Year-End Deal Reality Check: Chrysler Group

Chrysler's had a very successful year overall, with sales up 25% through November. Part of that has to do with the automaker's redesigned and refreshed vehicles, and part of it has to do with Chrysler's seemingly eternal and robust incentive spending. The end of the year is no different. Under Chrysler's cross-branded “Big Finish 2011” sales event, there are plenty of attractive financing and cash-back deals to be had.

Starting with the Chrysler brand — which has the most aggressive incentive offers – there are 0% financing deals on the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country and 2012 Chrysler 200 sedan for 60 months and for 60 to 72 months on all 2011 Chrysler brand models. The Town & Country ($1,250), 200 ($2,500), 300 ($1,500) and 200 convertible ($1,000) also have generous cash-back offers.

Dodge Debuts Charger, Challenger SRT8 Special Editions at 2011 L.A. Auto Show

Two names from Dodge's past return for 2012 with the Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee and Dodge Challenger SRT8 Yellow Jacket. Both are appearance packages with interior and exterior add-ons including exterior graphics and embroidered seats with nostalgic flair. No additional performance upgrades are part of the packages.

The Super Bee name originated in the late 1960s and made an appearance on the previous Charger generation. For 2012, Super Bee Chargers are available in Stinger Yellow or Pitch Black exterior colors with unique graphic appointments for each color. The outside of yellow Super Bees have satin-black hood graphics; black cars have charcoal graphics. Yellow models also get a matte-black rear spoiler and black cars’ spoilers are body-colored. Both color choices have 20-inch wheels with painted black highlights.

Cars.com Reviews the 2012 Dodge Challenger

Like an NFL linebacker, the 2012 Challenger SRT8 possesses a quickness that's unexpected from something so big and heavy, according to Cars.com editor Mike Hanley, who also tested the 3.6-liter V-6 Challenger. Even with its aggressive side, the Challenger makes for a refined and spacious commuter, too, Hanley says.  There are still some limiting factors, though, and most are attributed to the Challenger's '70s-era body styling.

2012 Dodge Challenger Review

Vote for the Cars.com's Shoppers' Choice Award

Cars.com's annual popularity award is back. We have found the 10 most popular new-car models that shoppers are not only searching for on Cars.com but are contacting dealers about. These models also receive positive consumer reviews.

This fervent interaction delivers a top 10 that might surprise some enthusiasts, but probably not the people who buy and sell cars.

Voting for this year’s Shoppers' Choice awards will be conducted entirely on Facebook, so go vote, share it with your network and get your favorite car the shiny trophy when it's announced Jan. 10 on the eve of the Detroit auto show.

Shoppers' Choice finalists (in alphabetical order):

• Audi Q5
• Dodge Challenger
• GMC Terrain
• Honda Accord
• Honda Pilot
• Kia Soul
• Ram 1500
• Subaru Outback
• Toyota Highlander
• Toyota Sienna

2012 Dodge Challenger: Car Seat Check

This Car Seat Check was first published in September 2011 on MotherProof.com.

At my house, the Dodge Challenger is the coolest car on the road. That's because it's the car that Kevin Levin drives in the animated series "Ben 10," my sons' favorite TV show. While Kevin doesn't have to fit child-safety seats into his Challenger, we found that the two-door, five-seat car was up to the task.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.

MotherProof.com Car Seat Check Recap

The 2012 Chevrolet Traverse is a large seven- or eight-seat crossover with easy access to all three rows. But easy access doesn’t guarantee that child-safety seats will fit easily, as MotherProof.com found out in the latest Car Seat Check. The second row in the Traverse can fit only two child-safety seats, and getting to the Latch connectors is somewhat difficult. The third row’s seat belts are a mixed bag, too. Otherwise, you can fit two car seats in the way back. Continue reading more about the Traverse, and the other vehicles tested in the series, at MotherProof.com:

2012 Chevrolet Traverse: Car Seat Check
2011 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab: Car Seat Check
2011 Dodge Challenger: Car Seat Check
2012 Volkswagen Passat: Car Seat Check

2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Video

Of all the muscle cars available these days, the Challenger is probably the purest, says Cars.com editor Mike Hanley. Its retro charm has held up well, and while the Challenger has strong acceleration, it can make for a comfortable daily driver — as long as you’re OK with the poor gas mileage. 

Chrysler's SRT8 Lineup Priced

Chrysler confirmed pricing on its 2012 SRT8 lineup today. The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 will start at $54,470; the 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 will come in at $47,170; the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 at $45,795; and the refreshed 2012 Dodge Challenger at $43,995, said Wendy Orthman, Chrysler spokeswoman. All prices exclude a destination fee.

All models include daylong track eligibility, with a “first-rate” driving instructor who will help teach basic performance street and track driving techniques, according to Chrysler.

Overall, the Challenger SRT8 sees the smallest price increase — up $1,215 from 2011 — but it gets more power. The brand-new Grand Cherokee SRT8 is a whopping $11,145 more expensive than its 2010 predecessor. The Charger SRT8 sees a more than $7,000 increase and the Chrysler 300 SRT8 about a $2,000 increase over their older models.

Continue reading below to see what you get for the price.

Chrysler SRT8 Models Get Even More Power for 2012

During the past year’s auto show circuit, Chrysler debuted all three of its ultra-high-performance models for its three marquee brands: the Chrysler 300 SRT8, Dodge Charger SRT8 and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.

At the shows, the company quoted horsepower and torque ratings for the lineup – powered by a new 6.4-liter V-8 engine – as 465 horsepower and 465 pounds-feet of torque. But as car companies with muscle cars are wont to do, they’ve updated those figures before the group goes on sale this fall.

The 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8, Dodge Challenger 392 and Dodge Charger SRT8 are all now rated at 470 hp and 470 pounds-feet of torque. The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is rated at 470 hp and 465 pounds-feet of torque.

You can read more about the models from our auto show coverage below, and we’ll have first-drive impressions closer to the cars’ on-sale date.

Related
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8: In the Wild
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Video
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8: Up Close
2012 Dodge Charger SRT8: Up Close
2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 Video
2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 at 2011 Chicago Auto Show
2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 Video
2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 at the 2011 New York Auto Show
2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8, S and Executive: Up Close

Chrysler Incentives Push Hemi V-8, Leasing In February

Chrysler has added a few cash-back incentives to its new 2011 model lineup, including more cash on the hood for high-output V-8 Ram trucks. More importantly, this time around Chrysler is offering some attractive lease deals. However, most of the cash incentives on the 2010 models are gone with the lone exception of the 2010 Dodge Challenger, which has $2,000 cash back.

The 2011 Dodge Nitro gets another $500 tacked onto its cash-back plan, which now totals $3,000. There’s another $1,000 added on the Caliber, so buyers can get up to $2,500 cash back on that model. Most of the redesigned models like the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango and the Chrysler minivans don’t have any cash incentives, but they do have fairly attractive financing deals.

If you want to get a better deal on one of Chrysler’s newer models, there are lease deals to be had such as $199 a month for the Dodge Avenger or Chrysler 200 or $359 a month for the new 2011 Dodge Charger R/T.

Most of the incentives below expire Feb. 28.