features Will Improve Winter Driving?
Several features will help improve your wintertime driving experience. They are:
All-wheel drive
The most significant feature that you can put on your Challenger is the all-wheel drive. This will help you when you’re stuck in slippery situations and give you more traction when driving at night or when it’s starting to snow.
Traction control
Traction control is another great feature on your Challenger since you can handle slippery conditions without getting stuck in the snow. Traction control helps you out when you are beginning to lose traction on the road.
Stability Control
The stability control is a feature I highly recommend if you have ABS brakes. It will keep your car from spinning out, and it can reduce skidding. This will also help you out if you’re going to have a tire blowout.
Traffic monitoring
There is a great feature available in all 2021 models. The traffic monitoring feature has several benefits. They are:
- Rear obstacle detection
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Traffic sign recognition
Does Dodge Challenger Have Snow Mode?
It doesn’t have a snow mode, However, the Challenger has a night mode that can help you out if you go out in the wintertime. The night mode is extremely helpful as it gives you more control over your vehicle when driving in adverse weather conditions during the winter. However, it doesn’t have a snow mode.
Does Dodge Challenger need winter tires?
The Challenger will be fine without winter tires because of its extra weight and large wheels. However, you might want to consider putting snow tires on since they can improve the traction of the car in snow conditions. Winter tires are easy to install on the Challenger since they fit the same rims that all-season tires fit on.
The snow tires will also improve your vehicle’s handling. Snow tires are designed with a different compound in the rubber which is made to be completely resistant to cold winter temperatures.
The snow tires are also designed with deeper grooves that make the road more stable and able to handle wider snow drifts. Lastly, it features raised grooves which help stabilize snow buildup. However, these are optional, and you can use all-season tires on the Challenger if you prefer.
Is a Dodge Challenger all-wheel drive?
Since 2017, the Dodge Challenger has been equipped with all-wheel drive as an option on the GT model. Models released before 2017 only came with RWD, which is not a good choice for driving in the snow.
All-wheel drive is an extremely helpful feature when you’re driving in the wintertime. All-wheel drive helps keep you on the road even when one of the wheels is stuck in the snow.
Is Dodge Challenger Reliable?
The Challenger is a reliable car; it scored 88 out of 100 from J.D. Power.
It is not only reliable, but it also has excellent safety features. Traction control, smart cruise control, blind spot detection, rear obstacle detection, lane departure warning, and traffic monitoring are all standard features.
The Challenger is a great vehicle for driving in adverse weather conditions, even though it can be challenging during the winter season.
Conclusion
The Challenger does a great job in the snow and has plenty of safety features that will keep you out of trouble if you get stuck in bad weather. The Challenger can handle up to 4 inches of snow and is a safety-based vehicle for driving in winter weather conditions.
