2021 Dodge Challenger
large car / 2-door coupe
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).
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 |
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.
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 |
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.
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 |
Roof strength
Rating applies to 2015-23 models
Tested vehicle: 2016 Dodge Challenger R/T 2-door
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 4,149 lbs |
| Peak force | 15,240 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 3.67 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: Power cloth seat
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
| 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.