With a major update being introduced in 2019, Dodge didn’t have that many innovations ready for 2020. That said, the Hellcat was never about technological advancements nor was it about luxury. The Hellcat arrived to stir up the automotive world in a way that only a true American muscle car can, and that’s with hypercar levels of power for the price of a mid-size European sedan. However, the 2020 Challenger Hellcat does get a few minor tweaks while the major update that was introduced in 2019 gave it a more distinguishable look, a bit more power and more advanced drivetrain control software. Additional wheel designs were added as an option making it easy to distinguish the 2020 model from earlier ones if that box was ticked off. But even with such few updates, there are always a ton of interesting things to talk about when a Hellcat is in question. Before we do, we invite you to check out the examples currently for sale at Exotic Car Trader in case you are in the market for one.
Ever since the Hellcat came out in 2015, there wasn’t a single year it wasn’t virtually everywhere. From magazines and blogs to YouTube videos and TV car shows. And that’s all very justified considering that the automotive industry doesn’t birth a car like it very often. With its retro styling that looks almost identical to the original Challenger, and the same obscene amount of power as the original, the Hellcat quickly became the synonym for a modern muscle car. Even more impressively, the Hellcat got virtually the same amount of attention worldwide as it did domestically which also goes to show how special it was. It also helped that it saw many improvements over the years with a new update, minor or major, coming pretty much every year. And as soon as the dust settles down, Dodge pokes the Hellcat with a stick resulting in even more power, and the world is once again left in shock. And although its discontinuation in 2023 was sad news for all petrol heads, it also made the Hellcat even more special as a new model likely won’t come unless nothing short of a miracle happens. But then again, Dodge did make around 40,000 of them so the current supply is fairly abundant.
The Hellcat’s interior was never meant to rival sports sedans coming from Europe which is one of the things which made it so cheap. Even so, after 2015, all Challenger interiors saw a lot more premium materials, especially the Hellcat. Customers could choose from a number of different leather and alcantara combinations with each being available in dozens of different colors. The dashboard and the door trim also got soft touch materials with additional stitching being added in 2020 for those optioned with the leather package. Additional stitching added to the premium feel and look of the interior, especially when it’s in contrasting colors. As of 2019, the gauge cluster got new retro graphics and that’s about where the interior updates end. That said, the infotainment system ensures the driver is never bored thanks to hundreds of different live data configurations, but then again, who could ever be bored in a car with such potential as a 2020 Challenger SRT Hellcat.
As it was getting ready to enter a new decade, the Hellcat got some major exterior updates. As 2019 models rolled out, they received a new hood with dual intakes instead of a single one in the middle. The hood was a throwback to some original Dodge muscle cars and it gave the Challenger Hellcat more unique character as the design was no longer shared with the Charger. New optional wheels were added for the 2020 Challenger SRT Hellcat with a five spoke concave design. The wheels were, again, bespoke to the Challenger and while they weren’t anything groundbreaking, they revealed those six piston calipers and floating rotors much better which alone improved the looks substantially. The trunk lid spoiler also got a minor tweak and was now a bit wider and taller, although it’s hardly noticeable.
The highlight of all Hellcats is their engine. The 6.2 liter Hemi V8 with a 2.4 liter supercharger could never be bad, and it wasn’t. The whine coming from the supercharger alone is enough to make the driver’s hairs rise, coupled with the thumping noise coming from the exhaust, and the Hellcat experience results with a sensory overload in most cases. And that’s without mentioning the 3.6 seconds it takes the 2020 Challenger SRT Hellcat to get to 60, which, with a bit stickier or wider tires easily goes under 3.5 seconds. The top speed is no less impressive at 199 mph considering that Challenger wasn’t exactly shaped by a wind tunnel. And once again, all of that is made possible by the V8 which, as of 2019, pushes out 717 horsepower and 656 lb-ft of torque. The slight increase in power is thanks to the new dual snorkel hood which keeps the engine cooler. Suspension wasn’t neglected either and nor were the brakes. All Hellcats get three way adjustable Bilstein dampers, multi link rear suspension, and six piston Brembo brakes gripping 15.4” rotors. And while it’s no Lotus Elise, the Hellcat handles the 4,500 lbs it’s carrying quite well.
The fact that Dodge lowered the Hellcat’s price in 2019 by $5,500 means nothing today in 2024. In the last year, the prices on the used market had been increasing steadily and a 2020 Challenger SRT Hellcat with around 20,000 miles can now fetch up to $65,000. That’s not a small sum by any means considering it had a starting price of $62,000 in 2020. But that’s only natural considering that it had been discontinued and also considering its impact on the automotive world.
Ultimately, the Challenger Hellcat is one of few domestic cars that became an instant classic. And the 2020 Challenger SRT Hellcat is one of the best model years you can buy as it includes all the major updates the model saw before 2023. And if you catch one with a manual transmission, then you have definitely found yourself one of the most unique cars made in the past decade. Once you are ready to pull the trigger, buying your next car through Exotic Car Trader is one of the best options out there. With escrow protection, delivery and first inspection, little to nothing can go wrong, plus Exotic Car Trader makes the entire process as time efficient as it gets. The same goes if you sell a car through Exotic Car Trader.
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