Humans age different than automobiles.

When we turn 100, we’re pretty much near the end of the road and are a bit frail compared to our younger selves.

Not so for automobiles. I recently got to test out the 2014 Dodge Charger R/T Plus 100th Anniversary Edition (2014 marks 100 years of Dodge vehicles), and based on my time in the car it’s safe to say the auto industry’s products are stronger than ever.

LOOKS

The Charger is one of the few vehicles on the road today that harken back to the days our roads were full of American-made muscle cars. It’s got a strong profile but doesn’t look menacing. It looks like something you want to drive just to see what it can do.

Inside there’s ample room and you can fit the whole family comfortably (assuming there’s no more than 5 of you). A car seat or two will fit just fine in the back, and you get four doors -- something you won’t find on other muscle cars.

The materials used on the interior are high-quality, including a attractive red/black color and leather seats, plus a leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.

ENGINE, HORSEPOWER

This is what the Charger is all about.

The 100th Anniversary edition boasts an optional 5.7-liter V8 HEMI Engine that will impress you from the first time you hit the accelerator. It provides 370 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque.

Accelerate is the key word here, as this car was among the best I’ve seen at roaring up to speed. It legitimately feels like a street-legal racecar, something few vehicles can claim (so you’ll have to learn to control yourself in heavily policed areas, speed demons).

This was among the best vehicles I’ve tested all year in terms of overall speed and power. Lesser versions of the Charger boast a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine and 300 horsepower/260 pound-feet of torque, still not too shabby.

DRIVE QUALITY
Fun, Fun, Fun.

Those are the words that come to mind when I think of my time driving the 2014 Dodge Charger 100th anniversary edition. Seriously, if you can’t enjoy driving this car, just stop driving. It’s fast, it’s pretty and the vehicle is responsive as you maneuver it through traffic.

Just be aware, the Charger I drove was a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, so in winter and when it’s rainy it would be dicey; You can upgrade to an all-wheel-drive version on some Charger models.

TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY

Among the safety features included on the Charger 100th Anniversary Edition are: front and side airbags, active head restraints, anti-lock 4-wheel disc performance brakes, electronic stability control, all-speed traction control, hill start assist.

Tech features include: Keyless entry, Remote start; an optional Navigation system and back-up camera; heated front seats; 8.4-inch touchscreen with UConnect system for voice commands; CD player; Bluetooth, USB port, 1 year satellite radio subscription, and more.

The UConnect system worked well and the touchscreen is among the largest you’ll see in any vehicle. Tech features were nicely laid out inside for easy use, and the only thing I really missed on the car was extra safety features like blind spot monitoring or lane departure warning -- but these are available as options on various Charger models if you do want them.

MPG

I was averaging about 17 mpg in the Charger100th Anniversary edition, and the official numbers are 15 city/25 highway and 18 combined.

Not great numbers, but let’s put this in perspective. If you’re wanting to drive a muscle car with an engine this powerful, were you expecting any better?

Fuel mileage is a big factor when choosing a minivan or an SUV or a hybrid or a compact car or a midsize car -- but for muscle cars not so much. (There is a version of the Charger with a V6 that provides significantly better fuel mileage, but you will lose power.)

PRICE

The base price on the 2014 Dodge Charger R/T Plus 100th Anniversary edition is $30,495. My test vehicle added some packages (with features including a spoiler, 20-inch aluminum wheels with granite crystal pockets, heated second-row seats, heated steering wheel, Beats Audio sound system with 552-watt amplifier, plus the Navigation system and rear camera and a power sunroof) to come to a grand total of $38,080.

Depending what you want in the Charger as far as features, the price can be quite variable. (In fact, the range from the most base Charger to the most high-end is between $27K and $48K.)

BOTTOM LINE

So who will want this car?: Those looking for a reminder of American muscle and what it’s like to drive a fast/punchy/attractive/unique automobile in a world where most vehicles seems to look the same. It might be a bit of an indulgence and not the best vehicle to have in inclement weather if you skip the all-wheel-drive option, but driving it will be so much fun you probably won’t care.

Matt Myftiu can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or on Twitter @MattMyftiu