Dodge Charger Sixpack vs. Dodge Challenger: Muscle Car Specs Compared

• Dodge added a traditional gasoline Charger to its new electric lineup.
• The new base inline-six is more powerful than the old base Hemi V8.
• All-wheel drive is standard and selectable.

The 2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack features a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six for power, with even the less powerful standard-output (SO) version delivering 420 hp, far more than the old base Hemi V8. Stepping up to the high-output (HO) version gives buyers 550 hp, more than the previous Challenger SRT 392. However, as of now, there is no gas-powered Charger that matches the Hellcat’s 717 hp or anything above it. 

For that, buyers would need to go electric, with the Daytona EV producing 670 hp but dispersing it to all four wheels. The Daytona can get to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, to the Hellcat's 3.7 seconds. For the record, the new Charger Scat Pack Sixpack does the sprint in 3.9 seconds, according to Dodge.

The new Chargers weigh 400-600 pounds more than the old Challenger with the new ones coming in around 4,800 pounds and the old ones ranging from 4,200 to 4,400 pounds, making the sprint times even more impressive. The new electric Daytona comes in almost a half-ton more (5,767 pounds) than the new traditional Charger. 

All-wheel drive is standard on the new Chargers, though they all feature a driving mode that sends power only to the rear wheels and all feature an eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters. If buyers want a manual, they’ll have to look in the used car market.

The previous Challenger and Charger were always big cars with lots of space for people and cargo, especially in the back seat. But the new Charger dominates here too, adding 30% more space in the trunk. And with the fold-down second row, the new model can now carry almost 40 cubic feet of stuff overall, including tall cargo that can be laid down.

The last Dodge Challenger R/T started at about $42,000 while the Scat Pack started at about $50,000. The new 420-hp Charger R/T has a base price of $51,990, including destination, with less power than the Challenger Scat Pack but with all-wheel drive. Driving a Challenger in northern states in the winter is a nonstarter. 

Moving up to the new Charger Scat Pack, buyers get more power and torque and a better sprint time (and more cargo space) than the old version for about $5,000 extra. As we said, there’s currently no comparable gas Charger to go up against the Challenger Hellcat, especially in a straight line. But with space in the engine bay, and fans impatiently waiting to turn back the clock again, we wouldn’t be surprised to see another new Charger housing some version of that iconic V8. Until then, the new Charger Sixpack will provide Dodge buyers with the muscle car experience they still crave.