There are still numerous muscle car admirers. How do I know? Driving the 2026 Dodge Charger for a week provided some insight into the thoughts of many people, who admirably gazed at the aggressively stylish red vehicle or supplied a thumbs-up when hearing its familiar engine growl.
And the growl isn’t all bark and no bite. This Charger RT can certainly roar down the highway, accelerating much faster than initially expected. But that should have been anticipated from a sedan that features a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter, V6 that generates 420 horsepower and 468 pound-feet of torque. It travels 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds.
A performance-laden vehicle with an edgy look was just what Chrysler wanted to create when it entered the “specialty” vehicle category by unveiling the Dodge Charger in the mid-1960s. The Charger was very fast then and obviously that trend continues today when driving either the coupe or the sedan. There’s also an all-electric Charger.
Muscle cars are rare these days. The Dodge Challenger officially took a final bow in 2023 and one year later Chevrolet said farewell to the Camaro. The Ford Mustang and the Charger are the only muscle car survivors.
In its storied history, the Charger has always been a head turner due to its extreme performance and eye-catching exterior. The current Charger design has a big body and is longer and wider than typical vehicles, measuring just over 206 inches in length and 79 inches width.
The Charger arrived in 1966 when Dodge was looking for a vehicle to match the extremely popular Ford Mustang. It worked. Like the Mustang, the Charger became an icon, thanks to its distinct fastback design and its HEMI V8 engine that produced 425 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque. It was also exclusive – Dodge produced only 468 units that first year.
Sales of the Charger in the U.S. have dipped dramatically since reaching 96,936 in 2019. The figure was 34,756 in 2023 when Dodge made some radical changes, launching the all-electric model and dropping the beloved Hemi V8 engine.
AT A GLANCE: 2026 DODGE CHARGER
- Performance: twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter, V6, 420 horsepower
- Mileage estimate: 16-26 mpg
- Price estimate: $49,900 to $64,900
- Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles; Drivetrain: 5 years/60,000 miles; Roadside Assistance: 5 years/60,000; Corrosion: 5 years/unlimited
The Charger remains a car with considerable zip despite weighing between a hefty 4,800 to 4,874 pounds, making it feel heavy around tight turns. All-wheel drive is standard, but rear-wheel drive is available on the drive settings. Fuel economy has never been good and that trend continues for the 2026 version that gets between 16-26 mpg.
Standard driver safety features include automatic emergency braking; active driving assist; blind spot monitoring; drowsy driver detection; lane keep and departure warning; rear cross path detection; and adaptive cruise control.
The Charger interior has a standard 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen that angles toward the driver and a 10.3-inch display with pertinent driving information. The layout makes sense and allows the driver to easily identify the control one’s seeking. There’s a wireless charging pad, multiple USB ports and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are wireless.
Front seats are firm and modest in comfort, but offer sufficient head and leg room. The rear seats are roomy as well. Trunk space is 22.8 cubic feet and expands to 37.4 cubes with the seats folded to the floor.
For drivers seeking a fun car that elicits a roar every time the accelerator pedal is engaged, the 2026 Dodge Charger will bring a smile to one’s face. It’s extremely powerful and still resembles a vehicle that proudly wears the muscle car badge.
Jeffrey Weidel is an award-winning journalist from the Sacramento region who has written automotive reviews for nearly three decades and now appears in the Folsom Times. He can be reached at skiweidel@gmail.com
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