The 2026 Dodge Charger gives buyers more decisions to make than muscle cars traditionally require. There are gas and electric powertrains, outputs ranging from 420 hp to 670 hp, and a choice of 2 or 4 doors across the lineup. Every version also gets standard AWD. For drivers around Edinboro, Pennsylvania, that means the Charger can be configured as a practical 4-door with serious performance or a 2-door that sticks closer to the traditional muscle-car shape. And then you have got to decide if you want petrol or electricity providing the shove.
R/T Starts at a Rather Healthy 420 hp
The gas-powered Charger R/T uses a 3.0L SIXPACK S.O. Twin-Turbo Straight-6 producing 420 hp and 468 lbs. ft. of torque. An 8-speed automatic handles the gears. Dodge quotes 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds, a 12.9-second quarter-mile, and a 168-mph top speed. Not exactly modest figures for the starting point. AWD is standard, but RWD mode can send 100% of the torque to the rear wheels. That provides AWD traction when conditions call for it without permanently removing the rear-drive character people expect from a Charger.
Scat Pack Turns Things Up to 550 hp
The Charger Scat Pack gets the H.O. version of the 3.0L SIXPACK Twin-Turbo Straight-6, producing 550 hp and 531 lbs. ft. of torque. That drops the claimed 0-60 mph time to 3.9 seconds. The quarter-mile takes 12.2 seconds, and top speed rises to 177 mph. There’s more than extra power here. Launch Control, Line Lock, active dual-mode exhaust, performance suspension, Brembo® 6-piston fixed front brake calipers, and 20-by-10-inch wheels with 275/40ZR20 tires are included. Auto, Eco, Wet/Snow, Sport, and Custom drive modes let drivers adjust how the car behaves. Scat Pack Plus retains the 550-hp powertrain while adding equipment including a 16-inch digital driver display, Head-Up Display, navigation, wireless phone charging, ventilated front seats, Surround View Camera, and Attitude Adjustment interior lighting.
Daytona Scat Pack Does It with Electricity
Then things get electric. The Charger Daytona Scat Pack uses a 400-volt dual-motor electric AWD system producing 670 hp and 627 lbs. ft. of torque. Dodge quotes 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds, and a mechanical limited-slip rear differential helps manage all that output. Track and Drag modes join Drift/Donut Mode, Launch Control, and battery race-prep functions. PowerShot can provide an additional 40 hp for 10 seconds. And because a silent Charger would apparently be too strange, the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust gives the Daytona its distinctive exterior sound. Inside are a 12.3-inch center touchscreen, 16-inch digital instrument cluster, Performance Pages, and a 9-speaker Alpine® audio system.
The Practical Bit Is Surprisingly Practical
R/T, Scat Pack, and Daytona Scat Pack models can all be ordered with 2 or 4 doors. That means choosing the more practical body style doesn’t require abandoning the powertrain you wanted. There’s also a hidden hatch rather than a conventional trunk. Fold the rear seats and cargo capacity reaches up to 37.4 cu. ft. It’s an unusual combination: muscle-car proportions with enough cargo flexibility to make the Charger considerably easier to live with when nobody is measuring quarter-mile times.