Showing the 2021 Charger Police. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
15–23 mpgcombined; city 12–19, highway 21–30; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,120–$26,830U.S. average; Ohio $12,620–$25,280 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2021 Charger. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 35 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Charger. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Air bags
16
1
0
0
Power train
5
1
0
0
Unknown or other
5
1
0
0
Engine
3
0
0
0
Electrical system
2
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
2
0
0
0
Visibility
2
0
0
0
Wheels
2
1
0
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
1
0
0
0
Lane departure
1
0
0
0
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
4 more parts
Steering
1
0
0
0
Structure
1
0
0
0
Suspension
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2021 Charger over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) (Stellantis) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 vehicles. The right and left side curtain air bag inflators may rupture due to a manufacturing defect.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in injury or death.
Remedy: Dealers will replace both side curtain air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning February 20, 2025. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 19B.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, and Chrysler 300 vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 212, "Windshield Mounting."
Risk: A windshield that separates from the vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will remove and replace the front windshield urethane sealant, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 31, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is Y47.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 304 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2021 Charger, the latest on Sep 30, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (100), equipment (92), power train (50), engine and engine cooling (26), visibility (18).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2021 Charger.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: large cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 2–5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Charger Rear-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 8-spd
Regular Gasoline
19 / 30 / 23
Charger All-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 8-spd
Regular Gasoline
18 / 27 / 21
Charger Rear-Wheel Drive
5.7 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 8-spd
Midgrade Gasoline
16 / 25 / 19
Charger Rear-Wheel Drive
6.4 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 8-spd
Premium Gasoline
15 / 24 / 18
Charger SRT Widebody Rear-Wheel Drive
6.2 L, 8 cyl, supercharged
Automatic 8-spd
Premium Gasoline
12 / 21 / 15
Charger Widebody Rear-Wheel Drive
6.4 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 8-spd
Premium Gasoline
15 / 24 / 18
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data