Dodge to Drop Entry-Level Charger Daytona R/T for 2026, Tariffs to Blame
As we wait for four-door and gas-powered variants of the new Dodge Charger Daytona to arrive later in 2025, the company has already made the decision to stop selling its electric coupe in entry-level R/T trim for the 2026 model year.
The news was confirmed over the weekend by Dodge CEO Matt McAlear.
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“Production of the Dodge Charger Daytona R/T is postponed for the 2026 model year as we continue to assess the effects of U.S. tariff policies,” McAlear wrote in a statement to Mopar Insiders, which was the first to report about the move. “The Charger’s flexible, multi-energy STLA Large platform allows us to focus on the Charger Daytona Scat Pack’s performance as the world’s quickest and most powerful muscle car, add the new four-door model to the Charger mix for the 2026 model year and lean into the new Charger SIXPACK models that will launch in the second half of the year.”
The Charger Daytona R/T currently retails from $57,790 in Canada, including freight and PDI (but not the manufacturer's rebates or EV incentives where applicable), which is cheaper than in the U.S. even without the exchange rate. It offers 456 horsepower (or 496 hp with the Direct Connection Stage 1 package) and a range of up to 496 km according to Natural Resources Canada.
Meanwhile, the Charger Daytona Scat Pack starts at $89,790, and it's the one you'll find in greater numbers at Canadian dealerships since Dodge has prioritized production of this more profitable model. It delivers 590 horsepower (or 670 hp with the Direct Connection Stage 2 package) and can officially travel up to 388 km on a fully charged battery.
The new Dodge Charger Daytona models are built in Windsor, Ontario, which is great for us but not for our U.S. neighbours because of the 25-percent tariff on foreign-made automobiles imposed by President Donald Trump. For the time being, no relocation is planned, but the factory will operate at reduced capacity at least until the end of the summer.