Hey everyone! I’ve been driving my 2021 Dodge Challenger R/T for about a year now, and while I love the car, I feel like the stock exhaust is just a bit too quiet for a Hemi. I’m finally ready to pull the trigger on a performance exhaust system to get that deep, aggressive muscle car growl, but the sheer number of options is a bit overwhelming.
I’ve been looking closely at the Borla ATAK and the Corsa Xtreme, but I’m worried about highway drone. Since this is my daily driver, I need something that screams when I wide-open throttle but remains manageable when I’m just cruising at 70 mph. I really want to avoid that annoying vibration in the cabin during long trips. Also, my budget is around $1,500, and I’m hoping for a relatively straightforward bolt-on installation since I’ll be doing this in my garage.
Has anyone here upgraded their Challenger recently? I'd love to hear your experiences with different brands regarding sound quality and longevity. For those of you with aftermarket setups, which system do you think offers the best balance of a loud cold start and an aggressive tone without making the interior drone unbearable?
For your situation, I would suggest looking at the Borla S-Type Cat-Back Exhaust System for 2021 Dodge Challenger R/T. Tbh, the ATAK is basically a straight pipe and might be too much for a daily. The S-Type gives that deep Hemi growl without the highway drone your worried about. Just make sure you double check your active exhaust valves during the install cuz you dont want a CEL light on your dash! Good luck dude.
Seconding the recommendation above regarding the Corsa and Borla S-Type. Over the years, I've tried many different setups on my Hemis, and honestly, those are the gold standard for avoiding drone. But since you mentioned a $1,500 budget and want that deep growl without breaking the bank, I gotta suggest the Flowmaster American Thunder Cat-Back Exhaust System 817745.
In my experience, Flowmaster gives you that classic, old-school muscle car sound that's a bit deeper than the raspy Corsa tone. It's usually around $1,100-$1,200, which leaves you some cash for other mods. Another solid, budget-friendly option I've installed is the MBRP Armor Lite 3-Inch Cat-Back Exhaust S7114AL—it's super straightforward for a garage install.
Quick tip from a veteran: check your exhaust hanger isolators while you're under there; if they're worn, you'll get vibrations no matter which brand you pick. Good luck with the build! 👍
Following this thread
Sooo I’ve been through this exact struggle with my last Hemi, and I honestly think you're on the right track. I went with the Corsa setup because they use this RSC tech that basically kills drone. It's wild how quiet it stays at 70 mph but then it LITERALLY screams when you floor it.
1. Corsa: Best for zero drone, highkey loud at WOT.
2. Borla: Super deep tone, but might have a tiny bit more cabin noise.
Tbh, if you're doing the install in ur garage, both are pretty straightforward bolt-ons. Just make sure you have some PB Blaster for those rusty stock bolts... you're gonna need it lol.