2020 Dodge Charger vs 2021 Volkswagen Jetta

The Dodge Charger represents an all-in-one approach to modern performance. Unlike its Dodge Challenger coupe counterpart, the Charger is a sedan, providing the usability of four full doors and five-passenger seating. It offers a wide variety of potent powertrains, as well as the availability of all-wheel drive (AWD). The Charger also provides the latest tech and infotainment features. It may be a classic nameplate, but it is a very different approach to the family sedan. This also makes it a breath of fresh air in the modern sedan market.

Thanks to its wide variety of performance models, the Charger's exact competition is hard to pin down. V6-powered versions like the SXT and GT compete with the likes of the Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima, and Chevrolet Impala. But the available performance on tap with R/T and Hellcat models opens it up to a world of sports cars and muscle cars. Which model you select determines its rivals.

No matter the trim selected, the Charger provides a baseline of athleticism paired with a spacious cabin, large rear seats, and a large trunk. Together, these make the Charger a fun and functional new car, with styling that helps it stand out in a crowd.

Small cars aren't asked to do much beyond the basics: provide efficient, reliable transportation at a manageable price. Plenty of models fit this form, and in some rare cases, they manage to do it while also being fun to drive, like the Mazda3. In other cases, the vehicle manages to feel more upscale than the competition, like the Honda Civic. But the Volkswagen Jetta's legacy has historically been defined by its ability to offer both an upscale interior and a rewarding driving experience.

But then something happened with the Jetta. Starting with the 2011 model year, Volkswagen attempted to broaden the Jetta's appeal, and until 2018 we were left with a drab interior, an underpowered engine, and an uninspiring driving experience. VW’s hallmark was always that its cars felt a little special, so by adopting a homogenous look and feel, VW removed what made the Jetta unique and desirable to its fans.

So Volkswagen had some work to do with the seventh-generation Jetta, which launched in 2019. Does this car move the Jetta name back toward driving refinement and upscale feel? Or does it continue to disappoint as just another bland entrant among small cars?