2024 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T Plus Review

Written By: Jerry Reynolds | Apr 22, 2025 12:24:28 PM

This week I am getting my second introduction to the Dodge Charger electric, but instead of the Scat Pack version, this is the Daytona R/T Plus, a less expensive version, but it still has all the positive qualities of a muscle car but instead of gasoline in the tank, you plug electricity into a port. I know it seems counter-intuitive, it did to me at first, too. Electric vehicles seem to bring out a lot of emotions in people, but when the car is one known for incredible V8 horsepower, let’s just say the emotions rise even quicker. The common denominator for the brave keyboard warriors after my first review was not a single one had driven this car, and that is a shame because it is incredibly enjoyable.

We know the Challenger 4-door sedan is gone, but a 4-door Charger is coming, and like this 2-door version, it looks great as well. V8 gasoline engines are rumored to be coming back, although Stellantis has not confirmed. There has been a regime change at the old Chrysler Corporation and the new group seems to favor the idea a lot. I would certainly like to see that happen, but I have to be honest, given the choice I am not sure I wouldn’t choose the electric version. I seem to be in a minority there, sales of this beauty have not been exactly stellar, but that is true of all electrics.

Exterior

This is a visually beautiful car in the After Dark exterior color, but I would describe it as a dark blue that is almost black. My color-blind peepers had trouble telling which color it was.

This new version Charger is visibly larger than in previous years. Besides length, this one is 5” wider than the 2023, and even 2” wider than the widebody version. Also notable is that this is a sportback, a large hatchback if you will, which really opens up the cargo area and gives the Charger a much more modern look.

20” x 10” Blacknoise aluminum wheels look fantastic. The front end is sleek and modern, and completely open, allowing air to flow through it and over the bulging hood for aerodynamics. There is a smallish rear spoiler, and on both front fenders are R/T Stage 1 emblems. I can’t say enough about how beautiful I think this Charger Daytona is.

It’s a real head turner, and a modern take on a classic body style that goes back to the ‘70s. This will make a stunning coupe with a gasoline engine as well, and you can bet it will be a big seller if it comes our way.

Interior

Moving to the inside, the interior is nicely done and quite spacious. I love the Leatherette seats which are wide and comfortable. They are bolstered, but not as much as I expected, and red stitching runs on the seat edges, the door panels, and across the dash.

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The front seats on both sides are power, with power lumbar supports, they are heated and cooled, and the driver has memory setting. This car has the most beautiful door panels I have ever seen, especially at night with the ambient lighting. There are electric buttons to pop the doors open, much like a Corvette uses.

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The 16” color driver display is amazing and highly configurable. The graphics as you change drive modes are the best I’ve ever seen. It is like watching a television screen right in front of you. It takes a good while to scroll through all your options of things you can see on the display. As you look up, there is a good-sized head-up display that has sign recognition.

The 12.3” Chrysler Uconnect 5 system is terrific as always, easy to operate, and the navigation system works great. The 18-speaker Alpine audio system that has a subwoofer is great and has surround sound. The big touchscreen operates the Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, vehicle settings, climate controls, the rearview camera, you’ll have a blast going through all the apps, especially the Performance Pages.

The center console houses a cool pistol grip gear shifter, a big power button to start the Charger, two large cup holders, a wireless phone charger, two USB ports, and one USB-C port. This entire cockpit is laid out superbly and is extremely high tech. That includes the square heated steering wheel with a lot of controls, and it is power tilting and telescoping.

Access to the backseat is simple, and it will power slide out of the way to create a huge opening for back seat passengers. Make no mistake, this is a rarity, but two regular sized adults would be very comfortable back there due to the increased width and length of the Charger. They’ll be comfortable back there, too, the rear seat is heated with a fold down armrest and cup holders.

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Open the big hatchback to see a huge 27 cubic-feet of cargo area that is covered if you wish it to be. You can drop the back seat to expand it to 37.5 cubic-feet, and there is more storage underneath where the tire repair kit is.

Options

Options on the Daytona R/T include the $1,800 Stage 1 package that gets you up to the 496-horses. This one has the $4,995 Plus Group which is LED headlamps, wiper deicers, the cargo area frunk under the hood, the power front seats that are heated and cooled, a power hatch, keyless remote start, head-up display, 16” driver’s screen, wireless charger, enhanced security system, and bright pedals.

$1,095 gets you the Blacktop package, which is the wheels and tires you see, and dark exterior badging. $2,495 covers this terrific sound system, and a full-glass roof that is stationary.

Performance

The two-motor Charger Daytona R/T delivers up to 496-horsepower and 404 lb.-ft. of torque. Stellantis says up to 496-horses comes from the fact that normal output is 456, but with the Power Shot button on the steering wheel, you get a 40-horse boost for 10 seconds. Even the 456-horse figure is impressive but hit that button and all hell breaks loose. After using the button there is a cool down period, and you’ll need it. So will the car.

Fratzonic Exhaust

One of the most controversial features of the electric Charger is the Fratzonic exhaust system, which is my favorite feature of this car. This is not an exhaust system, it is an exhaust sound system, and it is exceptional. I realize I have made fun of EV sounds in the past, but this is the real deal. It sounds every bit as good as the terrific sound of a Hellcat, but it is volume controllable, or you can turn it completely off. It is a marvel of sorts.

So, how does it work? The Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust technology uses a series of chambers strategically placed underneath the electric Charger Daytona. These chambers, along with woofers and mid-range speakers, generate the exhaust sounds, which are then channeled through dual pipes like those found in gasoline engine vehicles. The system utilizes both digital sounds and filtering, with the emphasis on fine-tuning the sound instead of relying solely on fake digital sounds. As you would expect, it gets louder and softer depending on your use of the accelerator.

Dodge did not stop there, however. To make the muscle car experience even better, they incorporated what they call “force generators” into the chassis. These devices transmit vibrations throughout the car, intensifying with increased or decreased use of the accelerator. The resulting feedback is felt through the steering wheel and seats. Additionally, these force generators have the capability to generate their own sounds, adding another layer to the experience. So not only do you hear the amazing sound, you feel it as well. I kid you not, it is a technological amazement to me how they did this system so well. Make fun of it if you wish, some did on my facebook page, but those people admittedly have not experienced it like I have.

You can listen to the exhaust sound here, but I will tell you, this does not do it justice:

Safety

Any car this quick needs a lot of safety features and the Charger has you covered with Automated Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go, Blind-Spot Monitoring, Driver-Attention Monitor and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Traffic-Sign Recognition. You also get Active Lane Management, and Pedestrian/Cyclist emergency braking.

What You'll Pay

Pricewise, my very loaded review car with options has an MSRP of $70,970. Currently Dodge is offering huge rebates, and as of this writing, the $7500 federal rebate is still in effect, so that price comes down very quickly.

Ride and Drive

It drives great in normal drive mode, it’s quiet, it just feels good, like a family car. Then you unleash the beast and you’ve got a racecar on your hands that is super-quick, sounds amazing, handles like a high-end sports car, and it actually has a useable back seat and a wonderful cockpit. It is both a great weekend sports car, and a terrific daily driver. The best part is it is all in your control depending on your drive mode selection.

MPGe, Charging and Range

Fuel economy ratings are OK for an electric. It is rated at 90 MPGe city, 79 MPGe highway, and 85 MPGe combined. Here are the charging times depending on how you plan to recharge.

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Level 1 charging is the first option using a standard 120-volt household outlet, which will literally take several days. Level 2 charging, like I have at home, is significantly faster. I went from 15% to 100% charge in just over seven hours, which is great for overnight charging. Finally, there's DC Fast Charging, the quickest way to get back on the road. These chargers use high-voltage DC power to deliver a rapid charge, around 27 minutes from 10% to 80%.

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Charger Daytona comes with a 400V, 93.9 kWh battery pack that claims a range of 308-miles, but as with all electrics, weather and how you drive it will dictate whether your range is more or less than that.

Verdict

V8 Hemi fans, this car is not for you, it was never intended for you, and I’d recommend you not even drive it. But don’t knock it either. It’s too fine a car to try to draw comparisons between this and the gas engine Chargers of the past, or the future. I challenge you to just look at the specs of this EV and tell me it doesn’t make you smile. Numbers don’t lie.

In quotes about the Charger electric, Dodge CEO Matt McAlear sums things up every nicely:

“If we sent you an invitation that said, ‘We want you to come drive the all-new, top-secret replacement for the Challenger. It’s standard all-wheel drive, 670 horsepower, zero to 60 in 3.3 seconds, quarter-mile in 11.5 seconds. It has state-of-the-art technology, a driver-focused cockpit, just as loud from a decibel level as the outgoing Hellcat, 132% more cargo capacity, and more rear legroom than the outgoing four-door Charger…’ Everyone would say, ‘Sign me up, let’s go.' You might not even ask what’s under the hood, you’d just assume this is an awesome car. It looks like a 1968, the most iconic muscle car in history.”

“The other thing I tell people is we’re not coming to market with an EV, we’re coming with a muscle car that just happens to be an EV. Because you walk around any auto show or any EV show, they’re all two-box, white vegan leather, flat floor, three big, large screens, big open consoles—they all look exactly the same. That’s what everyone thinks of as an EV, right?

The gentleman is correct. There are few, if any, sexy electric vehicles. The interiors all have the same futuristic vibe. Dodge dared to be different, to give electric car buyers something exciting, and beautiful, and a joy to drive, and a car that is not boring.

If you like muscle but want to go electric, and a car that turns heads, you should strongly consider this car.