After launching the fully electric Charger Daytona, Stellantis released the 2026 Dodge Charger SIXPACK, equipped with a gasoline engine, in two-door and four-door body styles.
Unfortunately, the electric Charger hasn’t been selling nearly as well as planned, as musclecar fans are seemingly snubbing it big time. This despite its 670-horsepower cavalry and its ability to blast from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds. Will the internal combustion engine variant bring back Mopar die-hards?
For now, the 2026 Dodge Charger SIXPACK rivals the Ford Mustang and the Nissan Z, at least in two-door configuration, and soon, the Chevrolet Camaro that will possibly be reintroduced in about two years, though GM has yet to confirm anything. Meanwhile, the four-door is unique in its segment, though Mustang sedan and Camaro sedan rumours are swirling. A sacrilege in both cases, but a necessary step to secure sufficient production numbers for the nameplates to remain profitable. As a reminder, the two-door Charger replaced the Dodge Challenger in the brand’s lineup.
No, and the SIXPACK moniker pretty much indicates that. However, it’s pretty powerful nonetheless. It’s equipped with twin-turbocharged 3.0L inline-six, dubbed the Hurricane, that develops 420 horsepower and 468 pound-feet of torque in the R/T variants. According to Stellantis, they can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, nail the quarter-mile in 12.9 seconds at 172 km/h and reach a governed top speed of 204 km/h.
In the Scat Pack variants, a high-output build of the Hurricane engine belts out 550 horsepower and 531 pound-feet. They can shoot to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, clear the 1320 in 12.2 seconds at 183 km/h and hit an aerodynamic wall at 284 km/h.
In both cases, power is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. The engine features automatic stop/start in order to save some fuel at stoplights. The Dodge’s drag coefficient is 0.34, slightly better than the Mustang’s 0.36. The two musclecars aren’t particularly aerodynamic by today’s standards.
The all-wheel drivetrain can disconnect the front wheels at the touch of a button to provide the feel of a genuine rear-drive sports car. We can also activate the Drift mode to get some wheelspin going and increase both atmospheric and noise pollution. All that to try to please the car-meet crowd in the Canadian Tire parking lot, and to get quickly intercepted by the local constabulary.
Here are the fuel economy ratings for the Charger. We’ll note that premium 91-octane fuel is recommended in the R/T variants, and required in the Scat Pack editions.
| Trim Levels | City/Highway/Combined (L/100 km) | CO2 Emissions (g/km) |
| R/T, R/T Plus | 14.1 / 9.0 / 11.8 | 276 |
| Scat Pack, Scat Pack Plus | 14.5 / 10.0 / 12.5 | 292 |
Visibly, the gas-powered Charger will never be a Green Car of the Year, but this new generation is more efficient than the previous one equipped with 5.7L (370 horsepower) and 6.4L V8 (485 horsepower) engines. In addition, during our summer test of the Scat Pack Plus, with a mix of city and highway driving, we managed an average of 10.3 L/100 km. So, it’s possible to consume less fuel if we resist mashing the go-pedal every time the light turns green.
Let’s check out some stats for the Charger, the V8-powered Mustang and the Nissan Z:
| Specifications | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Dodge Charger SIXPACK two-door | 2026 Dodge Charger SIXPACK four-door | 2026 Ford Mustang GT and Dark Horse coupe | 2026 Nissan Z | |
| All-Inclusive Pricing | $62,390 to $91,950 | $65,390 to $94,950 | $55,425 to $105,178 | $53,919 to $80,119 |
| Engines | Twin-Turbo 3.0L I6 | Twin-Turbo 3.0L I6 | 5.0L V8 | Twin-Turbo 3.0L V6 |
| Transmissions | 8-Speed Auto | 8-Speed Auto | 6-Speed Manual 10-Speed Auto | 6-Speed Manual 9-Speed Auto |
| Drivetrains | AWD | AWD | RWD | RWD |
| Output (hp) | 420 to 550 | 420 to 550 | 480 to 500 | 400 to 420 |
| Torque (lb-ft) | 468 to 531 | 468 to 531 | 415 to 418 | 350 to 384 |
| City/Highway/Combined (L/100 km) | 11.8 to 12.5 | 11.8 to 12.5 | 13.0 to 14.2 | 10.6 to 12.2 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 3,074 | 3,074 | 2,718 | 2,550 |
| Length (mm) | 5,248 | 5,248 | 4,811 to 4,818 | 4,400 |
| Width (mm) | 2,030 | 2,030 | 1,915 to 1,918 | 1,845 to 1,869 |
| Height (mm) | 1,504 | 1,504 | 1,397 to 1,402 | 1,315 |
| Headroom Front/Rear (mm) | 992 / 938 | 992 / 938 | 955 / 884 | 971 / - |
| Legroom Front/Rear (mm) | 1,081 / 945 | 1,081 / 945 | 1,130 / 737 | 1,090 / - |
| Cargo Volume (L) | 628 à 1,059 | 644 à 1,076 | 382 | 241 |
First and foremost, we’ll mention that the two-door and four-door Charger share the same exterior dimensions, and the only thing that changes is the number of doors. Obviously, the ones on the coupe are longer. As a result, the cabin is almost identical between the two regarding passenger space, and we’re particularly at ease sitting in back in the two-door Dodge, once we successfully climb in. The Mustang’s rear seats are barely useable, and the Nissan Z doesn’t have any rear seats at all. Advantage Charger for cabin accommodations.
As for fuel economy, the Charger is slightly less efficient than the Nissan Z, slightly more than the V8-powered Mustang. However, the Mustang EcoBoost equipped with the turbocharged 2.3L engine boasts a combined city/highway rating of 9.1 L/100 km, but it’s not as speedy with its 315-horsepower output.
At startup, the Charger SIXPACK clearly shows what it’s made of, with a deep and loud engine rumble that could annoy the neighbours over time. After a few seconds, the car calms down and gets less noisy while idling. The engine roars under acceleration, and those are real engine sounds, not a simulation, though said sound isn’t as adrenaline-pumping as that of a good old V8.
Our three protagonists all offer good handling and a sports-car character, in addition to a more comfortable ride under normal driving. However, the smaller and lighter Nissan Z is a more surgical car than the Charger (and the Mustang) on twisty country roads.
The Dodge’s brakes are powerful, but we’d like them to be less grabby at slow speeds, as arriving at a stop sign or a traffic light can be a harsh experience for passengers who aren’t expecting the callipers to bite so hard on the rotors. Feathering the brake pedal helps.
Like some other recently introduced Stellantis products, the Uconnect infotainment system in the Charger works well, with good reactivity to finger poking and a left-side column of buttons to quickly access the interface’s main menus. However, the button zones could be a little bigger, as they’re hard to tap while driving. The touch-sensitive climate control panel is even harder to use, but especially distracting. Rotary dials for adjusting temperature and fan speed are straightforward and user-friendly, and just don’t understand why some automakers take them out.
Otherwise, the centre console has enough space to empty our pockets and store our smartphone, the ambient lighting generates a nice wraparound glow in the cabin at dusk, and the front seats are comfortable. On the other hand, the front pillars and outside mirrors converge to create noticeable blind spots, so we must be careful when we drive through busy city street intersections.
Standard features aboard the R/T trim level of the 2026 Dodge Charger SIXPACK include 18-inch alloy wheels, a smart key with remote engine start, dual-zone automatic climate control, cloth seat upholstery, a 10.25-inch digital driver instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and a six-speaker audio system. Safety gadgets include blind-spot monitoring, emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, an alarm system, and more.
Option groups are available on the R/T, which add heated front seats, cloth and leatherette seat upholstery, a ten-way power driver’s seat, a heated steering wheel, front and rear park sonar as well as a nine-speaker stereo. The Performance Handling Package tacks on Brembo front brake callipers, a performance suspension, 20-inch wheels, a rear spoiler, leather and suede upholstery, 16-way power and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, navigation, and more. All these features are standard on the Scat Pack.
The R/T Plus and Scat Pack Plus also benefit from a power trunklid, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a 16-inch driver instrument cluster, ambient cabin lighting, leatherette seats, a power-adjustable steering column, head-up display, a surround-view camera system, wireless phone charging and an Alpine nine-speaker stereo. The glass roof and an 18-speaker Alpine system are optional.
With its retro-modern, yet aggressive bodywork, its powerful engine and its spacious cabin, the Charger SIXPACK is an interesting choice for sports car fans, and specifically musclecar enthusiasts. The car draws lots of attention for its looks, but also for its sound and presence.
However, the Ford Mustang and Nissan Z both boast lower entry prices. In addition, the strategy to introduce the fully electric Charger Daytona before the gas-powered SIXPACK is seemingly a mistake, since some people don’t even realize that a Charger equipped with a gas-powered engine actually exists. That’s a shame, because it’s an alluring car. As for its environmental impact, the Charger SIXPACK isn’t particularly frugal, but with an average of 10.3 L/100 km in our hands, it’s possible to enjoy high-performance motoring without burning too much premium unleaded.
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