2027 Dodge Charger Road Test and Review

2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack R/T sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Sometimes, the formula for the Dodge Charger’s success seems obvious to everyone but Dodge.

When it’s a sedan with a mix of big V8 engines and affordable V6 engines, it thrives. Mess with that formula, and has settled into a small niche.

In 2005, Dodge decided its full-size car should be a hot-rod station wagon. The Dodge Magnum had its fans. But what people really wanted was a sedan. The Charger followed a year later, and sales took off.

Then Dodge blew it. It discontinued the Charger in 2023 and rolled out a bigger, more expensive, fully electric Charger Daytona coupe. Since then, Dodge has added four-door models and, crucially, a gas-powered six-cylinder engine. But it remains priced from $49,995, with prices quickly soaring higher. There’s no V8 option. And it’s bigger than before. Sales of the coupe-plus-sedan Charger lineup remain a fraction of the previous-generation Charger sedan and its now-discontinued Dodge Challenger two-door sibling.

Is the market missing a much-improved gem? Or is there a good reason customers haven’t come back? To find out the answer, we just spent a week testing the Charger in its base Sixpack R/T configuration – a sedan with a 420-horsepower version of its six-cylinder engine. We’ve also previously tested the fully electric Charger Daytona, which remains on sale. Keep reading our full review for all the pros and cons of the 2027 Dodge Charger.

The Electric Option

As we mentioned, the 2027 Charger is available with two powertrains – the fully electric Daytona and the gas-powered Sixpack. This year, the Daytona is available only as a top-performance, heavily optioned Scat Pack Plus model at a sticker price of $77,490. Last year’s R/T model wasn’t as fast, but it cost less and could go farther on a charge – up to 296 miles versus the 231 to 267 miles available for 2027. (As we write, 2026 inventory remains on dealer lots as well.)

Dodge boasts the Charger Daytona is the only all-electric muscle car. It looks like other Charger models. It even sounds like other Charger models, thanks to a synthetic exhaust rumble. By sprinting to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds, it’s faster than other Charger models. And by achieving the energy equivalent of 78 to 86 MPGe, it’s painless to refuel compared with a gas-powered Charger – as long as you can plug in at home rather than rely on a costly public fast-charging station.

By contrast, the Charger Sixpack R/T like our test vehicle gets an EPA-estimated 17 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway, and 20 mpg combined. (We averaged a respectable 23 mpg during our test, using regular-grade fuel, but that’s still a lot more expensive than electricity.) The Sixpack Scat Pack dips to 16 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 19 mpg combined running on premium fuel.

2026 Dodge Charger Daytona coupe ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Fast, Faster, or Fastest

The previous-generation Charger came with a base 300-horsepower V6 engine that got it to 60 mph in less than 7 seconds. That’s not sports-car speed, but it’s plenty of pep.

These days, every Charger is a performance car. The base Sixpack R/T has 420 horsepower and 468 lb-ft of torque, and it can reach 60 mph in 4.6 seconds – faster than the 2023 Charger with its 5.7-liter Hemi V8. The Scat Pack costs $5,000 more and cuts the 0-60 sprint to 3.9 seconds, running with 550 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque. And a new Super Bee model, hitting the market later this year, boasts 600 hp and a 3.4-second run. This is serious speed.

All-wheel drive comes standard, so you can efficiently put this power to all four wheels. But when losing some traction is the goal, you can also select rear-wheel drive.

Both Charger Sixpacks use a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The engine and transmission didn’t always play well together during our test, with ill-timed shifts occasionally arriving with a jolt. Also, while the Charger is undeniably quick, and while it sounds heartier than a similarly priced four-cylinder luxury car, it trades the old V8’s brash loudness for a more carefully engineered competence. That’s great when you’re trying to win a race, but many Charger fans prefer a V8's swagger and attitude.

A V8 is expected to return for the 2028 model year on a resurrected Hellcat model. But it'll be expensive. While the Ram pickup recently restored a base Hemi to the option list – alongside the Charger’s same six-cylinder options – the Hellcat would be more of a halo car than a volume seller.

And as we mentioned, no gasoline Charger is the fastest one you can buy. That remains the 670-horsepower Charger Daytona EV.

2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack R/T sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Imposing Presence

You can’t get many big cars anymore, and the Charger Daytona embraces its size. It’s 207 inches long and 80 inches wide, which is several inches longer and wider than a Dodge Durango three-row SUV. But the Durango is 72 inches tall, versus just 59 inches on the Charger Daytona. This is a long, low car. And its long, low hood speaks to its performance focus in a world dominated by tall, stubby, space-efficient crossovers.

The Charger Daytona further embraces its old-school heritage with 1970-style front and rear ends. An LED lightbar subs for the 1970 Charger’s chrome bar spanning the dark rectangular front fascia.

We do miss the visual distinction between the old Charger sedan and Challenger coupe. With the Charger coupe and sedan sharing the same front and rear ends, and even the same silhouette, we see little reason to get the two-door model anymore. That’s a pity, since the Challenger proved that there’s still demand for a big, fast, cool-looking coupe. We think Dodge would have been wise to invest in some styling differences.

Also, to some folks, it’s just too big – whether in looks or simply the ability to fit into your garage. The old Charger was 7 inches shorter (in length) and 5 inches narrower.

2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack R/T sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Agile for Its Size

Despite its size and its hefty 5,000-pound weight, the Charger isn’t a clumsy boat of a car. Its sport-tuned suspension keeps the car from wallowing, and the Scat Pack adds an adaptive suspension that further helps the car balance its ride and handling prowess. On our R/T, we had to settle for adjusting the steering. It can be light and relaxed for straight-line cruising, or heavier and more responsive when you’re tackling a twisty road. The Charger’s wide body and low roof also help its center of gravity.

Still, we’re talking about agility in the context of the Charger’s size. It’s not a crisp corner-carver like a European sports sedan or a smaller Ford Mustang coupe. We also found our test car’s Brembo performance brakes to be touchy.

Finally, between the sport suspension and our test car’s big 20-inch wheels, the Charger can be stiff over bumps. This isn’t a classic big American full-size sedan – a cushy couch on wheels that loves to glide down the freeway. It’s a louder, rougher-edged muscle car. It’s not bad by sports-car standards, but it’s no luxury sedan. The old Charger could be a more relaxed highway car.

2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack R/T sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Sporty Dashboard

Similarly, the big Dodge’s dashboard looks and feels more like a sports coupe than a sedan that cost $67,160 as tested. The dominant design element is patterned, backlit plastic trim that flows up from the door panels onto the upper dashboard. And a pair of wide, low digital screens serve as the gauge cluster (16 inches) and the center infotainment display (12.3 inches).

We appreciated being able to customize the center screen, including splitting it into side-by-side views. But it’s not an amazing digital experience. And unlike the old Charger, the new one relies on many touch-sensitive controls and touchscreen menus – all harder to use than simple buttons and knobs. The cabin’s sporty flavor is nice for the right owner, but other people will wish for a higher-end feel, simpler controls, and/or more advanced technology.

2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack R/T sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Room to Spread Out

We mentioned that the Charger is a big sedan. And that means that unlike a Mustang, there’s plenty of room to spread out. The front seats are big and wide, and adults can fit in the back. The low roof and high center console mean it feels cozy, too, not like sitting on a park bench.

The cozy feel isn’t what everyone wants from a full-size sedan. The Charger doesn’t have stretch-out rear legroom or ample headroom. It's wide, and adults can fit there, but they won't be as comfortable as they might hope. The firm, well-bolstered front seats won’t be to everyone’s tastes either. We did appreciate our test car’s optional heated front and rear seats, ventilated front seats, and heated steering wheel.

2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack R/T sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Liftback Versatility

The old Charger sedan and the Challenger coupe had big trunks. But the new generation has a secret weapon to boost its practicality. Dodge calls it the “hidden hatch.”

Here’s what that means: Although the Charger Daytona has the silhouette of a traditional sedan and coupe, the trunk connects to the rear windshield. They lift together in a single piece like a hatchback. This frees up more trunk space. Plus, you can fold down the rear seats to create a single open cargo hold.

Dodge quotes 23 cubic feet behind the rear seat versus 16 cubic feet for the old Charger sedan. You must stack cargo to the ceiling to get all that extra volume, and the “hidden hatch” shape doesn't fit tall items like an SUV. But if you fold down the rear seat, you can fit the bulky stuff that no sedan could handle.

The Charger Daytona EV also has a 1.5-cubic-foot front trunk (“frunk”) – a little storage compartment that lives under its big long hood. It’s enough to hide a purse and camera bag, or to keep a couple other small items from rolling around the big cargo hold.

2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack R/T sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Priced From $49,995

As we mentioned, the 2027 Dodge Charger starts at $49,995. The cheapest model is a two-door R/T with the standard-output 420-hp six-cylinder engine and AWD. The sedan costs another $2,000. The Scat Pack starts at $55,845 with the high-output 550-hp engine and a few more standard features. The Super Bee’s price isn’t yet available. And the Daytona now costs $77,490. All prices exclude the $1,995 destination charge.

Dodge lets you pile on the options. Our test car included $13,000 worth of add-ons, as well as the destination charge. Of that sum, $8,000 is in two options packages – one focused on luxury amenities, the other on performance upgrades. It also includes a $1,795 18-speaker Alpine stereo, a $1,395 panoramic roof, and $2,000 worth of appearance upgrades – including bigger wheels and a White Knuckle paint job.

2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack R/T sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt

No Direct Competitors

As a plus-sized, high-speed coupe and sedan, the Charger has no direct competitors. The Ford Mustang is the market’s other all-American muscle car, and it has the same high-horsepower engines and wide, low interior. But the Mustang is a smaller, lighter, more agile car that also has four great features that the Charger lacks: an available V8 engine, an available manual transmission, an available convertible roof, and an available low-cost base engine. The Charger counters with a lot more space and functionality, plus the cool factor of its road-dominating girth.

The other bruiser performance car at this price point is the V6-only two-seat 400-hp Nissan Z. It has a big-car feel from the driver’s seat, along with sharper handling than the Charger. But a two-seater isn’t for everyone.

Among sedans, the Charger’s closest rivals have faded away. You can’t buy a Kia Stinger or Infiniti Q50, two other powerful yet spacious rear-wheel-drive-based premium cars (the Q50 will return to the market soon). You can’t get the sporty front-wheel-drive Nissan Maxima. You can’t even get performance versions of the mid-size Honda Accord and Toyota Camry anymore, and the turbocharged four-cylinder Kia K5 GT is crude without being truly wildly quick. A fully loaded Charger bumps against the price tag of a mid-size luxury sedan like the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6, which have polish and poise but less attitude and raw speed. The Cadillac CT5 costs less than they do, but it’s also about to end production.

Looking broadly at fun-to-drive sedans at this price point, Charger money can buy the compact Audi S5, BMW 3 Series, or Lexus IS. None of them can match a similarly priced Charger to 60 mph, and none has the same menacing street presence. But they’re quick, agile, and fun to drive.

If you’re interested in the Charger Daytona EV, the top alternatives are low, sporty crossovers like the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT, Chevrolet Blazer EV SS, and Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. There’s also an Ioniq 6 N sedan. All of these models match the swaggering performance of a Charger Daytona at a lower sticker price. And for pure speed, the Tesla Model Y and Model 3 Performance models are even faster, though with a purely high-tech vibe rather than old-school performance.

2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Premium ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Nothing Else Like It

The 2027 Dodge Charger is bigger and faster than other cars at its price point. It fills up a lane of traffic, leaps off the line in a hurry, and does a decent job on a twisty road. Despite its size and power, it’s not even a gas guzzler. If this is the sort of car you’re looking for, you won’t find anything else like it.

But we’re left wishing it were different. By the numbers, it’s impressive. But it loses some of its swagger without the stupidly loud V8 engine. It doesn’t drive like a dream, either, between stumbles of the transmission and the brakes, plus the inherent inconvenience of its outsized dimensions.

Plenty of people don’t want a car like this. And even for those who do, some of Dodge’s decisions may give pause: the XXL size, the lack of V8 and base-model versions, the folding of the beloved Challenger coupe into the Charger lineup, the middling infotainment and dashboard controls, and the delays in bringing a gas engine to the market.

Still, if you want a big, fast car, you’ll either love the Charger for what it is – or, faults or no, you’ll have a hard time finding something you like better.

2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack R/T sedan ・ Photo by Brady Holt