2024 Dodge Charger Daytona Review: A Brave New World For Muscle Cars

Can an electric vehicle stir one’s soul? Can it indulge that child within us that never grew up? Can it be a muscle car? Can it make noise?

These questions and more are what he hope to answer as we embark on one of our most anticipated first drives of 2024. It’s our first sample of the reborn 2024 Dodge Charger in its most controversial form,  the all-electric Daytona. 

What’s New for 2024: The Invention of a New Segment

What’s new for 2024? Everything. It’s a new platform, new body style, new drivetrain, new world. Dodge is quick (and frequent) to call the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona a muscle car first and an electric vehicle (EV) second. 

For many, the thought of a V8-thumping, fuel-ravaging, tire-obliterating, all-American muscle car going fully electric is absolute blasphemy. But times change and so must we all. As the brand points out to us, muscle cars have constantly been evolving since the 1960s. Each change, like ditching carburetors, solid-rear axles, leaf springs, and bias-ply tires has been met with resistance. Electrification is just the latest alteration. 

All that stated, Dodge is fully aware the new car must look, feel, drive, and sound like a proper muscle car. 

Exterior Style: All-New, But Wholly Familiar

One area Dodge has nailed right away is the exterior style. The new Charger is heavily inspired by the classic 1968 Charger. Dodge refers to it is as heritage styling as opposed to retro. Regardless, it’s unmistakable the influence from the iconic late-60s model. Since the Daytona does not require space for a conventional gas engine up front, it features an R-Wing pass-through to enhance aerodynamic downforce. Under the rear bumper is Dodge’s Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust, but we’ll cover that in more detail later. 

It’s big as well. The new car is longer than the outgoing Challenger and Charger. Even as a 2-door, the 2024 Charger measures over 206 inches (5,232 mm) long. More than just long, it is wide as well: two inches wider than the 2023 Charger Widebody Hellcat.

Head-on, the new Charger looks so wide, with a squared-off front fascia. From the side, the extended length is obvious, with proportions that both work and don’t. The front has that classically long hood, but in comparison, the rear portion seems to end abruptly. 

The latter is in part because the new Charger has a liftback. Yes, a full-blown hatch, making the car technically a two-door hatchback. The size and proportions also play a trick on the eye when it comes to the wheels. Despite 20-inch wheels with a decent amount of sidewall, they still look a bit small for the vehicle’s overall proportions. 

Powertrain and Fuel Economy: Stage Kits, PowerShots, and Fratzonic

As mentioned, the two models will initially be available at launch, the Charger Daytona R/T and the Charger Daytona Scat Pack. Both include all-wheel drive via two electric motors, one up front and one in the rear, with power distributed evenly between the motors. 

As part of the launch, both vehicles will include Direct Connection Stage kits as standard equipment. These kits boost power overall power and will be available as options in the future. In the 2024 Charger Daytona R/T, power is rated at 456 horsepower (hp) and 404 pound-feet of torque (lb-ft). Another power-adding trick included in the 2024 Charger Daytona is PowerShot. It will temporarily deliver an additional 40 horsepower for 10 seconds when activated. That means the R/T boosts up to 496 hp and can scamper from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. 

The more powerful Scat Pack ups the power game substantially to 630 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque, or 670 hp when PowerShot is active. Dodge claims this will allow the car do go from 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds with the quarter-mile taking 11.5 seconds. Both the R/T and Scat Pack top out at a limited 135 mph. 

Although these aren’t the quickest numbers, especially for an EV, for a vehicle weighing around 5,700-5,800 pounds (2,585-2,630 kg), they are acceptably quick. The Scat Pack, with the PowerShot active in Drag mode, hauls off the line roasting the front tires on unprepared street surfaces. Drag is one of the car’s drive modes and delivers maximum power to all the wheels all the time. Other drive modes include Auto, Eco, Sport, and Wet/Snow, which are standard on the R/T. Besides Drag, the Scat Pack can also be had with the Track drive mode. This mode behaves completely differently than the other modes, with a smoother, less sudden power application. It should help drivers modulate acceleration out of a corner instead of just instantly delivering max torque to all the wheels.

Both the R/T and the Scat Pack come with a 100.5 kWh battery pack and include a11 kW on-board charger. At a fast charger, the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona can recharge at speeds up to 183 kW. The more efficient R/T model should come with just over 300 miles of range on a single charger, while the Scat Pack will be just under 300 miles. 

Special Segment: The Fratzonic Chamber

Electric vehicles for the most part are quiet, making nary more than a few whirls, whooshes, and buzzes. A loud, obnoxious, bombastic soundtrack is at the core experience of muscle car ownership, and Dodge is fully aware of this. To make the new 2024 Charger Daytona sound like a muscle car, the brand has created the Fratzonic Chamber Exhaust. 

For those wondering, the Fratzonic is a device located under the rear bumper in lieu of where a traditional exhaust would be installed. It uses air and speakers to create a unique sound for the new Charger Daytona. It’s not just a complete mimic of a muscle car, but a combination of V8 rumble and modern space-age pulsations. 

On start-up, the Fratzonic emits a sort of spaceship sound that blends into a cold-start V8 noise. Up close, in a closed environment like a garage, the Fratzonic is muffled and sounds like an overblown speaker. It doesn’t give the physical feel/shockwave from a V8 exhaust. Leaning up against the car it is possible to feel the pulsations, but in these scenarios, it’s a bit underwhelming. Inside, the sounds are improved, but more a frantic pulsation than eight-cylinder glory. It might need to go back into the recording studio for a remix.

When cranked up though, from across a parking lot or on the street, the sound is far more authentic and fitting. It rumbles by with a convincing noise more fitting to a muscle car. This could be the world’s first 10-foot audible muscle car, which sounds much better 10 feet away than up close. 

Oh, and it’s loud. With the decibels rising through the various drive modes, Dodge claims in Drag mode it emits more noise than a Hellcat and we can’t argue with that. Expect to wake the neighbors. 

Handling and Drivability:

Muscle cars have the stigma of not being able to handle corners at speed, but that’s a tired cliché. Modern American muscle cars can more than hold their own when the road bends. With 5,800 pounds to haul around, it would be reasonable to think the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona may be an exception though, and with the stock 245/55ZR18 stock R/T tires, that might be the case. 

But there are six wheel and tire packages available spread through the two trims, culminating with the Scat Pack Track Pack that wears 305/35R20 front and 325/35R20 rear tires. These are the widest tires Dodge has ever installed on a car outside of the Viper. Despite their width and being part of the Track Pack, they are all-season tires with a treadwear rating well over 500. 

To further assist with handling, the R/T and the Scat Pack come with a rear limited slip differential standard. It also has a better weight distribution compared to the current Charger since all the engine hardware no longer has to hang out over the front axle. For stopping power, once again bigger is better and the Track Pack on the Scat Pack comes with massive 16-inch Brembo vented rotors and red painted six-piston front calipers, and four-piston rear calipers. Regular Scat Packs make do with four-piston front calipers while the R/T has two-piston front units. 

The new 2024 Dodge Charger has a multi-link front suspension and an independent 4-link rear suspension. On the Scat Pack, adaptive damping is added that utilizes dual valves (one for compression one for rebound). With more suspension/body sensors included throughout the vehicle, this new system on the 2024 Charger should respond quicker and more accurately compared to the 2023 model. 

Besides the drive modes mentioned earlier, the Scat Pack has other electronic wizardry like Drift Mode, Donut Mode, launch control, and race prep. 

Ride Quality and Comfort:

Perhaps the most shocking aspect of the new 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona is how well-sorted the chassis is. Even with the Scat Pack wearing the aggressive Track Pack wheels and tires, ride comfort is commendable. The car smooths out minor cracks in the road and has a reassuring planted feel. The car tracks straight on the freeway and responds well to driver inputs. We do find the steering is a little over-boosted, even in the track setting, and feel could be better. But for a car carrying this much heft, it’s not terrible. 

Inside, the front headroom is listed at 39.1-inches (992 mm) and legroom at 42.6-inches (1,081 mm). Despite being a coupe, the rear compartment is accommodating. Although the headroom measurement of 36.9 inches (938 mm) may seem low, at six feet tall I easily fit back there, thanks in part to the glass roof. Legroom is more than adequate too with 37.2 inches (945 mm). Dodge claims the interior dimensions are the same between the upcoming four-door model, so that explains the extra space in the coupe. 

The rear cargo area is rather shallow, but long, and holds up to 22.8 cu ft (644 L). Fold the rear seats down and total capacity expands to 37.4 cu ft (1,059 L). Additionally, there is a small front storage area under the hood. 

Interior Style and Quality:

The interior is driver-focused, although we don’t see the 60’s Charger inspiration to its design. A dual screen set-up dominates the dash and there is a more traditional pistol-grip gear selector between the front seats. The optional seats on the Scat Pack are rather aggressive, but all seats we sampled provided good comfort. 

The largest styling feature is the canyon built in doors that continue across the dash. Although it is covered in hard plastic, it’s uniquely textured and styled and features backlighting with up to 64 available colors depending on options. It’s a great example of using low-cost materials, but making them feel more special. 

Tech and Safety:

All 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona models include a 12.3-inch infotainment system. In front of the driver is a 10.25-inch driver information center on standard R/T models, or a larger 16-inch screen that’s optional on the R/T and standard on the Scat Pack.

Other key features available on the new Charger include rain-sensing wipers, an 8-inch head-up display, a wireless phone charger, all the expected modern active safety systems, and more. There’s also a choice of Alpine audio systems, starting with a nine-speaker, 506-watt stereo, or the optional 18-speaker, 914-watt Alpine system.

Value Dollars and Sense:

Pricing for the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T two-door will start at a price of $61,590 (all prices include destination charges) in the United States. The Scat Pack will start at a price of $75,185 before options.

The Dodge Charger Daytona R/T will have a starting Canadian price of $57,790 ($54,995 MSRP plus $2,695 destination and additional fees) and the Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack will start at $89,790 ($86,995 MSRP plus destination and additional fees).

Final Thoughts: A Good EV, But a Harder Sell as a Muscle Car

The 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona is an important vehicle for Dodge and the Stellantis group as a whole. It enters uncharted territories an all-electric muscle car coupe. There’s no real competitor against the car’s size, body style, nor intentions. We’ll get a much better sense of everything the new Charger has to offer once the four-door style, turbocharged inline-six engines, and high-performance Banshee models are released.

Claiming the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona as the reinvention of the muscle car isn’t going to be agreed on by everyone, and we’re still not completed sold on the idea. It ticks a lot of the boxes expected form a muscle car, but power delivery and sound are still a bit off. It might be something we get used to over time, or it may not. For now, we can conclude that the big coupe is a wholly competent electric car with decent road manners, style, space, and performance.

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