Compare the2024 Audi RS 7VS 2023 Dodge Charger SRT

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi RS 7 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Dodge Charger SRT doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The RS 7’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the RS 7 and Charger SRT have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The RS 7 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Charger SRT’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Audi RS 7 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The RS 7 has standard Pre Sense Front, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The Charger SRT doesn't offer collision warning or crash mitigation brakes.

The RS 7 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The RS 7 has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the RS 7 helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The RS 7’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The RS 7 has a standard Top and Corner View Cameras to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Charger SRT only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the RS 7 and the Charger SRT have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi RS 7 is safer than the Dodge Charger SRT:

	RS 7	Charger SRT
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	135	138
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.4 inches
Abdominal Force	174 lbs.	212 lbs.
Hip Force	262 lbs.	372 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	135	164
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	44 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	15 inches
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	48 G’s
Hip Force	514 lbs.	692 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The RS 7 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Charger SRT’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The RS 7’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Charger SRT’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the RS 7 have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the engines in the Charger SRT.

Engine

As tested in Car and Driver the Audi RS 7 4.0 is faster than the Dodge Charger SRT:

	RS 7	Charger SRT	Charger SRT Redeye
Zero to 60 MPH	3 sec	3.8 sec	3.5 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	7.6 sec	7.9 sec	7.5 sec
Quarter Mile	11.3 sec	11.9 sec	11.5 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the RS 7 gets better mileage than the Charger SRT:

			MPG
RS 7
	AWD	4.0 turbo V8 Hybrid	14 city/22 hwy
Charger SRT
	RWD	6.2 supercharged V8	12 city/21 hwy
		Redeye 6.2 supercharged V8	12 city/21 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the RS 7’s fuel efficiency. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the RS 7’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the RS 7’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The RS 7 has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Charger SRT. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi RS 7 higher (3 out of 10) than the Dodge Charger SRT (1). This means the RS 7 produces up to 22.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Charger SRT every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the RS 7’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Charger SRT:

	RS 7	RS 7 CCB	Charger SRT
Front Rotors	16.5 inches	17.3 inches	15.7 inches
Rear Rotors	14.6 inches	14.6 inches	13.8 inches

The RS 7 offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

The RS 7 stops much shorter than the Charger SRT:

	RS 7	Charger SRT
70 to 0 MPH	151 feet	162 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

The RS 7’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Charger SRT’s 35 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the RS 7 has standard 21-inch wheels. Only 20-inch wheels are available on the Charger SRT. The RS 7 offers optional 22-inch wheels.

Suspension and Handling

The front and rear suspension of the RS 7 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the Charger SRT, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The RS 7 has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The RS 7’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The RS 7 handles at .98 G’s, while the Charger SRT Redeye pulls only .93 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The RS 7 is 3.8 inches shorter than the Charger SRT, making the RS 7 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Audi RS 7 amounts to more than styling. The RS 7 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .35 Cd. That is lower than the Charger SRT (.3763). A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the RS 7 get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the RS 7’s rear seats recline. The Charger SRT’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the RS 7’s power liftgate can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Dodge. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 25% lower rating, Dodge is ranked 21st.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Charger SRT, the RS 7 offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and climate settings and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The RS 7 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The RS 7’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Charger SRT’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The RS 7’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Charger SRT’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the RS 7 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Charger SRT can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The RS 7’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Charger SRT’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Laser headlights, standard on the RS 7, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the Charger SRT’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The RS 7 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer headlight washers.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the RS 7 detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the RS 7 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the RS 7 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The RS 7 offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Charger SRT.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the RS 7 offers an optional Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Audi RS 7 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The RS 7’s optional Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Charger SRT doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the RS 7 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the RS 7 will cost $6440 less than the Charger SRT over a five-year period.