The Dodge Charger is America’s only 4-door muscle car currently in production.
It was first introduced as a show car in 1964 and the Charger nameplate has been seen on subcompact hatchbacks, full-size sedans, muscle cars and personal luxury coupes.
The Dodge Charger is a full-size sedan, a true muscle car through and through, with advanced technology and safety features that make it just as suitable for a family road trip as it is for drag racing.
Before you consider purchasing a Dodge Charger as your new car, take a read through our statistics guide for the Charger models.
We cover sales figures, production statistics, recall actions, resale values and much more!
Table of Contents
How Many Dodge Chargers Have Been Sold Per Year in The US?
When the Dodge Charger was first released sales were relatively slow and it wasn’t quite the hit that Dodge expected with 37,500 units produced.
The Charger was considered a pioneer of the muscle car era. Following its release in 1966 sales were quite low, but the revamped 1968 model saw a shift, Dodge planned 35,000 units for sale that year however they ended up producing 96,100 units due to high demand.
We cannot speak of the 2nd Gen Charger without mentioning its Hollywood appearances in the movies Bullitt, General Lee and The Dukes of Hazzard.
The 2nd Generation model was the foundation for the Charger Daytona model which successfully competed in NASCAR races and became an icon in its own right. Today a Charger Daytona can fetch upwards of $900,000.
Throughout the 70’s and onwards Charger sales were on the decline as American’s were opting for more economical cars.
In recent years however, there has been a resurgence of the muscle car, and the Charger is leading the way and maintaining consistent sales figures, averaging around 90,000 units sold each year.
Below is a table that contains annual sales figures for the Dodge Charger from 2005 to 2020:
| Model Year | Units Sold |
| 2020 | 77,425 |
| 2019 | 96,935 |
| 2018 | 80,226 |
| 2017 | 88,351 |
| 2016 | 97,110 |
| 2015 | 94,725 |
| 2014 | 94,099 |
| 2013 | 98,336 |
| 2012 | 82,592 |
| 2011 | 70,089 |
| 2010 | 75,397 |
| 2009 | 60,651 |
| 2008 | 97,367 |
| 2007 | 119,289 |
| 2006 | 114,201 |
| 2005 | 44,804 |
What Year Did Dodge Start the Charger Models?
The first Dodge Charger was built for a show in 1964 and 1965 saw a second Charger concept model built. However, it wasn’t until 1966 when the Charger officially went into production.
The Plymouth Barracuda was the first American modern fastback, followed closely by the Ford Mustang. Dodge was last to the party but they were sure to show up and show out with the ultimate muscle car.
Parts for the initial Charger model were largely sourced from the Coronet model.
With the Coronet model as a base, a flash new interior including individual bucket seats were added, signature hidden headlamps and a fastback roofline.
Up until the 4th Generation the Charger was largely a fastback design, built for speed and to show off the ‘American Muscle’ style.
The 1975 model changed this by heading more into the luxury sedan market with significantly expensive looking chrome styling.
The same year Dodge introduced the Magnum and with both of these models on the market they secured themselves firmly in the luxury car market.
Fast forward to today and the charger is currently in its 7th Generation, available in six different trims each with varying degrees of power and performance.
There have been seven main generations of Charger since its inception.
- 1966-67 (1st Generation)
- 1968-70 (2nd Generation)
- 1971-74 (3rd Generation)
- 1975-78 (4th Generation)
- 1981-87 (5th Generation)
- 2006-10 (6th Generation)
- 2011 – Present (7th Generation)
How Is the Fuel Economy on a Dodge Charger?
For most people looking to buy one of these machines, fuel economy isn’t usually at the top of their agenda.
Fuel economy varies across the different Charger models but given the power Chargers are capable of the fuel economy is not that bad.
There are different factors that affect fuel economy with the Charger Models:
- Engine – The 8 cylinder models with the 5.7L engine or bigger consume more fuel than the 6 cylinder 3.6L engines.
- Body Styles – The SRT Widebody 6.2L consumes more fuel than the standard model with the 6.4L engine.
See below a table of the various models and the fuel economy for each:
| Model | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined MPG |
| Dodge Charger 6 cyl, 3.6L, Automatic, 8-Speed | 19 | 30 | 23 |
| Dodge Charger 8 cyl, 6.4L, Automatic, 8-Speed | 15 | 24 | 18 |
| Dodge Charger 8 cyl, 5.7L, Automatic, 8-Speed | 16 | 25 | 19 |
| Dodge Charger AWD 6 cyl, 3.6L, Automatic, 8-Speed | 18 | 27 | 21 |
| Dodge Charger SRT Widebody 8 cyl, 6.2L, Automatic, 8-Speed | 12 | 21 | 15 |
| Dodge Charger Widebody 8cyl, 6.4L, Automatic, 8-Speed | 15 | 24 | 18 |
Please also read our articles: Dodge Charger in snow and winter driving and how long do Dodge Chargers last
How Quickly Do Dodge Chargers Depreciate?
Prospective buyers will be pleased to know that the Dodge Charger has an excellent resale value when compared to other vehicles in the sports car market.
According to industry data, the 5-year depreciation rate of an average Dodge Charger is 56%. This means your Charger should retain 44% of its original value even after it has undergone five years of use.
Impressively, the Dodge Charger has also received J.D. Power’s Best Resale Ratings award for all large cars, for the following years:
- 2006
- 2007
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2018
- 2017
- 2019
Did Dodge Recall any of the Charger Models?
Dodge has recalled the Charger 40 times over 15 model years. Among the Charger years, the 2012 model has the highest number of recalls (12).
When purchasing a used Charger, be sure to check if there are any recalls for it and if so, ask the owner if they have had the recall related issues fixed.
Since 2012 the number of recalls has declined which is testament to Dodge and their automotive engineering.
Here is a table showing by model year, those recall campaigns:
| Model Year | Recall Campaign Numbers |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2014 | 10 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2012 | 14 |
| 2011 | 11 |
| 2010 | 6 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 1971 | 5 |
How Much Do the Charger Models Pollute?
Charger models emit different levels of emissions depending upon the specific model and its fuel economy.
The standard 6 cylinder 3.6L model is the best on emissions with 389 grams per mile compared to the SRT Widebody, 8 cylinder model that emits 592 grams per mile.
Admittedly the Dodge Charger models are not the most environmentally conscious vehicles on the road.
| Model | Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Emissions Score |
| Dodge Charger 6 cyl, 3.6L, Automatic, 8-Speed | 389 grams per mile | 5/10 |
| Dodge Charger 8 cyl, 6.4L, Automatic, 8-Speed | 500 grams per mile | 3/10 |
| Dodge Charger 8 cyl, 5.7L, Automatic, 8-Speed | 466 grams per mile | 3/10 |
| Dodge Charger AWD 6 cyl, 3.6L, Automatic, 8-Speed | 415 grams per mile | 4/10 |
| Dodge Charger SRT Widebody 8 cyl, 6.2L, Automatic, 8-Speed | 592 grams per mile | 2/10 |
| Dodge Charger Widebody 8cyl, 6.4L, Automatic, 8-Speed | 500 grams per mile | 3/10 |
Related: 11 Most Common Dodge Charger Problems (Explained)
How Much Can the Charger Models Tow?
As a sports car, the Charger is not the most suitable vehicle to use for towing.
It has a towing capacity of around 1,000lbs when a towing kit is attached to the vehicle, but it isn’t recommended.
Towing above the cars capacity can put enormous strain on the engine and ultimately impact the vehicles longevity and can lead to transmission failure.
Dodge has other models in their line up that would be more suitable for towing trailers etc.
How Reliable Is a Dodge Charger?
The newest Dodge Charger models have increased significantly in reliability over the last few years.
According to CarComplaints, there have been 0 complaints reported for 2020 and 2021 models as it stands.
The most reported problem in previous years was premature engine failure, which predominantly affected the 2006 model year.
RepairPal has given the Charger a respectable rating of 3.5 out of 5.0 however its 10th out of 12 ranking for fullsize cars is less than impressive. Annual Maintenance costs fall in the region of $652.
Here is a chart breaking down the number of complaints made by model year:
| Model Year | Number of Complaints |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2016 | 14 |
| 2015 | 39 |
| 2014 | 56 |
| 2013 | 48 |
| 2012 | 83 |
| 2011 | 129 |
| 2010 | 25 |
| 2009 | 22 |
| 2008 | 87 |
| 2007 | 124 |
| 2006 | 185 |
| 1971 | 1 |
How Safe Is a Dodge Charger?
From our research we can say the Dodge Charger is a very safe car to drive.
The 2021 Charger received a 5-star safety rating from the NHTSA, earning high scores on all crash tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the 2021 Charger a good overall rating also.
The Dodge Charger has a number of safety features that make it stand out in the crowd (some of which do not come as standard).
- Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking
- LANESENSE Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist
- Blind Spot Monitoring System with Rear Cross Path Detection
- Automatic High Beam Headlamps
- Solid Safety Frame and Side Guard Door Beams
- Airbags Throughout the Vehicle
- Active Front Seat Head Restraints
What Is the Typical Buyer Demographic for This Model?
Specific demographic numbers are not easy to find for the Charger.
However, Dodge as a brand has the youngest demographic in the industry, 10 years younger than Chevy, 9 years younger than Ford.
Dodge also has the highest percentage of both Gen-X and Millennial buyers, 49% of buyers are in this age category.
Related: 16 Best & Worst Dodge Charger Years (With Facts & Stats)
Dodge Charger Theft Numbers
The Dodge Charger is a desirable car and as a bi-product of this, it is a target for car thieves.
- A study conducted by the Highway Loss Data Institute reported that USA’s most theft-prone car was in fact the Dodge Charger.
- The same report stated one variant was over five times likelier to be stolen than the national average.
- In 2020 one Police department in Southeast Michigan revealed 1,000 Chargers were stolen that year alone.
Chargers have big engines, expensive parts, big price tags and once inside are easy to roll away when in neutral, which unfortunately makes them the perfect target for theft.
Resources:
https://carsalesbase.com/us-dodge-charger/
https://caredge.com/dodge/charger/depreciation
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Dodge/Charger/
https://repairpal.com/dodge/charger
