Dodge first debuted the all-electric Charger Daytona late last year and is now adding the gas-powered Charger Scat Pack, which will be available in both coupe and sedan configurations. Performance fans are a stubborn lot, as Dodge has discovered. The automaker took a big risk dropping the long-lived Charger and Challenger muscle cars, replacing them with an all-new Charger in battery-electric form.
While some buyers clearly have plugged into the incredible power and torque that the Charger Daytona can deliver, sales have fallen well short of expectations, leading Dodge to put one of two versions of the EV on hold.
But the Detroit brand is betting it now has the right formula in place as it prepares to launch the next variant of the new muscle car, the SIXPACK-powered 2026 Dodge Charger Scat Pack. You might notice one difference already: the absence of the name Daytona, which is now reserved solely for all-electric versions.
“We knew some people would always want an internal combustion engine,” said Matt McAlear, the Dodge CEO, during a media background briefing. And, that’s likely to be even more the case as the Trump administration ends the $7,500 federal EV sales incentives and cuts back on plans to roll out a nationwide charging network, McAlear added.
What’s a SIXPACK-Powered Scat Pack?
All versions of the Charger are based on the flexible STLA Large architecture developed by Dodge parent Stellantis. Unlike the platforms used by many competitors, this one can squeeze in a variety of different powertrain options — including both all-electric and internal combustion.
SIXPACK is a specially tuned version of the twin-turbo inline-6 Hurricane engine found in everything from the Jeep Wagoneer L to the Ram 1500 pickup. It’s been heavily modified to handle the demands muscle car fans will likely make of it, with upgraded cooling, high-pressure fuel injectors, oil jet-cooled pistons, and spray bore coatings to reduce friction. It also gets a high-flow variable exhaust system to deliver the sort of deep guttural roar that the Charger Daytona can only simulate with its Fratzonic “exhaust.”
The result: the 3.0L engine punches out 550 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque. Compare that to the 540 horsepower and 521 pound-feet in the high-output version of the Ram 1500 pickup.
Power is directed through an eight-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels. A standard limited-slip differential helps manage torque distribution, and features like Line Lock and Launch Control help even novices get off the line fast. Dodge quotes a 3.9-second 0-60 launch time and 12.2-second quarter-miles.
“It may not be a HEMI, but it has a lot of crunch at the low end,” said Mickey Bly, global powertrain chief at Stellantis, noting the high-output package delivers 90% of its torque by 3,000 rpm.
Charger R/T
For those with a bit smaller budget — or, perhaps, a little less nerve — there’s also the Charger R/T with its standard-output version of the Hurricane engine. The numbers are still impressive, however, at 420 horsepower and 468 pound-feet of torque.
Dodge isn’t quoting 0-60 times but says the Charger R/T tops out at 168 miles per hour, 9 mph slower than the Scat Pack.
Like the Scat Pack, Charger R/T comes standard with all-wheel drive — as do the all-electric models, as well. But, drivers also can switch to rear-wheel-drive instantly, Dodge explained in a news release.
“The robust 880RE TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission features a multi-disc wet clutch system that opens at the push of a button to enable on-demand RWD functionality, capable of sending 100% of torque to the rear wheels.” RWD mode is also activated automatically when a driver activates Charger’s Drift and Donut drive modes.
Charger vs. Charger Daytona
At launch, Dodge rolled out the coupe version of the Charger Daytona. It’s now added a four-door. The brand will take a similar approach with coupe and sedan takes on the SIXPACK-powered Charger.
To the untrained eye, it could be hard to tell ICE and electric versions apart, but there are some notable differences. To start with, the gas model forgoes the distinctive R-Wing, a passthrough at the front of the hood that both increases downforce and lowers drag.
Aero, as you’d expect, was a critical priority during Daytona’s design. Instead, the SIXPACK models feature the taller hoods needed to make room for their Hurricane engines. At the back end, they feature twin 100mm exhaust tips.
But they have other things in common, including their “racetrack” rear lighting and hidden rear hatches that provide access to surprisingly roomy cargo bays — delivering up to 37.4 cubic feet with rear seats folded down. Both gas and electric models are longer than the past Charger and Challenger generation, and are also 2 inches wider than even the old Widebody packages.
2026 Dodge Charger Interior
Both gas and electric Chargers don’t stray completely away from the horizontal IP layout, accentuating the car’s width, but they adopt a more modern, high-tech feel. “This is the future of where our Dodge products are heading,” according to Ryan Nagode, the head of interior design at Stellantis, explained during my background session.
That’s accentuated by the instrument cluster, which has a widescreen 12.3-inch infotainment display and, depending upon your package, either a 10.25-inch or 16-inch digital gauge cluster. Both screens are readily reprogrammable, and the cluster automatically changes appearance, including layout and color, depending on driver mode.
So does the ambient lighting system, though drivers can manually choose any of 64 different hues. There’s also an available head-up display.
Charger’s infotainment system uses Stellantis’ latest Uconnect5 operating system. Gas and electric models get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, Amazon Alexa integration, and a TomTom navigation system. And there’s an extensive package of advanced driver assistance systems, including active lane management and a surprisingly good semi-autonomous driving system.
A subtle difference between gas and electric models: Daytona’s steering wheel has a performance-boosting “Powershot” button. SIXPACK models have a drive mode selector. Among other things, that includes drift and donut modes.
Gas or Electric
When Dodge first started talking about the new Charger family, electric vehicles seemed ready to take over the world. Demand began to slow in late 2023 and is expected to further slip due to actions being taken by the Trump administration.
So, where Dodge once expected the Daytona models to make up a significant, if not dominant, share of demand, McAlear now anticipates the SIXPACK Chargers will account for 80% of sales “for a while.”
Ironically, that’s despite the fact that the 670-horsepower Scat Pack EV is notably faster, cutting 0-60 times down to an estimated 3.3 seconds.
2026 Dodge Charger Pricing & Availability
Dodge will begin taking orders for the SIXPACK-powered 2026 Dodge Charger Scat Pack and R/T models on August 13.
The 420-horsepower R/T will start at $49,995 in coupe configuration, and the 550-horsepower Scat Pack will start at $54,995. The all-electric 2026 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack has a U.S. MSRP of $59,995. Add $1,995 for delivery fees, while four models come in at $2,000 more.
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