2026 Charger Scat Pack Sixpack: A Worthy Hemi V8 Replacement?
On paper, the 2026 Charger Scat Pack Sixpack looks compelling, but will buyers actually be OK with a straight-six instead of a V8?
Dodge’s decision to phase out the old Charger and Challenger was one that probably wouldn’t have been met with so much controversy had we known that there was a suitable V8-powered replacement in the works. That wasn’t the case (at least for now), however, as the automaker instead began killing off its V8 engines in general, eyeing a future of all-electric performance with the new Charger Daytona while promising Hurricane I-6 powered units as ICE alternatives. Now, the 2026 Charger Scat Pack Sixpack has finally arrived, but the question is, can it truly replace the old Hemi?
That’s a question that YouTuber Joe Raiti of the Raiti’s Rides channel recently set out to answer, and he was able to visit Pontiac, Michigan to check out the new 2026 Charger Scat Pack Sixpack and try to do precisely that. He certainly likes the way it looks, with bodywork that’s two inches wider than the prior-generation widebody Charger, sporting a bulging hood with a functional heat extractor, and attractive gray wheels covering massive red brake calipers that are wrapped with huge 305-series tires at all four corners.
Out back, there’s one giant hint that this isn’t an all-electric Charger – the dual-tipped exhaust – which has active valves built right in as standard. Since this is a Scat Pack model, that powerplant is the high-output version of the twin turbocharged 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six, which generates 550 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque. It actually makes more horsepower per liter than the Demon 170, and sends that juice to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox, to boot.
Of course, the 2026 Charger Scat Pack Sixpack isn’t as quick as a Demon of any kind, taking 3.9 seconds to reach 60 mph and covering the quarter-mile in 12.2 seconds. It also doesn’t sound like a V8 in any way, shape, or form, which has already been a point of contention among enthusiasts. However, its starting price tag of around $55k makes this particular model quite the value proposition in today’s world, too.
On this particular day, Raiti wasn’t able to take the new 2026 Charger Scat Pack Sixpack for a drive, but that’s coming soon. Thus, for now at least, we can only compare it to the old Charger and Challenger in terms of paper specs and what we see, and in that regard, it really just boils down to whether or not folks will be OK with a straight-six in place of V8 power.
Truthfully, we prefer the sound and feel of a V8, but ultimately, the success of the new Charger will be determined by the general public – and whether or not they actually buy these cars.
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