DODGE

2026 Dodge Charger R/T

There was never any question when it came to the R/T or Scat Pack debate for the previous Charger and Challenger. The R/T's 5.7-liter V-8 wasn't even in the same zip code of fun as the Scat Pack's 6.4-liter Hemi. Things are different this time around, because now both the R/T and Scat Pack Sixpack variants of the Charger are fitted with the Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six. Yes, there are still differences, but the experience gulf is nothing like as wide. Dodge muddies the water with its pricing strategy. But, even so, the R/T compares sneakily well to the more powerful and more expensive Scat Pack.

The old divide between the Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger has gone, with the brand now offering the choice between two-door and four-door versions of the Charger, the sedan tested here carrying a $2000 premium over the equivalent coupe.

Both R/T and Scat Pack get all-wheel drive as standard, and I tackled a skid pad, slalom course, and short rally stage at Team O’Neil to get a taste of the system working on slick surfaces. The R/T's less violent power delivery made doing endless donuts and quick transitions through the slalom straightforward, while the Scat Pack required big initial inputs followed by a more delicate touch. The R/T was definitely more forgiving.

Fitted with winter tires, the Charger is a blast in the snow, emphasizing just how different this new generation is compared to its predecessor. Okay, so the curb weight and enormous footprint on tight rally tracks still felt like a limitation, but the ability to drive hard in all weather conditions undoubtedly opens up the Charger's use case.

And don't worry, Dodge will still let the R/T driver select a rear-wheel-drive mode, disconnecting the front axle and leaving this model just as helpless in the deep stuff as the previous one. I confirmed as much in a snow-covered parking lot in an example fitted with the standard all-season tires.

The Dodge Charger R/T Sixpack uses the Standard Output version of the 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six, rated for 420 hp and 468 lb-ft of torque. Those figures are 130 horses and 63 lb-ft down on the Scat Pack's High Output version of the same engine, with the biggest difference being the S.O.'s smaller turbos, which produce less boost. Also, the S.O. doesn't rev nearly as high, delivering peak power at just 5200 rpm and meeting its redline 300 revs later. The R/T even sounds a little different thanks to a unique exhaust that drops the valved design of the Scat Pack’s sports system.

The specs already promised a good time, but the R/T powertrain experience was even better in reality than it was on paper. Sure, the Scat Pack will leave it for dead when the stopwatch is running, but the S.O. has its own nifty tricks. Most importantly, the engine in the R/T felt significantly more alert and responsive thanks to smaller turbos that spin up quicker. Peak torque is found at 2500 rpm for the R/T, while the Scat Pack's Hurricane engine makes you wait until 3500 rpm. The small 63-lb-ft disparity in torque peaks in the context of a car that weighs nearly 5000 pounds means the two accelerate off the line with shocking similarity. And when I was just cruising nowhere close to the redline, the R/T hardly felt like it was missing a beat compared to the Scat Pack.

Away from the slick stuff, the R/T experience can go one of two ways. I first drove an example that had been spec'd to the moon. Vitally, one of those options was the $2995 Performance Handling Group, which might as well be called the Scat Pack package. It essentially tacks on almost all the performance parts that come standard on the more expensive car, including big Brembo brakes, sport suspension, and the 275/40ZR-20 wheel-and-tire package. Features including launch control, line lock, an additional Custom drive mode, sport seats, and a rear spoiler are all included too. Dodge forces buyers to additionally select the $1495 Driver Convenience Group package alongside this, but for the $4490 total upgrade the result is an R/T that drives and feels like a Scat Pack everywhere except powertrain.

The slippery roads kept me from driving the R/T anywhere near as hard as I did the Scat Pack at Tail of the Dragon last year, but its ride-and-handling feel was practically indecipherable from a Scat Pack. You can't get the bigger 305-section-width tires that are optional on the Scat, but that's about it. Sadly, the smaller 275 tires don't help improve its numb steering any. The sport suspension made the car a bit nervous on rough surfaces, but it was stiff and serious enough to maintain a quick pace as long as the road isn't too tight or winding. Think colossal, capable muscle car, not a sports car.

If handling is less of a priority, skip the performance package and enjoy the cushier ride of the standard R/T. I spent a brief stint in an almost-completely base 4-Door (above) that stickered for $54,685 and rode on 18-inch wheels with big sidewall tires. Together with the standard suspension, the ride was significantly more supple on pockmarked dirt roads, although there was also additional dive under braking and roll in corners. The most unforgivable thing about this more basic version, though, was the lack of paddle shifters. Dodge's calibration of the new eight-speed auto leaves the car in the wrong gear often, making the inability to choose my own gears even more frustrating. You can add the tiny flappy paddles back in, but that would require the $1495 Driver Convenience Group box to be checked.

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