2025 Dodge Charger Daytona First Drive Evaluation

Dodge knew all alongside that changing the Charger to an EV may tick off muscle automobile followers. In spite of everything, the idea of a muscle automobile with electrical motors appears counterintuitive, particularly with a faux exhaust soundtrack added into the combo. However early design previews appeared stable, and Dodge’s usually hilarious advertising performed up the controversy effectively.

In a shocking choice, although, the brand new Charger will are available in each absolutely electrical and internal-combustion type. Two- and four-door variants additionally symbolize one thing of a hedged guess, and clearly compelled compromises through the R&D course of.

However a latest media launch at Radford Racing Faculty in Arizona supplied a superb alternative to check the Charger Daytona’s R/T and Scat Pack trims on public roads and the racetrack. I even bought a rip on a skid pad for testing out the complete rear-wheel-drive drift mode.

Briefly: The thought of Dodge, the corporate that gave us Hellcats, Redeyes, and Demons, transitioning to the EV period can definitely sound like a tricky capsule to swallow. However the newly electrical Charger Daytona seems good and takes benefit of EV know-how. General, the R/T and Scat Pack trims exceed expectations, even when each wrestle to deal with critical weight features. Muscleheads will undoubtedly complain in regards to the faux exhaust, and regardless of the electrical soundtrack, the world’s first electrical muscle automobile proves barely lower than electrifying.

2025 Dodge Charger Daytona Evaluation

The brand new Charger era appeared good in early pictures, however even higher in individual lined up baking beneath the crisp Arizona solar. A stable mix of futuristic cues and old-school bulk delivers precisely the presence that Dodge undoubtedly hoped to attain. And in a brief media intro, Dodge reps repeatedly hammered the purpose house that this can be a muscle automobile first, and an EV second.

Like actually, guys, it’s actually a muscle automobile. Actually. However truly, I discovered the presentation fascinating. This was principally as a result of Dodge shared among the engineering that went into constructing a shared chassis for the Charger Daytona’s two electrical trims, in addition to forthcoming four-door variations. And, these will ultimately be adopted by the non-Daytona internal-combustion Chargers, that includes a Hurricane turbocharged inline-six engine.

Testing

However my time at Radford was extra about studying how these EVs drive in the true world, relatively than specializing in stats and specs. In order quickly because the presentation ended, I hustled over to Radford’s small dealing with circuit to get in line for some observe testing. I figured the remainder of the journalists would, too, and wished to maximise my seat time.

As a substitute, after I placed on a helmet and head scarf, a Radford teacher gave me a sequence of back-to-back lead-follow stints in Scat Pack-equipped vehicles. No person else jumped in line, so I simply stored spinning laps solo.

However we settled right into a rhythm of three laps out, then coming in to vary vehicles. As a result of even after the primary stint, the brakes smelled hotter than scorching, and the tires began to look slightly piqued.

The primary few instances out required an adjustment interval, merely to get used to the scale and weight of the Charger Daytona. However I additionally began to suppose perhaps I had pushed a button flawed within the many settings programmable by way of the 12.3-inch heart touchscreen.

The tires’ grip nearly felt okay, due to 305mm entrance and 325mm rear Goodyear Eagle F1 tires. However the energy supply appeared downright unusual in Observe mode, as if the “throttle” was an on-off swap after which output died after the primary second or two of acceleration. But I had switched between vehicles …

Confused, I ambled over to a line of R/T packages to go out on a street drive. Positive sufficient, regardless of being rated at 496 horsepower versus the Scat Pack’s 670 horsepower, this automobile felt means faster. In actuality, the R/T and Scat Pack each use two of the identical two motors, Samsung items that put out 250 kW. The facility distinction comes down strictly to calibration.

The spec sheets, due to this fact, appear purposefully tailor-made to match and distinction with Dodge’s present gasoline engines.

Digital Noise

I really like supercharger whine, although, so now we have to discuss in regards to the “Fratzonic” exhaust, primarily audio system inside a resonator field. The faux noises do present a booming soundtrack when the motors “fireplace up.” Then, the rumble settles into one thing of an idle, revving when underneath load and even offering some suggestions throughout regenerative braking.

Will muscle automobile fanatics benefit from the Fratzonic system? No. However I discovered it much less annoying than anticipated, particularly from the driving force’s seat. Till, that’s, I went up an extended, regular grade within the R/T, and the noise simply dissolved right into a little bit of a headache.

Not like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N’s fake exhaust, for instance, utilizing the Charger Daytona’s paddle shifters doesn’t present faux gearshifts. So the sound can begin to suck in a steady-state drone. I fiddled by way of a number of menu choices and turned the Fratzonic system off for the remainder of the drive.

Driver Inputs

The Charger Daytona’s small paddle shifters management how a lot the regen system brakes the automobile. However sadly, regen failed for about half of my take a look at drive, prompting a warning on the gauge cluster that learn “Battery Regeneration Ranges Unavailable.”

My battery wasn’t full sufficient to stop regen, surprisingly, and if I energy cycled, the automobile regen then turned again on. It was peculiar, to say the least, however then once more, Dodge reps repeatedly defined that we have been driving pre-production vehicles. So hopefully, this doesn’t occur for purchasers.

In any other case, the R/T truly impressed me all through the street drive. In distinction to the Scat Pack on observe, throttle response supplied some instantaneous torque, however then continued to construct because the automobile sped up.

The steering toed a effective line between being heavy and offering suggestions, and the suspension smoothed out all however the worst street surfaces. In the meantime, the sound insulation blew my thoughts for a Dodge, in an effective way.

EV Efficiency

Vary efficiency additionally appeared legit. Monitoring my mileage on one loop of the route, I used 44 miles of vary to drive 40 miles. Not unhealthy, particularly contemplating that I stored flooring it to try to do burnouts. The 100.5kWh battery ought to dwell up pretty effectively to the R/T’s official 308-mile vary, I imagine.

That vary drops precipitously to simply 241 miles for the Scat Pack, although, regardless of the 2 trims utilizing all the identical elements. Seems pumping 670 horsepower to all 4 wheels in a heavy EV eats up electrons fairly rapidly.

And the load stunned me, too, after I appeared up the specs after the street drive. I’d have guessed the R/T weighed round 5,000 or 5,200 kilos, however each fashions truly weigh 5,838 kilos — or simply above 6,000 kilos with me within the driver’s seat.

Efficiency Unlocked

Now I understood not less than slightly extra why the observe efficiency let me down. However I nonetheless returned to Radford hoping for some extra time on the circuit. Positive sufficient, the road as soon as once more appeared quick so I hopped in and requested for some help to search out the best settings.

Mentally, I figured that in Observe mode, the Scat Pack places out all of the obtainable energy as quickly as doable, creating the feeling of jerk that then makes regular acceleration considerably disappointing.

After another stint, I made a decision to show each traction and stability management utterly off by holding the TC button on the sprint. Swiftly, the Scat Pack awoke noticeably. And never simply within the seat of my pants, but additionally the instances that I began logging within the onboard knowledge recorder.

The modulation of energy, now not constrained by traction management programming, allowed me to feed again in earlier than apex, when the entrance wheels have been straight to helped pull by way of corners.

Cracking into the low-41s, the tires and brakes began dying even faster regardless of nonetheless swapping out vehicles each three laps. A lot mass merely eats by way of consumables when pushing onerous, however I ultimately managed to run two back-to-back laps within the high-41s and known as it a day.

Slide Time

I nonetheless wanted to strive one other of the Scat Pack’s modes out on Radford’s skid pad, the place lead teacher Danny Bullock confirmed me find out how to do some drifting. On this setting, the entrance electrical motor switches off solely, and traction management permits the rear to wind up simply. Too simply, actually, as I realized after spinning out instantly 3 times in a row and blowing out my left rear tire.

I by no means even bought wherever near nailing an extended drift arc, and even Bullock spun out giving a demo experience. The skid pad jogged my memory of drifting the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato on a frozen lake final winter and on a mud observe earlier than that. Possibly borrowing a bit of information from Ducati bikes, Lambo’s traction and stability management create confidence by hiding within the background.

Dodge might most likely enable the entrance motor to assist slightly to regulate slides higher, or additional refine the software program to stop the rear tires from spooling up so rapidly. Then once more, the muscle crowd wants burnouts — and that is actually, undoubtedly a muscle automobile, you guys.

Physics Can’t Be Overcome

The tip of the day quickly approached, and I wound up skipping the drag racing expertise. I figured at 6,000 kilos or so, and 670 horsepower with all-wheel drive, the Scat Pack on a strip merely lacked the requisite shove to really feel wherever close to quick.

And that’s a little bit of a bummer, for the reason that twin motors capable of hammer out full wattage from one rev ought to be wild. And but the load comes about due to the big battery pack supporting the motors, in addition to Dodge’s choice to base an EV and ICE autos on the identical chassis, plus 4 doorways on the way in which, too.

Some little particulars do bear mentioning, although, as I performed round with a Scat Pack on the way in which again to the resort. The pistol grip shifter helps impart a decidedly retro vibe, however due to this fact clashes with the push-button stop-start.

And, the piano black plastic for the rear fascia the place exhaust suggestions used to dwell is not sensible, particularly whereas spraying up dust and shredding tires. At the least the critically darkish tint for the elective glass roof blocked out a lot of the Arizona sunshine, although.

2025 Charger Daytona Evaluation: Conclusions

The 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona takes prime marks as one of the best EV from Stellantis that I’ve pushed but. Regardless of some compelled muscle automobile gimmicks, rather more heritage spirit shines by way of than within the Mustang Mach-E.

Nonetheless, apparent limitations as a result of a number of powertrain choices and eventual four-door variants created challenges that Dodge struggles to beat. Possibly a observe drive program wasn’t the best strategy to launch this EV, as a result of on public roads, each the 2025 Charger Daytona R/T and Scat Pack drive surprisingly effectively.