New Charger Sixpack Versus Mustang In A Showdown Of Speed Power And Muscle Pride

For a while it felt like Dodge had abandoned altogether the muscle car market it did so much to help build. But as of this month old school combustion performance is back on the menu in the form of the Charger Sixpack.

The order book opens August 11 and deliveries start in the coming months, but should you jump in, or would you be better off melting your bank card on a Ford Mustang? Let’s compare the two coupes and see how they stack up in the key battlegrounds.

Engines, Cylinders and Horsepower

The Charger might have finally been granted a set of tailpipes, but they’re not hooked up to a V8 – at least not right now. Both the R/T and Scat Pack versions of the Sixpack are powered by Stellantis’s Hurricane 3.0-liter inline six.

The base car makes 420 hp (426 PS) and 468 lb-ft (635 Nm) and its big brother puts out 550 hp (557 PS) and 531 lb-ft (720 Nm), Dodge claiming 3.9 seconds for the stouter car.

More: Dodge Finally Gives Buyers The Gas Charger They Almost Wanted From $50,000

Ford doesn’t offer a six in the Mustang, instead opening proceedings with a fuel-efficient 2.3-liter Ecoboost four that’s good for 315 bhp (319 PS) and 350 lb-ft (475 Nm). Step up to the GT and you get a 4.6-liter naturally-aspirated V8 and 480 hp (487 PS), plus 415 lb-ft (563 Nm), while the Dark Horse is worth another 20 hp (20 PS) and 3 lb ft (4 Nm). A hotter GT500 version is on the way, but it’s not here yet and, like the $320k GTD, outside the scope of this comparison.

Based on evidence available so far, the Sixpack sounds much better than an Ecoboost, but nowhere near as raunchy as Ford’s Coyote V8. It does make more horses though, and that’s not the only reason it’ll probably feel much faster in point and squirt on-road battles.

While a Mustang GT and Dark Horse’s torque mountain peaks at 4,900 rpm, the Scat Pack’s tops out at 3,500 rpm, and it’s already surpassed the Ford’s maximum twist at only 2,500 rpm.

Transmissions

Here’s another way these two rivals head off in very different directions, wining and losing fans in the process. The fact that you can’t buy a Charger with a manual transmission is one big reason for some buyers to dismiss it, but others might wish the Ford offered an all-wheel drive option, which it doesn’t.

Both Chargers come with AWD as standard, but there’s no reason for rear-drive enthusiasts to despair. Like a BMW M3 xDrive, the Dodge lets you disconnect the front axle from the party by simply pressing a button when you want to get drifty or put on a smoke display.

Body Styles

The new Charger replaces the old Charger sedan and also the Challenger coupe, so both electric and combustion models are available with a choice of two or four doors, or will be when four-door deliveries start in spring 2026.

Mustang buyers are stuck with two doors – unless they switch to the Mach-E EV – but Ford does offer a convertible body style, something Dodge doesn’t.

Practicality

You don’t need to set foot in either car to know how different they’re going to feel. You only need look at the wheelbase stats: 107 inches (2,720 mm) for the Mustang and a colossal 121 inches (3,070 mm) for the Charger. A Euro-spec SWB Mercedes S-Class only has a finger’s worth of extra metal between its axles.

Tall passengers have found life in the back of the Charger Daytona entirely bearable and we expect the combustion version to be no worse. But while the Mustang’s rear seats can accommodate adults, they’re best reserved for kids.

Ford’s own figures show it’s 2.1 inches (53 mm) down on headroom and shoulder room and a massive 8.2 inches (208 mm) worse for rear legroom than the Dodge.

Related: This Secret Mustang Prototype Could Obliterate Every GT500 Before It

And it’s not just the rear space competition the Dodge wins. Automaker data proves it’s much roomier in the front, too. The Charger also has way more trunk space – 22.8 vs 13.3 cu-ft (644 vs 377 liters) – with the rear backrest in place, though the Mustang wins back practicality points with its liftback. The Charger is an old-school notch.

Weight

The penalty for the Dodge’s extra internal space is a massive increase in curb weight. Ford says a manual-shift GT fastback tips the scales at 3,827 lbs (1,736 kg) and an automatic-equipped Dark Horse is 3,993 lbs (1,811 kg). But Dodge quotes 4,816 lbs (2,185 kg) for the Charger Scat Pack.

The greater efficiency of the smaller-capacity, turbocharged Hurricane engine means it could still deliver more miles per gallon than the Mustang, but we bet you’ll feel that extra mass in turns and under braking.

Prices

Finally we come to the one metric that could be the deciding factor for many buyers: money. The Charger Sixpack R/T (which arrives next spring) costs $49,995 plus destination, making it a significant $9,600 cheaper than the 2025 electric Daytona R/T, which was dropped for 2026. Upgrade to the Sixpack Scat Pack and you’re on the hook for $54,995, saving $18,990 on the 2026 Scat Pack EV.

But while more affordable than their electric twins, the Sixpacks are out of reach of some buyers. Ford’s decision to offer a four-banger is a lifeline for the financially stretched, the base Ecoboost fastback coming in at just $32,320 plus destination, and even a bare-bones V8 GT is only $46,885. But at $64,080 (rising to $69,075 in Premium trim), the Dark Horse is more expensive than the priciest Dodge.

Which of these muscle rivals would get your cash? Drop a comment below and let us know.