2024 Dodge Charger Daytona First Drive: Unapologetically Dodge

This can be a overview I’ve dreaded writing for some time now. The all-electric 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona is about to reach at dealerships, and CarBuzz had an early alternative to drive it in Phoenix, Arizona. I am now tasked with telling the shopping for public the way it drives: Does it stay as much as the legendary muscle nameplate? Does it do sufficient to advance electrical efficiency automobiles? Must you commerce in your Hemi for it?

These are all nice questions, and I will do my finest to reply each single one.

Within the pursuit of equity, I would prefer to make a cope with you. I will be brutally sincere about this automobile in the event you could be equally forthright about your preconceived emotions on EVs. An EV just isn’t a direct substitute for an inside combustion engine automobile in all instances, but it surely can supply an enchancment in others. For those who’re in a position to put aside – or maybe embrace – this new powertrain, you may be thrilled to discover a segment-breaking two-door hatchback that gives near-Hellcat ranges of efficiency and crossover ranges of practicality. Is that this the sport changer Dodge has been needing for years? Or is it the primary nail within the firm’s coffin? Let’s put the playing cards on desk.

First Drive occasions present our preliminary impressions of a car in a restricted setting below sure time constraints. Regulate CarBuzz for our complete Check Drive overview which is able to comply with quickly.

What’s New? Principally Every part

The 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona is all-new, representing the eighth era of the enduring nameplate. Every part is designed from the bottom up on the brand new STLA Massive platform, which additionally underpins the Jeep Wagoneer S EV and upcoming Recon, in addition to future Alfa Romeo and Maserati fashions. This platform was designed to just accept ICE and EV powertrains, each of which is able to seem on this mannequin.

Dodge will launch the Charger Dayonta as a two-door EV first, however four-door and gasoline fashions will come later subsequent 12 months, as will a range-topping Banshee electrical mannequin. Meaning this automobile technically replaces each the outgoing Charger and the Challenger in Dodge’s lineup. For 2024, there’ll solely be two trim variants: R/T and Scat Pack. And since 2024 is almost at its finish, this can be a particularly brief first mannequin 12 months for the Charger Daytona.

Exterior Design: Muscle Made New

Ever since Dodge launched the sixth-generation Charger again in 2006, old-fashioned Mopar lovers have cried concerning the automobile having too many doorways, because it was all the time a two-door for the early a part of its existence. These critics can now have their cake and eat it too, as a result of Dodge revived the two-door Charger and also will introduce a four-door model that may arrive in mid-2025.

With so few two-door coupes being launched lately, it is tough to understand simply how totally different the Charger Daytona is from something previous, current, or future. This automobile measures over 206 inches lengthy; to place into perspective, that is two inches longer than a Chrysler Pacifica minivan. A 121-inch wheelbase, longer than a Chevy Tahoe, affords ample inside house. It is also practically 82 inches huge with out the mirrors, which is wider than the outgoing Charger Hellcat Widebody. For those who’re on the lookout for a bigger two-door car, it’s going to have a Roll-Royce hood decoration.

These substantial proportions give the Charger Daytona one thing the earlier Charger could not replicate; nostalgic proportions. This automobile appears like The Dukes of Hazard teleported to 2024 and purchased a brand new Charger, however traded within the controversial paint job for one more type of controversy. Talking of paints, Dodge hasn’t forgotten create some hilarious shade names, together with After Darkish, Bludicrous, Destroyer Gray, Peel Out, and Redeye. I spent a lot of the day driving a Redeye instance, which actually helped the daring strains stand out. For those who see one up shut, make sure to take a look at the R-Wing, an easy-to-miss entrance spoiler that retains the retro styling whereas enhancing the aerodynamics.

18-inch wheels come commonplace on the R/T trim, however you possibly can improve to 20-inch wheels as a part of a $1,095 Blacktop Package deal. Even with the bigger wheels, there’s a sizable hole within the arch that some lovers may need to repair with some spacers and a reducing equipment. I am usually a fan of silver wheels, since they present extra of the sample, however the Darkish Aluminum wheels clearly appear to be a greater match for this automobile.

Inside: Classic Meets Fashionable

The outgoing Charger remained in the marketplace longer than most automobiles, and it felt lengthy within the tooth by the point it exited manufacturing. This new Daytona mannequin seems like a breath of contemporary air, each by way of design and expertise. Black material and leatherette seats come commonplace, although not one of the automobiles accessible on the drive occasion had this mixture. Full Black leatherette is accessible on the Plus Group ($4,995), which additionally provides heated/ventilated seats, a bigger gauge cluster, Deluxe safety alarm, energy hatch, head-up show, 360-degree digital camera, wi-fi charging pad, puddle lamps, 20-inch wheels, a entrance trunk, and extra.

For $495 extra, that leatherette could be completed in Demonic Pink or you may get a mix of suede and leatherette or suede and Nappa leather-based in a Observe Package deal (commonplace on Scat Pack) or Carbon & Suede Package deal ($2,995). R/T fashions get a typical seat that is pretty comfy, whereas the Scat Pack upgrades to a extra visually interesting and bolstered excessive again sport seat. There may be a whole lot of low-cost plastic on the doorways, but it surely’s textured in an fascinating manner and could be illuminated with 64-color ambient lighting.

Each Charger Dayona will get a 12.3.inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen with wi-fi Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, plus different nice options. There are buttons for the audio and local weather controls, although the previous could be tough to learn in direct daylight. Dodge solely had pre-production examples to drive, however the infotainment software program felt laggy to make use of. For the primary time ever, Dodge has teamed up with Cosworth to create a Drive Expertise Report, which may monitor your lap instances proper on the infotainment system. That display comes paired with a ten.25-inch digital gauge cluster or a bigger 16-inch one with a number of show modes. An Alpine nine-speaker 506-watt audio system comes commonplace, however consumers can improve to an 18-speaker Alpine system with 914 watts optionally.

As a result of the Charger is without doubt one of the largest two-door automobiles on sale at current (being shorter than solely the Rolls-Royce Spectre), it has more room than you’d ever anticipate. Moving into the again seat is exceedingly straightforward; simply pull a strap, tilt the entrance seat, and it’ll power-slide ahead to create a big opening. Tipping it again will routinely ship it again to its unique place. Not solely can three individuals match behind the Charger Daytona, they’ll do some comfortably with loads of legroom, even when these occupants are over six ft tall. Rear passengers even get their very own air vents, heated seats, and USB-C ports. Dodge additionally hid a hatchback behind these rear seats, and cargo house climbs from 16.5 cubic ft within the previous sedan to 22.7 on this coupe (38.5 cubes with the rear seats folded) plus a small 1.5 cubic foot frunk.

How It Drives: A Nice Muscle {Car} Impression

Dodge had each variations of the Charger Daytona on-hand to overview. Each trims get a dual-motor electrical setup, although the facility outputs differ enormously. The R/T will initially come commonplace with a Stage 1 efficiency equipment, which allows 496 horsepower and 404 lb-ft of torque. As a reminder, the outgoing Charger R/T with its 5.7-liter Hemi V8 solely produced 370 hp and 395 lb-ft of torque. Thrill seekers will need the Scat Pack, which brings the whole output to 670 hp and 627 lb-ft with a typical Stage 2 equipment. That far exceeds the output from the earlier 6.4-liter Hemi Scat Pack, which solely developed 485 hp and 475 lb-ft, although these numbers are solely achieved for a 10-second burst utilizing a function known as PowerShot that provides 40 hp. It is unclear if Dodge will supply the R/T and Scat Pack fashions with out the Stage 1 and Stage 2 kits (which add 40 and 80 hp, respectively) sooner or later.

Efficiency Impressions

Whereas Mopar followers mourn the dying of the V8 engine, anybody keen to embrace the longer term will meet them on the end line with a hankie to cry into, as a result of the Charger Daytona is faster than the ICE car it replaces. I recorded a 4.67-second 0-60 mph run within the R/T (barely faster than Dodge’s 4.7-second estimate), which was a difficult quantity to get as a result of this trim stage doesn’t embrace launch management. Within the quarter-mile, it ought to end in 12.6 seconds, a couple of second forward of the previous V8.

Whereas the R/T makes due with Auto, Eco, Sport, Moist-Snow, and Valet modes, the Scat Pack provides a Drag/Observe mode with launch management in addition to a Drift/Donut mode that permits full rear-drive for large slides. On the highway, I used to be in a position to clock 60 mph in 3.73 seconds, falling properly shy of the three.3-second estimate. On the drag strip, I recorded a a lot nearer 3.4-second dash, smoking all 4 tires on the launch, with an 11.605 quarter-mile time (the quickest time of the day). Dodge says the Scat Pack can full the quarter-mile in 11.5 seconds, which is almost a full second faster than the Hemi and about the identical time as a Hellcat Redeye.

The Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust (principally an enormous exterior speaker) is the foremost story right here, and it is certain to trigger controversy. On start-up and shutdown, it makes a futuristic whine that sounds straight out of Star Trek. Dodge differentiated the Scat Pack by making the exhaust louder within the Drag and Observe modes, which may solely be matched for 10 second bursts within the R/T whereas utilizing the PowerShot. Dodge says it did not need to replicate the V8, however moderately create a novel noise for the Charger Daytona. For sporty driving, we loved having some reference to the feeling of pace, although the addition of pretend gears (just like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N) would have made it really feel extra genuine. Throughout regular commuting or freeway driving, the system could be turned off fully, defaulting to silence.

Trip and Dealing with

The R/T trim will get passive suspension that is tuned comparatively comfortably, which means it ought to serve properly as somebody’s every day driver. Upgrading to the Scat Pack provides a dual-valve semi-active suspension that feels extra managed over tough pavement, however may agency up extra for sporty driving. I spent most of my road time within the R/T, which inspired me whereas driving up a slim mountain cross that may have felt tight even in a Miata. The steering is extra direct than the outgoing Charger and the burden feels simpler to handle due to the even distribution of the batteries versus an engine.

Dodge additionally let me take the automobile on the monitor on the Radford Racing College, which makes use of Chargers and Challengers to show prospects enhance their driving abilities. Even outfitted with 16-inch vented Brembo brakes (six piston entrance and 4 piston rear), the Charger Daytona nonetheless does not really feel like a monitor star. It tends to push huge in tight corners, loses entrance finish grip from its Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3 tires, and will get twitchy below braking. However let’s not neglect, the previous Charger did all of these items too. The place this new mannequin improves is popping out of the nook. You’ll be able to punch the throttle, handle the rear finish due to the all-wheel-drive grip, and fly out onto the straights the place the previous V8 would nonetheless be ready to construct revs.

Gas Vary and Battery Information

Identical to the previous V8 fashions, Dodge did not construct this new Charger Daytona with most effectivity on the prime of thoughts. A 100.5 kWh battery pack allows a 308-mile driving vary on the R/T, although that quantity drops considerably all the way down to 268 miles with the broader wheel and tire package deal. As for the Scat Pack, which comes commonplace on 305/35ZR20XL​​​ Goodyear Eagle Sport All-Season tires, it solely manages 241 miles. That quantity can really shrink additional with the accessible rear 325/35ZR20 tires.

Since each variations solely get a 400-volt structure, not a sooner 800-volt system present in different fashionable EVs, they’ll solely attain a peak charging pace of 183 kW. On a 350 kW charger, Dodge says they need to go from 5-80% in 32.5 minutes or from 20-80% in 24 minutes. On a slower 175 kW charger, these numbers balloon to 52.4 and 41.9 minutes, respectively. 11 kW dwelling charging ought to allow a 5-80% cost in 6.8 hours or 20-80% in 5.4 hours. Dodge will launch a high-performance Banshee mannequin with 800-volt charging, however we want this function would have been included throughout the lineup.

Verdict & Pricing: A Charger Like No Different

Swapping out a household of engines that predate the iPhone for electrical motors and batteries is not going to occur and not using a substantial price. The Charger Daytona R/T begins at $59,595, not together with a hefty $1,995 vacation spot charge. That is an enormous improve over the outgoing R/T ($45,065), however remember the fact that this automobile produces considerably extra energy. Ditto for the Scat Pack, which is now priced at $73,190, $21,265 greater than the outgoing mannequin ($51,925). Nonetheless, in the event you have a look at the numbers and the way the Scat Pack performs, it is less expensive than the Hellcat Widebody Jailbreak ($85,865). I suppose that is a silver lining?

Sadly, you’ll solely get a $7,500 tax credit score in the event you lease, as a result of the Charger Daytona exceeds the $55,000 value cap for non-SUVs and vans. That is in the event you even get the credit score in any respect, as a result of the following presidential administration is seeking to take away it. Dodge does throw in a Degree 2 dwelling charger or a $600 credit score on its Free2Move public charging community, which is a small incentive however not a cause to hurry out and purchase one.

I promised brutal honesty on this overview, and right here it comes. This automobile can solely be reviewed in two items: how it’s as an EV and the way it replaces the outgoing Charger/Challenger. For the previous, it is fairly nice for Dodge’s first try at an EV. It appears epic, the inside is vastly higher than the earlier automobile, and the practicality is bewildering. I might have beloved to see some extra spectacular vary or no less than faster charging speeds to assist persuade the EV naysayers that this might actually exchange their V8 for a enjoyable highway journey. However let’s face it, that was by no means Dodge’s forte; has anybody ever gone 300 miles on one tank in a Hellcat?

Now for the extra severe query; will present Charger and Challenger homeowners be excited by this new, all-electric mannequin? If web commentators are to be believed, there’s not a snowball’s likelihood in a Hellcat V8. There are various individuals on the market for whom the V8 isn’t just a propulsion system, it is a faith. You’ll be able to inform them it is higher for the setting, sooner down a strip too, however shopping for an EV could be akin to rooting for his or her metropolis’s rival sports activities group… There’s fairly actually nothing Dodge might do to draw these consumers, even telling them it attracts supermodels from the entrance and emits free Coors Gentle from the again.

However merely studying the feedback does not inform the complete story. I drove this automobile earlier than anybody else will see them on the highway, and the general public reactions are far totally different from what social media might need you imagine. There was real pleasure from individuals who noticed a convoy of Chargers driving down the highway, and several other individuals stopped to ask me concerning the automobile. A number of Charger and Challenger homeowners pointed at it from their automobiles and one even instructed me “it appears nice” earlier than asking concerning the horsepower. I hope individuals will no less than give it an opportunity, as Dodge’s future hinges on this automobile. And for the naysayers who would sooner see the solar go darkish than quit their gasoline engine, there’s an inline-six model coming subsequent 12 months.