{"id":35281,"date":"2025-11-20T09:57:38","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T13:57:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=35281"},"modified":"2025-11-20T09:57:38","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T13:57:38","slug":"payne-charger-unplugged-dodge-sixpack-muscle-car-is-large-and-in-charge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/payne-charger-unplugged-dodge-sixpack-muscle-car-is-large-and-in-charge","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Charger unplugged! Dodge Sixpack muscle car is large and in charge"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ann Arbor<\/em>\u00a0\u2014<\/em>\u00a0In the early morning light, I rotated my gorgeous red 2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack Scat Pack onto empty Huron River Drive. I floored the throttle and awakened the beast. WAAUUUUUGHH! All four paws translated 531 pounds of torque to the asphalt and I exploded toward the twisties\u00a0\u2014<\/em>\u00a0my fingers rifling through the gears with steering-mounting paddle shifters. WHAP! WHAP!<\/p>\n

The Dodge Charger is back, unplugged and untethered.<\/p>\n

After three dark years in the government woodshed, Dodge has restocked its stable with an earth-pawing, gas-fed pony car next to the electric Charger Daytona. The Daytona was an answer to a question customers weren\u2019t asking: what if we made the best-selling V-8 muscle car electric? Dodge sales fell off a cliff.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The 2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack is loaded with goodies including hatchback, head-up display, coupe-and sedan configurations, all-wheel-drive, and a new, stiffer chassis.<\/em><\/div>\n

Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n

If the four-cylinder Ford Mustang II was the symbol of 1970s “Malaise Era” regulatory excess, then the charged Charger is the symbol of the 2020s’ forced electric-vehicle push. It makes artificial V-8 sounds. It\u2019s heavier than the Titanic. It jumped the shark.<\/p>\n

But in reducing Stellantis NV\u2019s exposure to government emissions fines, it served its purpose and helped rebirth the gas-powered Charger. The legendary Hemi V-8 is coming, but first: the 3.0-liter, 550-horse twin-turbocharged inline-6 cylinder Hurricane Sixpack. Sixpack as in the gateway drug to the hard stuff.<\/p>\n

It ain\u2019t too shabby.<\/p>\n

\"2026<\/figure>\n
\n
2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack Scat Pack brings back inline-6-cylinder gas power to the Charger lineup with more ponies than the V-8 Scat Pack that last sold in 2023.<\/em><\/div>\n

Stellantis, \u00a9 2025 Stellantis<\/em><\/div>\n

I hammered the Charger Sixpack and Daytona EV Scat Packs across Washtenaw County\u2019s rural roads. Based on a flexible chassis that can house gas and electric powertrains, the hatchback (more on that feature later) Chargers are beautiful to look at with their throwback, 1968-era fascias, Coke-bottle bods and digital interiors.<\/p>\n

The Sixpack is six times better. The driving experience is more visceral, more alive, more genuine. Push the START button next to the naughty pistol-grip shifter and Sixpack growls menacingly. Start the Daytona EV and it roars to life. An electric roar? The sound is synthetic and its obnoxious volume only calls more attention to the forgery.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s nothing fake about the Daytona\u2019s electric power, though. With a stump-pulling 623-pound feet of torque, the e-Charger slammed me into the back of the seat as I nailed it onto I-94. BRAWWWWWRRH! went the fake V-8 sound as I eclipsed (number withheld to preserve my license) mph.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
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The 2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack is a big hot hatch with ferocious performance and hatchback utility.<\/em><\/div>\n

Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n

But at 4,815 pounds, Sixpack weighs 20% less than Daytona, making it a lot more playful around the cloverleaf that prefaces the rocket launch into the four-lane. That lesser girth also means that, despite giving up 120 ponies to the 670-horse Charger Daytona, the Sixpack sports the same 1:8.7 power-to-weight ratio.<\/p>\n

With 100% of torque available at launch, Daytona out-drags the Sixpack to 60 mph (3.3 seconds to 3.9), but the gas-guzzler is more fun everywhere else.<\/p>\n

On an empty Huron Drive, I initiated launch control in the Sixpack by burying the brake pedal, then the accelerator. RPMs spiked to 3,000 and held\u00a0\u2014<\/em>\u00a0RRRRRGGGH\u00a0\u2014<\/em>\u00a0as I kept both feet in it.<\/p>\n

Release the brake. Release the Kraken.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
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The 2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack is alive with modern tech – and cool ambient lighting.<\/em><\/div>\n

Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n

Like the EV, Sixpack comes standard with all-wheel drive to better harness the enormous power coming through its driveshafts. The Charger slewed right briefly on the cold morning asphalt before all four tires hooked up, launching me into fall splendor.<\/p>\n

Sixpack offers $4,995 Customer Preferred Pack 22B, which includes goodies like wireless charging pad, ambient lighting, head-up display, auto windshield wipers, eight-way power seats, 360-degree camera, and a partridge in a pear tree.<\/p>\n

Get it for the head-up display. It\u2019s awesome.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
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The 2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack is gorgeous outside – and equally posh inside with a panoramic roof and leather seat options.<\/em><\/div>\n

Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n

I pulled the downshift paddle and automatically engaged the eight-speed tranny\u2019s MANUAL mode. WHAP! In fourth gear, I entered a tricky right-left uphill complex. The horizontal tachometer in the head-up display was in my direct line of sight. 3,000 RPM. WHAP! I pulled the paddle again into 3rd<\/sup>\u00a0gear and the engine screamed at 5,000 RPM.<\/p>\n