2018 Dodge Challenger

large car / 2-door coupe

2018 Dodge Challenger 2-door coupe
2016 Dodge Challenger shown

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Small overlap front: driver-side
Moderate overlap front: original test
Side: original test
Roof strength
Head restraints & seats

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Optional system
Basic

Seat belts & child restraints

LATCH ease of use

Other available safety features

  • Optional blind spot detection

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Small overlap front: driver-side

Rating applies to 2015-23 models

Tested vehicle: 2016 Dodge Challenger R/T 2-door

The Dodge Challenger was re-introduced in the 2009 model year after last being offered as a Mitsubishi-built sporty car in the 1983 model year. (The iconic Challenger performance car was offered during the 1970-74 model years.) Beginning with 2015 models, the car's body structure, door trim, and instrument panel were modified and the side curtain airbags were lengthened to improve occupant protection in both frontal and side crashes.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Hip/thigh
Lower leg/foot
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics

Action shot taken during the small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was not maintained well.

The dummy's head contacted the frontal airbag but then nearly slid off the left side, allowing the head to move toward the gap in coverage between the frontal and side curtain airbags.

Intrusion was extensive. During the crash, the left front wheel was forced rearward and inward into the occupant compartment, and the severely buckled toepan trapped the dummy’s left foot. The dummy's leg had to be unbolted from the foot in order to free it (inset).

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CEN1613
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 24
Footrest (cm) 42
Left toepan (cm) 32
Brake pedal (cm) 25
Parking brake (cm) 29
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 2
Upper occupant compartment
Steering column 8
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 14
Upper dash (cm) 17
Lower instrument panel (cm) 18

Driver injury measures

Test ID CEN1613
Head
HIC-15 70
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.8
Extension bending moment (Nm) 12
Maximum Nij 0.23
Chest maximum compression (mm) 26
Femur (kN)
Left 2.8
Right 0.4
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 5
Right 1
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 1.46
Right 1.01
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 4.8
Right 2.4
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 122
Right 88

About the small overlap front test

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2015-23 models

Tested vehicle: 2016 Dodge Challenger R/T 2-door

The Dodge Challenger was re-introduced in the 2009 model year after last being offered as a Mitsubishi-built sporty car in the 1983 model year. (The iconic Challenger performance car was offered during the 1970-74 model years.) Beginning with 2015 models, the car's body structure, door trim, and instrument panel were modified and the side curtain airbags were lengthened to improve occupant protection in both frontal and side crashes.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Leg/foot, left
Leg/foot, right
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics

Action shot taken during the moderate overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained very well.

Smeared greasepaint indicates where the dummy's head contacted the side curtain airbag during forward movement and rebound.

Forces on the right lower leg were just high enough to indicate the possibility of injuries.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CEF1607
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm) 2
Left (cm) 3
Center (cm) 3
Right (cm) 3
Brake pedal (cm) 3
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm) 0
Right (cm) 0
Steering column movement
Upward (cm) -2
Rearward (cm) -4
A-pillar rearward movement (cm) 0

Driver injury measures

Test ID CEF1607
Head
HIC-15 116
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.1
Extension bending moment (Nm) 12
Maximum Nij 0.25
Chest maximum compression (mm) 31
Legs
Femur force - left (kN) 0.1
Femur force - right (kN) 0.3
Knee displacement - left (mm) 1
Knee displacement - right (mm) 0
Maximum tibia index - left 0.30
Maximum tibia index - right 0.81
Tibia axial force - left (kN) 1.2
Tibia axial force - right (kN) 2.3
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 53
Right 81

About the original moderate overlap front test

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2015-23 models

Tested vehicle: 2016 Dodge Challenger R/T 2-door

The Dodge Challenger was re-introduced in the 2009 model year after last being offered as a Mitsubishi-built sporty car in the 1983 model year. (The iconic Challenger performance car was offered during the 1970-74 model years.) Beginning with 2015 models, the car's body structure, door trim, and instrument panel were modified and the side curtain airbags were lengthened to improve occupant protection in both frontal and side crashes.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Driver head protection
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Rear passenger head protection

View of the vehicle and barrier just after the crash test.

View of the vehicle after the crash with door removed, showing the side airbags and damage to the occupant compartment.

Smeared greasepaint shows where the driver dummy's head was protected from being hit by hard structures by the side curtain airbag.

Smeared greasepaint shows where the rear passenger dummy’s head was protected by the side airbag.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CES1609
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) -19.5
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Test ID CES1609
Head HIC-15 314
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.0
Compression (kN) 0.3
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 46
Lateral force (kN) 1.4
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 34
Average deflection (mm) 32
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 2.58
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.45
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 0.9
Acetabulum force (kN) 2.3
Combined force (kN) 3.1
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 1.9
L-M moment (Nm) 267
A-P moment (Nm) 29

Passenger injury measures

Test ID CES1609
Head HIC-15 181
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.2
Compression (kN) 0.4
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 15
Lateral force (kN) 0.8
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 25
Average deflection (mm) 17
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 1.70
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.20
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 0.2
Acetabulum force (kN) 0.1
Combined force (kN) 0.2
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.4
L-M moment (Nm) 117
A-P moment (Nm) -37

About the original side crash test

Roof strength

Rating applies to 2015-23 models

Tested vehicle: 2016 Dodge Challenger R/T 2-door

Overall evaluation
Curb weight4,149 lbs
Peak force15,240 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio3.67

About the roof strength test

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Power cloth seat

Overall evaluation
Dynamic rating
Seat/head restraint geometry
Technical measurements for this test
Seat type Power cloth seat
Geometry
Backset (mm) 61
Distance below top of head (mm) 28
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail Fail
Max T1 acceleration (g) 10.2
Head contact time (ms) 71
Force rating 1
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N) 83
Max neck tension (N) 456

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

System details

  • Optional Forward Collision Warning

Package name

  • Optional Technology Group

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2015-23 models

Basic
Basic
with optional equipment
  • This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • Autobrake not available.

About the original front crash prevention test

Child seat anchors

Rating applies to 2016-20 models

Overall evaluation
Vehicle trimR/T
Seat type cloth

This vehicle has 3 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.

Overall evaluation
Vehicle trimR/T
Seat type cloth
1 2 3
GGood
AAcceptable
MMarginal
PPoor
Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated.
thether anchor symbol
Tether anchor
lower anchor symbol
Lower anchors
shared lower achors symbol
Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s)
No hardware available

Details by seating position

1
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
2
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
too deep in seat
too much force needed to attach
difficult to maneuver around anchors
3
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
Technical measurements for this test

Seat position 21

3

Lower anchor A
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 4-6
Force (lbs) 32
Clearance angle (degrees) 65
Lower anchor B
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 2-4
Force (lbs) 37
Clearance angle (degrees) 58
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor		 No
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH		 Not measured

Seat position 22

2

Lower anchor A
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 4-6
Force (lbs) 40
Clearance angle (degrees) 70
Lower anchor B
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 4-6
Force (lbs) 32
Clearance angle (degrees) 53
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor		 No
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH		 Not measured

Seat position 23

1

Lower anchor A
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 2-4
Force (lbs) 35
Clearance angle (degrees) 72
Lower anchor B
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 2-4
Force (lbs) 38
Clearance angle (degrees) 68
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor		 No
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH		 Not measured

About the child seat anchor evaluation