Is The Dodge Challenger Reliable? A Complete Breakdown
September 11, 2022
I am a serial entrepreneur and a consumer advocate. When I’m not helping car buyers, I love working on ventures that have a positive impact.
I run a cause marketing agency and serve on the board of Vayu Global Health where we are disrupting the medical industry and preventing the needless deaths of mothers and babies during childbirth.
Dodge Challengers are one of the most reliable models the Dodge brand has ever produced. The car features an enormous load of strength, a wild burst of high performance, and impressive, high-quality safety and security features.
Dodge Challengers are reliable cars, ranking 3.5 out of 5.0, with a reliability score of 19 out of 24 for mid-sized vehicles. Dodge Challengers beat a lot of midsized cars in terms of reliability. The only vehicle close to the Dodge Challenger’s reliability is a Mustang.
With a Dodge Challenger, you have the benefits of comfort, excellent power delivery, and impressive handling. You can also drive them for over 30,000 – 40,000 miles without worries for any significant repairs, apart from an oil change.
Here's a detailed overview of Dodge Challenger’s reliability and why you should consider getting one!
Table of Contents
How Reliable Is A Dodge Challenger?
Dodge Challengers are pretty cool cars. Their reliability extends to their better gas mileage, excellent engine strength and performance, and power loads. We might place Dodge Challengers on the same reliability scale as Toyota cars, but they are fantastic cars that you should consider for long-term use.
A Dodge Challenger's reliability differs across years, but we can assure you of impressive performance with the newest models.
For instance, The 2022 Dodge Challenger comes with a supercharged 6.2L High-Output HEMI V8 engine, releasing a whopping 807 horsepower. This is an insane power output that any driver will love to deal with.
These muscle cars are fitted with low gloss granite aluminum wheels, drag radial tires, ferocious frame, stylish presentation, and high-end brakes that you can always rely on.
It might be difficult for us to draw a firm conclusion on how frequently a Dodge Challenger will need maintenance and repairs. This is because the number of times that you take a car for repairs and maintenance is determined by:
- Driving habits
- Road conditions
- Make and model of the car
You must note that the annual repair cost for Dodge Challengers is $650.
We might not rate Dodge Challengers as the most reliable midsized car, but they’ve consistently beaten the reliability rating of their competitors. While Dodge Challengers are one of the most reliable cars for racing, you can also use them for your daily driving.
Why Dodge Challenger Is Considered Reliable
1. Engine and Performance
One of Dodge’s selling points is its engine and performance. The Dodge Challenger engine is not an exception to the awesomeness. Although there are different engines for different years of Dodge Challenger models, the standard of high-performance and delivery is maintained.
Dodge Challenger features five significant kinds of engines.
- Supercharged 6.2L High-Output HEMI V8 delivers 707 lb-ft torque and 797 horsepower.
- Supercharged 6.2L HEMI V8, which delivers 717 horsepower and 656 lb-ft.
- 392 HEMI V8 delivers 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft.
- 7L HEMI V8 delivers 375 HP.
- 6L Pentastar V6 delivers 303 HP.
However, the 2022 Dodge Challenger comes with the premium 6.2L High-Output HEMI V8 engine that delivers 807 HP and 707 lb-ft torque.
Excellent engine performance is not lacking in the different Dodge Challenger engines. Some of these engines are backed with a fuel saver MDS technology that switches from eight to four cylinders to conserve fuel.
A Dodge Challenger’s engine does guarantee not only performance but also fuel economy. You should expect a 27 MPG on highways.
2. Repairs and Maintenance
Amongst 29 Dodge models, we believe the Dodge Challenger occupies the 12th rank. Although Dodge Challenger drivers filed 264 complaints in 14 years, we can confirm that you will not have to frequently deal with significant repairs with your Dodge Challenger.
Dodge Challenger has a 0.2% chance of unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a year, 14% severity, and a $650 annual repair and maintenance cost.
Dodge Challenger has a 0.66 frequency score of appearing for repairs. This is lower than the average 1.3 scores for most brands in its category. This makes Dodge Challenger a car you can rely on for lesser repairs, inexpensive maintenance, and fewer chances of being unscheduled.
However, we wouldn’t rule out the common problems that Dodge Challengers have.
3. Durable and Muscle Frame
Dodge Challengers are muscle cars with a muscular build and design. Built with a high-impact design and intense delivery, the Dodge Challenger ranks as the first car to produce a muscle coupe with an all-wheel drive.
The Dodge Challenger is designed with leather-wrapped steering wheels, paddle shifters, and vehicle controls. With the ability to last up to 250,000 – 300,000 miles, you can always trust your Dodge Challenger to last long.
From the painting, assembly, and the HEMI, you can rely on your Dodge Challenger to serve you for a long time.
4. Security, Comfort, and Safety
A car’s reliability is not complete if you can’t trust it for safety, security, and comfort. Dodge Challenger features a great fleet of features that makes it an excellent car to drive.
You have heated and ventilated seats, dual-zone automatic temperature control, and high-performance ergonomic seats that fit your body contours with maximized comfort.
Your safety is assured with advanced technology. You have entire front and rear protection from the cross-path spot monitoring system, rear cross full-speeding, adaptive cruise control, full-speed collision warning, and Parkview rear backup camera.
The automatic high-beam headlamps are there to warn you about an oncoming vehicle. Front head restraints to reduce the chance of a head injury during collision or impacts and a rain brake support, you can hardly get it wrong with a Dodge Challenger.
These cars are reinforced, high-strength steel, backed with electronic stability control, all-speed traction control, and hill start assist. This gives you a solid line of defense that you can rely on.
Dodge Challenger Reliability: Pros
- Spacious
- Strong body
- Improved safety and security features
- Impressive horsepower and engine performance
- Muscle car design
- Comfort and balance
- Updated technology supports
Dodge Challenger: Cons
- The high burst of power will make it difficult for a beginner to handle
- Minor faults to deal with
Final Verdict
Sports cars are not usually known for reliability, but the Dodge Challenger has tried beating the average standard.
Dodge Challengers are reliable cars, but our concerns are about their high power. For safety reasons, you should confirm your driving skills before taking a Dodge Challenger for a regular ride.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are Dodge Challenger long-lasting cars?
Yes. Dodge Challengers are durable cars. You can rely on your Dodge Challenger to last up to 250,000 – 300,000 miles. This greatly depends on the driving conditions and how frequently your repair and maintain them. On average, Dodge Challengers last up to 15 -20 years of consistent use.
Is Dodge Challenger a good first car?
I will advise that you get a Dodge Challenger as your first car. The car releases a wild burst of power and speed that will be difficult for you to handle as a beginner. The only reason that will make you go for a Dodge Challenger as your first car is if you have advanced driving skills and are sure that you can handle whatever speed the car throws at you.
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