More Power, Less Cash: 2015 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Shaker Review

With money a finite resource for most shoppers, buying a new car sometimes comes down to weighing dollars against sheetmetal. Do you spend your paycheck on a sensible crossover, a fuel-efficient sedan, or a racy hot hatchback?

Or do you simply buy the most horsepower you can afford?

If so, direct your attention to the 2015 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Shaker, which is Dodge’s code for more horsepower with a smaller monthly payment. It’s the affordable way to get Dodge’s 6.4-liter (392-cubic-inch) Hemi V-8 under the hood of your Challenger, saving you a few thousand bucks compared to the $46,690 SRT 392 model.

Opting for the Scat Pack Shaker means you’ll do without the SRT model’s adaptive suspension dampers, leather-and-Alcantara seats, and HID headlights, plus you’ll get four-piston Brembo front brakes versus six-piston stoppers on the SRT 392. But you’ll be glad you saved some cash when it’s time to buy new rear tires.

The upshot of the Challenger’s size means buyers also get lots of room for their money. The coupe’s trunk is cavernous compared with the Camaro’s and the Mustang’s (16.2 cubic feet versus 11.3 and 13.5, respectively), with a wide opening that will easily swallow golf bags or even a flat-screen TV. And although it’s tricky to squeeze past the fold-down front seats, the back seat has such plentiful leg- and headroom that average-size adults can sit comfortably for long drives.