2020 Dodge Challenger vs 2021 Chevrolet Camaro

The 2020 Dodge Challenger was a modern homage to its 1970s predecessor, maintaining a muscular silhouette with design updates over the years. Its recessed headlights and grille gave it a menacing look, hinting at the performance potential beneath. Inside, the Challenger featured a driver-focused cockpit with a blend of modern and vintage elements, including a semi-digital instrument panel and a modern infotainment screen. Despite its retro charm, some found the design slightly dated. The Challenger offered nine models, from the SXT to the SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody, each with unique features and performance capabilities. Standard features on the SXT included 18-inch aluminum wheels, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a 7-inch touchscreen, while higher trims added performance upgrades and luxury touches.

The 2021 Chevrolet Camaro offered both coupe and convertible body styles, with a fierce look in the coupe and a touring-ready appearance in the convertible. Buyers could choose from eight trim levels for the coupe and seven for the convertible, with the ZL1 being the most performance-focused variant. The Camaro 2SS Coupe, tested for this review, rode on standard 18-inch wheels with options for larger sizes. The interior, refreshed in 2019, had a stylish design but raised functionality concerns. The Camaro offered various Wild Cherry design packs, adding unique wheel and graphics designs. Despite its sporty appeal, the Camaro's interior and visibility were less impressive, with limited rear-seat space and a high load height in the trunk.

The 2020 Dodge Challenger offered a range of engines, starting with a 3.6-litre V6 producing 305 horsepower and 268 pound-feet of torque in the SXT and GT trims. These models featured an 8-speed automatic transmission and optional all-wheel drive. The R/T trim came with a 5.7-litre Hemi V8, delivering 475 hp and 410 lb-ft with a manual transmission, or 372 hp and 400 lb-ft with an automatic. The Scat Pack 392 upgraded to a 6.4-litre Hemi V8, making 485 hp and 475 lb-ft, and included Brembo brakes and launch control. The SRT Hellcat featured a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 with 717 hp and 656 lb-ft, while the Hellcat Redeye increased output to 797 hp and 707 lb-ft. The Widebody variants offered enhanced cornering capabilities with flared fenders and wider tires. The SRT Performance Pages allowed for extensive customization of drive modes and performance metrics.

The 2021 Chevrolet Camaro started with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 275 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed manual transmission. Buyers could upgrade to a 3.6-litre V6 with 335 hp and 284 lb-ft, or choose from two V8 options: a 6.2-litre V8 with 455 hp and 455 lb-ft, and a supercharged version with 650 hp and 650 lb-ft. The Camaro offered both manual and automatic transmissions, with the latter providing better fuel efficiency. The Camaro 2SS featured a direct-injection V8 and Brembo brakes, but the manual transmission was criticized for its long throws and numb clutch. The Camaro's drive mode selector allowed for customization, with Track mode available on higher trims. Despite its performance capabilities, the manual transmission detracted from the driving experience.

The 2020 Dodge Challenger stood out with its spacious cabin, offering ample legroom and decent headroom for a coupe. The rear seats provided impressive legroom, accessible via a quick-release latch on the front seats. The Challenger's retro styling and large rear pillars limited visibility, but it offered 459 litres of cargo space, surpassing the Camaro's 260 litres. The traditional rear-wheel-drive setup resulted in a large centre console, with storage cubbies in the doors. The all-wheel-drive version had a large hump in the front passenger footwell due to additional drivetrain components, but overall, the Challenger provided more passenger space than its competitors.

The 2021 Chevrolet Camaro came standard with cloth upholstery and front bucket seats, offering an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and a four-way manual front passenger seat. Recaro sport seats and leather upholstery were available, along with heated and ventilated front seats. The Camaro's front seats were comfortable but not particularly sporty, and visibility was limited by the narrow windscreen and oversized hood. The rear seats were not suitable for adults, and the trunk's high load height and narrow opening limited usability. The Camaro's steering wheel was comfortable, and the manual tilting and telescoping capability added to its appeal. However, the centre console cupholders were inconvenient for manual transmission models, and the rear window required reliance on a rearview camera.

The 2020 Dodge Challenger featured a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with the Uconnect interface, known for its intuitive layout and ease of use. The system included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, with seamless integration between the car's menus and mobile platforms. An 8.4-inch version with navigation was available, and higher trims offered an Alpine premium stereo system or an optional Harman Kardon sound system. The Challenger's digital display in the instrument panel was user-friendly, with large directional pad buttons on the steering wheel for easy operation.

The 2021 Chevrolet Camaro came equipped with a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, along with a six-speaker audio system and 4G LTE WiFi hot spot. Available features included a head-up display, navigation, Bose premium audio, and an 8-inch touchscreen with cloud-based personalization. The Camaro's driver-information centre was functional and straightforward, but both screens suffered from a forward lean that caused glare. USB ports were hidden in the centre console, and the wireless charging pad was awkwardly positioned in the rear seat space.

The 2020 Dodge Challenger included standard safety features such as front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, and a child-seat anchoring system. Optional features included forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring. The Challenger received four out of five stars in front driver’s side crash testing by the NHTSA, five stars for front passenger side testing, and four stars for rollover testing. The IIHS gave it a "Good" rating in many crash tests but a "Marginal" overall score.

The 2021 Chevrolet Camaro received mixed safety ratings from the IIHS, with "Good," "Acceptable," and "Basic" scores. The NHTSA awarded it five-star and four-star ratings in crash tests. The Camaro offered safety features such as rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, and forward-collision warning, but some features were not available on convertible models.