The Dodge Charger Sixpack Has Muscle. But It’s Missing Something: Driven

Yes, we’re all eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new Dodge Charger with a V8 engine. It should be awesome. In the meantime, Dodge will happily sell you its inline-six-powered Sixpack model, and probably for a steep discount right now given recent news.

It’s not exactly the roaring eight-cylinder you were likely hoping for with the Charger badge, but as I’ve said in previous reviews, Stellantis’s new turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six is still one hell of an engine. It’s smooth, powerful, and has loads of personality, cylinder count be damned.

The question is whether or not Dodge’s inline-six is enticing enough to get you into the driver’s seat of the new Charger, which is an otherwise—let’s say—very okay vehicle. After a week with the R/T, I’m still not entirely sold.

More Heart Than Soul

The big positive here is the engine. The twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six in the Standard Output configuration puts out 420 horsepower and 468 pound-feet of torque, which is more than the previous R/T’s Hemi V8 (370 hp, 395 lb-ft). That’ll get you to 60 miles per hour in just about 4.6 seconds. The more powerful Scat Pack puts down 550 hp.

The engine is paired to a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic (sorry, still no manual), with power sent to all four corners through the standard all-wheel-drive system. There is a rear-wheel-drive option embedded within Sport mode that fully disconnects the front axle for some tail-sliding. We tested it in a more appropriate setting late last year.

Even for as big a vehicle as it is (more on that in a minute), the Charger Sixpack is no slouch in a straight line. It scoots along quickly with excellent acceleration and a lovely, linear powerband up to redline. Whereas Dodge’s previous Hemi V8s opted for outright aggression, the inline-six is all about smooth, linear power delivery.

Photos by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Photos by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Let’s go back to the size, though. Not that the previous Charger / Challenger was as small as a Miata, but this new one is a whopping 206.6 inches long. That’s about as long as a modern three-row SUV. It’s also 79.8 inches wide—close to something like a Ford Super Duty. Not to mention it also weighs 4,741 pounds.

Unfortunately, it feels every bit as big as its dimensions suggest. Simply placing the Charger in the center of the lane feels like a task. Pairing that size with poor visibility means that curbs, road lines, and obstacles are difficult to see.

The good news is that the suspension is set up well enough that the Charger doesn’t feel too lumbering in corners. With the $2,995 Performance Handling package equipped (which adds Line Lock, launch control, and a few other upgrades), the Charger’s body movements are relatively smooth, and there isn’t as much wafting side to side as you might expect in a vehicle of this size.

It also makes for a really comfortable daily driver. The steering is quick too, but it’s light and vague. Sport mode adds some much-needed heft, thankfully, which is better for more spirited driving.

Modern Muscle, Modern Interior

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Compared to the previous Charger / Challenger, the inside of Dodge’s newest muscle car is light years ahead. A 10.3-inch driver display comes standard on the base model, while a bigger 16.0-inch screen arrives on the Plus package trim. Both versions get a 12.3-inch display in the center, and Uconnect 5 handles infotainment duty.

The technology at least looks good on the surface. The screens are embedded nicely, and the graphics look lovely. Poking at the screen yields better response times than previous Uconnect setups, but it’s still not perfect. There’s some lag, and there are some instances where the screen doesn’t respond at all.

Compared to the previous Charger / Challenger, the inside of Dodge’s newest muscle car is light years ahead

Thanks to the Charger’s massive size, though, the interior is roomy. This four-door model has a healthy amount of headroom and legroom in the second row—36.9 and 37.2 inches, respectively—while the driver and front passenger have plenty of space to stretch out, too.

And if you care about that sort of thing, the Charger R/T returns 17 miles per gallon city, 26 on the highway, and 20 combined. That’s just a titch better than the Scat Pack, which gets 19 mpg combined.

Verdict: Maybe Wait For The V8

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

I was really on the fence after my week in the Dodge Charger R/T. I liked the interior, I liked the engine, and I largely liked the way it drove. But beyond that, there wasn’t much about this car that I truly, genuinely loved. It certainly didn’t have the same charm as its predecessor.

The base R/T two-door starts at $51,990 with destination, while the four-door costs $53,990, which makes it a relatively good deal all things considered. You won’t find many other sedans with a silky inline-six, at least. But if you’re not exactly sold on the Charger as is, as I’m not, it might be worth waiting for more powerful variants to come out. Especially the V8.