Dodge Charger vs Chevrolet Impala: which is more reliable?
The Chevrolet Impala is ahead of the Dodge Charger on the federal record, 82/100 against 74/100 — a real but narrow gap that a bad model year on either side closes.
The record, side by side
Dodge Charger
- 13 model years scored
- 2,860 owner complaints on record
- about 15 complaints per year on the road
- 80 recall campaigns, 42 safety-critical
- best year 2022 (91/100) · worst 2012 (24/100)
Chevrolet Impala
- 9 model years scored
- 2,437 owner complaints on record
- about 23 complaints per year on the road
- 8 recall campaigns, 6 safety-critical
- best year 2020 (96/100) · worst 2016 (47/100)
Mean score is the average across model years from 2013 on, where both records are comparable. How the score works.
Year by year: Charger against Impala
The comparison that decides the purchase. A nameplate is not one car — a redesign can move the record sixty points inside two years, and the two nameplates rarely move together.
What owners actually complain about
Dodge Charger
- Electrical System — 1,211 complaints
- Engine — 386 complaints
- Air Bags — 305 complaints
Chevrolet Impala
- Electrical System — 571 complaints
- Engine — 527 complaints
- Power Train — 332 complaints
Both nameplates have Electrical System as their largest complaint group, so the choice between them is about how often, not about what.
Years to avoid on each
Dodge Charger — avoid: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014.
Chevrolet Impala — avoid: 2016.
A year scores below 45 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. Every car’s years to avoid.
What each costs today
A recent used Dodge Charger prices at about $27,600 and a Chevrolet Impala at about $21,300 — the Chevrolet Impala is roughly $6,300 less, and they return 23.0 against 22.0 MPG combined.
Class-level estimates re-priced to your country, not a valuation of one car. Method.
FAQ
Is the Dodge Charger or the Chevrolet Impala more reliable?
On the NHTSA record the Chevrolet Impala scores 82/100 against the Dodge Charger's 74/100, averaged across every model year we hold. The gap is small enough that the model year matters more than the badge.
Which Dodge Charger and Chevrolet Impala years should I avoid?
Dodge Charger: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. Chevrolet Impala: 2016. Each of those scores under 45 out of 100 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns.
What goes wrong on the Dodge Charger and the Chevrolet Impala?
The largest complaint group on the Dodge Charger is Electrical System (1,211 complaints); on the Chevrolet Impala it is Electrical System (571).
Is the Dodge Charger or the Chevrolet Impala cheaper to own?
A recent used Dodge Charger prices at about $27,600 and a Chevrolet Impala at about $21,300, before insurance and the maintenance band. Both pages carry the five-year running-cost figure.