2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack review: can Dodge’s 550-hp inline-six really replace the V8 muscle car?

Dodge is trying to prove that you don’t need a V8 to have that muscle car swagger.

The muscle car era ended in the 1970s, as stricter emissions regulations ruined the fun for carmakers looking to fit the biggest, most powerful engines in their cars to see what would happen on the quarter mile. The spirit of these cars — the power, presence, and loudness — has lived on through a handful of modern muscle machines.

One of them was the Dodge Charger V8, which continued to ramp up the horsepower each year until it was killed off at the end of 2023 during yet another mass extinction. This time, automakers are largely pushing an all-electric agenda to keep up with shifting ideals and innovations. Dodge even tried to keep the Dodge Charger going in this new era with the Daytona, which had people scratching their heads. The issue? You can’t try to sell a modern muscle car without the muscle.

Now, Dodge is banking on the Charger Sixpack, an attempt at being slightly environmentally friendly while still providing the behind-the-wheel fun of a muscle car. But does it work without the V8?

Dodge Charger Sixpack brings the power

The only way to really experience the Dodge Charger Sixpack is the Scat Pack model. It’ll raise the price, yes, but you’ll get the power of the old Charger — and then some. The 3.0-liter Hurricane High Output engine gives the Sixpack 550 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque.

This is actually more than the original Dodge Charger V8 Scat Pack, which had a 6.4L 392 HEMI V8 with 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. We won’t mention the likes of the SRT Hellcat or Redeye, which were reaching over 800 hp — the Sixpack has time to evolve too.

But even now, the 2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack Scat Pack can reach 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.7 to 3.9 seconds. That gives it a quarter mile of 12 seconds. It’s actually almost competing with the SRT Hellcat with those numbers, which means you will definitely feel the power of the Sixpack even though you may not hear it as easily.

While the 0-60 stats are usually not truly important to a vehicle’s performance and experience, muscle cars should be made for that quarter mile sprint. They should be all about power, acceleration, aggression, and over-the-top bravado. The fact that the Dodge Charger Sixkpack Scat Pack could be a legit drag car means a lot. It means the muscle car era is not over. It just looks and sounds a little different.

While it’s not going to have that iconic whine of the Hellcat, it doesn’t sound terrible or anything. YouTuber Cars With Miles gave us a good sound bite at 6:20 into this video and it’s nothing to scoff at. However, it’s pretty “sterile,” he noted, since there is nothing too special about it.

He explained: “There’s no noticeable pops, bangs… It’s just not that exciting. Dodge should have known that it was going to be an uphill battle trying to convince people a six-cylinder is a better car to have.”

Taking the performance off the drag strip

While I’d say the Sixpack delivered more than expected on the drag strip, it’s still expected to excel in a straight line overall. However, Dodge apparently had a bunch of automotive journalists test it out on the Tail of the Dragon, which proved that it’s just as capable on winding, spirited drives. This is a big improvement from the original Dodge Charger, which was pretty much mocked for its handling compared to other performance vehicles.

Wrote Car and Driver: “By the time I reached the Dragon, the pavement warmed up enough for me to explore the Charger’s newfound handling acumen. Dive into a corner, and the six-piston Brembo front brakes shrug off speed with zero drama, and even as the tires start to howl, the jumbo coupe holds its line. It was, to my surprise, fun.”

Over at Jalopnik, the test had similar results: “The Charger Sixpack Scat Pack is not a sports car, but it’s also not as dogs*** as a traditional muscle car should be on a road like the Tail of the Dragon. Don’t get me wrong, if you overcook it, the thing will still understeer like a pig. But if you learn to go easy into a corner, be deliberate with your turns of the very vague-feeling and very square steering wheel, and plant your foot on exit, you can have a genuinely fun time in this car.”

It’s not like you’re going to overtake a Porsche 911 GT3 or even a Mazda Miata when you take on those turns, but this is still quite the improvement over the Hellcat. I’m not sure this gives the Sixpack muscle car cred specifically, but it doesn’t take away from it either.

Modern muscle meets modern convenience

While the 2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack is a bonafide modern muscle car in spirit, it also has the modern improvements that come with this new sensible era of practicality. However, the Sixpack doesn’t let that kind of stuff steal its joy.

One surprising upgrade from the OG Dodge Charger V8? Better gas mileage. The Dodge Charger Sixpack has been tested to be about 20 mpg combined, with 16 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. It’s not anything compared to a Honda Fit or something, but it’s better than expected for a muscle car.

The interior is also improved, offering a bit more comfort and luxury. It offers three screens in the cockpit, one being a huge 16-inch digital gauge cluster, which is more futuristic and EV-like than the previous Charger generation. There are a few physical controls here and there, but you’re not going to get that visceral feeling of an OG muscle car. The bucket seats are also supportive and comfortable, which makes the whole thing a bit more practical.

Dodge told Jalopnik that it wants the Charger Sixpack to be an “everything vehicle,” and I think it could be — the drag strip, canyon drives, and road tripping are all options. However, you’ll have to pay the price. The base price starts at $56,990, but it can reach up to $70,000 when you add all the performance enhancing features and extra junk in the cabin.

Is it a true muscle car? I’d say no. But the Dodge Charger Sixpack has that muscle car spirit we’re all missing right now. It’s over-the-top, powerful, and hungry for domination on the road. Even if that road is just the highway heading to work.