Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack Takes On Its First Michigan Snow

Winter finally arrived in Metro Detroit this weekend, and with it came the perfect excuse to test something I’ve been itching to do since May — put my 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack through real Michigan snow. With 670 horsepower on tap and standard all-wheel drive (AWD), there’s been plenty of conversation — and controversy — around how the first-ever electric Charger would handle the kind of winter weather we battle every year here in Michigan. Well, we finally have answers.

Saturday night, around 11:00 pm, the snow was falling steadily enough to stick to the roads. Woodward Avenue looked like a scene from a snow globe — streetlights reflecting off fresh powder, salt trucks already out, and traffic crawling along at 25 mph or less. So, naturally, I grabbed the keys, hooked up some cameras, and took my eighth-generation Charger for some late-night winter laps.

First Impressions in the Snow –

Dodge built this car with performance front and center, but winter ability definitely didn’t take a back seat. In Auto mode with the standard Goodyear Eagle Sport all-season tires — 325s on the rear, no less — the car surprisingly hooked up better than I expected. Those tires aren’t exactly known for snow heroics on previous vehicles I’ve owned, yet the Charger Daytona stayed planted and confident, even on slush-covered lanes.

Regenerative braking actually helps quite a bit in slippery conditions. Instead of jabbing the brakes and risking a slide, dialing up extra regen with the paddle shifters brings the car down to a smooth crawl — almost like downshifting an ICE car. It feels controlled and surprisingly natural.

AWD quickly shifts torque where it’s needed, and between that and the mechanical limited-slip differential on the rear axle, traction never felt like a concern — unless I wanted it to be.

The Fun Modes Aren’t Just For Dry Pavement –

Of course, I didn’t keep things calm the whole time.

Switching into Track Mode with traction control off gives this EV a whole different personality. Even with minimal throttle, the rear will dance if provoked — and in the snow, it’s downright hilarious. The artificial exhaust note warbles differently when the tires start to slip, adding some extra drama even at low speed.

Sport Mode surprisingly felt rowdier than Track in the snow. That was the big shocker — the car seemed more eager to kick sideways. Thankfully, Dodge lets you tailor the behavior in Custom Mode, dialing in exactly the power split and stability you want. But it is very controllable in all modes.

Drift/Donut Mode? That’s coming soon when we have deeper snow. But just knowing this feature exists — and works with AWD — proves Dodge hasn’t forgotten the muscle car spirit.

Note: If you are watching the video above, the Daytona’s brake lights do come on automatically when letting off, when the second and third levels of regen are active.

Winter Quirks Worth Mentioning –

The car isn’t perfect in winter weather — but what is?

• The R-Wing up front looks incredible, but it gets packed with snow and throws flakes onto the windshield, which means the wipers stay busy.

• Recessed headlights collect snow and slush, requiring occasional clearing.

• The front camera can be rendered useless with just one snowflake stuck to it.

• Capacitive HVAC buttons are still the worst part of the interior.

That said, having instant heat without waiting for an engine to warm up is a huge luxury. The defrosting performance alone almost makes up for the button interface.

Range Reality – 

Cold weather hits every EV — that’s not news. During this drive, the Charger was showing around 2.2 miles per kWh, roughly 220 miles of projected range. Not ideal, but expected in snowfall, using the heater, and running accessories.

This thing isn’t a garage queen either — our 1979 Chrysler 300 occupies that space. The Charger Daytona lives outside like a true daily.

Final Thoughts After Night One In The Snow –

I walked away genuinely impressed. This is still a 670-horsepower GT car, yet it’s calm, confident, and comfortable in winter — with the ability to flip into full hooligan mode when asked.

This is just the beginning of winter here in Michigan. We haven’t even tapped into Drift Mode, deeper snow, or empty-lot shenanigans. So stay tuned — we’re only warming up.

If you’ve been doubting whether the electric Charger can handle a real Michigan winter, I can tell you firsthand: it’s more ready for snow than most of the drivers I saw out there.