2026 Dodge Charger Performance: Everything You Need to Know

The Charger is back, and it brought more power than ever. Named the 2026 North American Car of the Year, the new Charger also brings a new engine, a new body style option, and a full-electric variant that runs 0-60 in 3.3 seconds. If you’ve been following the 2026 Dodge Charger performance story and trying to sort out what actually changed, what got better, and which version makes sense for you, this breakdown has everything you need.

The HEMI Is Gone. Here’s What Replaced It.

The 5.7L and 6.4L HEMI V8 engines are no longer in the Charger lineup. In their place is Dodge’s new 3.0L SIXPACK twin-turbo inline-six, and the numbers make a strong case for the switch.
The Charger R/T, arriving mid-2026 and starting at $49,995, runs the standard-output SIXPACK producing 420 horsepower and 468 lb-ft of torque. That’s more than the outgoing 5.7L HEMI on both counts. It comes standard with all-wheel drive, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and the option to switch into rear-wheel-drive mode when you want that classic muscle car feel. Both two-door and four-door body styles will be available.
The Charger Scat Pack takes the same 3.0L block and turns up the pressure. The high-output SIXPACK delivers 550 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque, eclipsing the old 6.4L HEMI by a significant margin. Scat Pack pricing starts at $54,995 for the two-door coupe and $56,995 for the four-door sedan. The Scat Pack Plus adds additional content starting at $59,990.
Dodge Charger SIXPACK engine specs are the same across coupe and sedan within each trim–the body style choice doesn’t cost you any performance.

Scat Pack vs R/T: What the Horsepower Difference Means on the Road

The gap between 420 and 550 horsepower is real and noticeable, but the engine isn’t the only story when comparing Dodge Charger Scat Pack vs R/T horsepower differences. The Scat Pack adds available Brembo high-performance brakes featuring fixed six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers, along with 16-inch vented front and rear rotors. The Scat Pack also has access to the Dual-Valve Adaptive Damping System, which uses two dedicated valves to tune compression and rebound separately for both comfort and handling.
If your driving is primarily on public roads and you want serious power with a lower entry price, the R/T delivers. If you want the full performance package with the hardware to back it up, the Scat Pack is the move.

Ready to Get Behind the Wheel?

If you’re comparing minivans and want to feel the difference the Pacifica’s AWD and V6 make in real-world driving, the best next step is a test drive. Ron Bouchard CDR in Fitchburg has current Pacifica inventory in stock, and every qualifying new Chrysler purchase includes a complimentary 10 Year / 150,000-Mile Powertrain Warranty.