Skip to main content

The now-discontinued Dodge Challenger. It was a big, bad muscle car staple in the late 1960s and early 1970s. And guess what? It returned even bigger and (arguably) badder around 40 years after its first model year. However, not every land yacht is equal. Still, if you want your Dodge Challenger to get to point B with all of its pantomime intact, you might want to look into these three used model years.

Even with the nearly 15-year tenure of the modern Dodge Challenger, the big Mopar’s best years are all from the same timeframe

When Dodge debuted the LC-platform Challenger, fans were understandably excited. The SRT 8 trim was a full-bodied muscle car with the horsepower credentials to crush a comparable Ford Mustang GT. However, Dodge didn’t stop there. It transformed the Challenger into a record-breaking case study in “we could so we did.”

However, not every model year of the Mopar muscle car is to be trusted as well as others. And, interestingly enough, some of the most dependable model years for the Dodge Challenger are from the same post-facelift period after 2015. 

2018 Dodge Challenger

Any time a car experiences a generational change or a substantial update, owners will likely run into bugs. Well, the 2018 model arrived as the fourth model year after the Challenger’s major functional and aesthetic update to the LA platform. As such, owners complain less about the Challenger’s issues than older model years. 

For starters, CarComplaints lists the 2018 Dodge Challenger model year as being less dramatic than all of its preceding years back to the 2009 LC-platform model. Specifically, complaints seem to focus on various electrical gremlins, with just six NHTSA complaints of more dramatic engine issues.

2019 Dodge Challenger

Like the 2018 model, the 2019 Challenger enjoys a thin rap sheet, with few owner complaints. Better yet, owners seem to complain about the 2019 Challenger less than its closest siblings, including the 2019 model.

Better yet, like the 2018 model, the 2019 Challenger was available as everything from an all-wheel drive (AWD) GT trim to asphalt-cracking SRT Hellcat models. However, as with any performance car, expect more wear with a high-heat, supercharged 6.2L pushrod V8 like the one in the SRT Hellcat Redeye. 

2020 Dodge Challenger

By 2020, the Dodge Challenger wasn’t far from discontinuation. However, it was still enjoying better reliability than many of its pre-facelift siblings. According to RepairPal, a late-run Challenger like the 2020 model had a reliability rating of around 3.5 out of 5.0. That score made it an “above average” option.

Moreover, the 2020 model still offered the library of options that set the Challenger apart from its closest rivals. Most notably, the Challenger offered an AWD V6 option. It’s something you wouldn’t find in the Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro lineup.

Best in Sedans & Coupes
Avatar photo
Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and M-ATVs. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with experience covering everything from sports cars to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations (IRG) from the University of Texas at Austin and has studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC).