Finding the best exhaust for a 5.7 hemi usually comes down to whether you want a polite rumble or a full-blown neighbor-waking roar. Let's be honest, the stock exhaust on most Ram trucks or Chargers with the 5.7 is a bit well, quiet. It's like Chrysler decided to put a muzzle on a beast. If you've got that legendary Hemi under the hood, you probably want people to know it's there without having to floor it at every stoplight.
The 5.7-liter Hemi is a unique engine because it has a very specific "thump" to it. It's not quite as high-pitched as some of the modern European V8s, but it's not as lazy-sounding as an old-school Chevy small block either. It sits right in that sweet spot of American muscle. But picking the right setup is tricky because you have to deal with things like cabin drone and the dreaded MDS (Multi-Displacement System) that turns your V8 into a V4 when you're cruising.
Understanding the Hemi drone and MDS
Before you go out and drop a thousand bucks on a shiny new system, we need to talk about the elephant in the room: MDS. When your 5.7 Hemi switches to four-cylinder mode to save gas, a lot of aftermarket exhausts start sounding like a wet weed-whacker. It's a rhythmic, helicopter-like drone that can drive you crazy on long highway trips.
The best exhaust for a 5.7 hemi is one that manages this transition well. Some guys just disable MDS with a tuner, which solves the sound issue but kills a bit of your fuel economy. If you want to keep MDS active, you'll want to look at systems with resonators or specific technology designed to cancel out those low-frequency hums. It's the difference between enjoying your drive and wanting to pull over and walk.
The classic roar of Flowmaster
If you ask ten Hemi owners what they're running, at least five of them will probably say Flowmaster. They've been the go-to for decades, and for a good reason. If you want that deep, hollow, "chambered" sound that reminds you of 1970s muscle cars, the Flowmaster Super 44 or the Outlaw series are hard to beat.
The Outlaw is loud. Like, "get a letter from your HOA" loud. It's basically a straight-through design that offers very little restriction. On the other hand, the Super 40 or Super 44 gives you that classic deep tone but keeps it a bit more manageable. The downside? Flowmasters are known for having some drone. If you do a lot of highway driving at 70 mph, you're going to hear that exhaust humming in the back of your head. But for some people, that's just part of the experience.
Borla: The premium choice for a reason
Borla is often cited as having the best exhaust for a 5.7 hemi if you have the budget for it. They usually offer three levels: Touring, S-Type, and ATAK.
The S-Type (often called the Stinger) is the "Goldilocks" of the group. It's quiet when you're idling but screams when you jump on the gas. It has a much crisper, cleaner sound than the chambered mufflers. Borla uses high-quality stainless steel, so these things basically last forever, even if you live in the salt belt.
Then there's the ATAK. This stands for "Acoustically Tuned Applied Kinetics," which is just a fancy way of saying it's tuned to be as loud as humanly possible while still sounding "tuned" rather than just broken. It's aggressive, it pops on the downshifts, and it makes the 5.7 sound like a race car. The best part? Borla is famous for having almost zero drone, even with their louder kits.
Magnaflow and that smooth deep growl
Magnaflow takes a different approach. While Flowmaster is "choppy" and Borla is "crisp," Magnaflow is "smooth." It's a very deep, bass-heavy sound. If you want your truck or car to sound like a powerful boat engine or a heavy-duty workhorse, this is usually the way to go.
The Magnaflow Street Series is a popular middle ground. It's stainless steel, straight-through, and doesn't have the "rasp" that some other systems have. It's a very mature sound. You won't sound like a teenager who just cut his mufflers off with a hacksaw. It's refined power. However, because it's so bass-heavy, some users find it can vibrate the interior plastics a bit more than a Borla system would.
Corsa and the science of no drone
If you are absolutely terrified of drone, Corsa is the answer. They use something called RSC (Reflective Sound Cancellation) technology. Essentially, they use sound waves to cancel out other sound waves—kind of like noise-canceling headphones but for your truck's pipes.
A Corsa Sport or Xtreme system is unique because, at a cruise, it can actually sound quieter than stock inside the cabin. But when you wide-open throttle? It sounds like a banshee. It's a very high-end, exotic V8 sound. It's usually one of the most expensive options, but for a daily driver that you also want to take to the drag strip, it might be the best exhaust for a 5.7 hemi purely for the comfort factor.
Muffler swaps vs. full cat-back systems
You don't always need to spend $1,200 to get a good sound. A lot of guys with the 5.7 Hemi opt for a simple muffler swap. You just cut out the massive factory "suitcase" muffler and weld in something like a Magnaflow 18-inch or a Flowmaster 50 Series.
This is a great budget move. You keep the factory piping—which is actually decent quality on most Rams and Chargers—and just change the voice of the vehicle. However, a full cat-back system (which replaces everything from the catalytic converters back to the tips) is usually better for performance. The factory pipes often have "crush bends" that restrict airflow. Aftermarket kits use mandrel bends, which maintain a constant diameter and help the engine breathe.
Does a new exhaust actually add horsepower?
Let's manage some expectations here. If you bolt on the best exhaust for a 5.7 hemi, you aren't suddenly going to gain 50 horsepower. On a naturally aspirated 5.7, you're probably looking at a gain of maybe 5 to 10 horsepower, and even then, you might only feel it at the very top of the RPM range.
The real benefit is throttle response and, of course, the grin on your face. When the engine can "exhale" easier, it feels a bit snappier. If you pair a cat-back system with a cold air intake and a tune, then you'll start seeing some real numbers. But if you're doing it just for the exhaust, do it for the sound and the looks. Those big 4-inch or 5-inch tips look way better than the puny stock ones anyway.
Tips for the DIY installer
If you're planning on installing this in your driveway, I've got a few tips. First, buy a can of high-quality penetrating oil (like PB Blaster) and soak every bolt the night before. Hemi exhaust bolts love to rust and snap, and that's a headache you don't want.
Second, get some exhaust hanger removal pliers. They're cheap, and they'll save you about an hour of swearing at rubber grommets. Most of these kits are "bolt-on," but "bolt-on" is often a relative term when you're laying on your back on cold concrete. Give yourself a full afternoon, have a buddy help you line up the tips, and don't tighten everything down until the whole system is hanging and aligned.
Making the final call
At the end of the day, the "best" choice depends on your ears. If you want that raw, old-school muscle feel, go Flowmaster. If you want high-tech, drone-free performance and have the cash, Corsa is king. If you want a balance of quality and volume, Borla is the way to go.
Whatever you pick, just remember that the 5.7 Hemi is one of the best-sounding engines ever made. It deserves to be heard. Just maybe take it easy through your neighborhood at 6:00 AM—your neighbors might not appreciate your new "best exhaust" as much as you do.