Dodge Challenger Towing Capacity: Can It Tow A Trailer, Boat Or Jet Ski?

What is the maximum towing capacity of a Dodge Challenger, And what kind of trailers, boats, or jet skis can it actually tow? In this article, we explain all the ins and outs of the Dodge Challengers towing. First, let us give you a quick answer:

Dodge Challengers with a 3.5, 3.6 L, or 5.7 L automatic transmission can tow a maximum of 1,000 pounds. For the Dodge Challenger, Hellcat, Demon, or Dodge Challengers, manual transmission towing is not recommended.

However, that doesn’t tell you the whole story. In the table below, we’ll first explain the maximum towing capacity of this car based on the model year and the available engine types. After that, we also made a list of 22 different types of trailers and told you when the Challenger can tow that trailer and when not.

Maximum Towing Capacity Per Year

First of all, it’s important to know the maximum towing capacity of the Canadian/American-made Dodge Challenger. There are a number of problems that can arise from towing too much weight that can easily be avoided. You can see a Dodge Challenger Hell in towing action at the beginning of this video.

For this, we’ve outlined the towing capacity per model year in the table below for the third generation produced from 2009 onwards. These versions of the Challenger are known as a pony car, rather than a sports car or muscle car.

Therefore, the table that you see below is only applicable to Challengers with an automatic transmission and a 3.5, 3.6 L, or 5.7 L engine. All other Challengers aren’t rated by Dodge for towing, which means they most likely won’t be able to tow anything useful.

Also, please keep in mind that all Challengers have a maximum tongue weight of 100 pounds, which means you’re limited by the towing capacity and tongue weight.

How Much Can a Challenger Tow: Can It Tow A Trailer, Boat, Jet Ski?

Besides knowing how much a Dodge Challenger can tow, it’s also essential to know what kind of practical implications this has for you as the car owner. Therefore, in the table below, we’ve outlined the average empty and loaded weight of 22 different trailers. For each trailer, we’ve identified whether or not the Dodge Challenger can tow it or not. The short conclusion is as follows:

Dodge Challengers with a 3.5, 3.6, or 5.7 L engine with an automatic transmission will be able to tow a loaded canoe or kayak trailer. Challengers with these engines will also be able to tow an empty jet ski-, motorcycle-, small open/enclosed utility-, fishing boat trailer, or tow dolly.

However, let it be clear that this does not tell the whole story. Below the table, you’ll find extra information for each type of trailer that the Challenger can carry. There, we will further elaborate on if the Challenger can carry all types of trailers of that specific kind or if there are certain exceptions that you should take into account. If you want to know more about the towing capacity of Dodge vehicles like the Dakota, Grand Caravan, Charger, Nitro, or Journey, check out our other articles.

• Kayak trailer: Dodge Challengers with an automatic transmission and a 3.5, 3.6 or 5.7 L engine will be able to tow a kayak or canoe trailer. On average an empty kayak trailer will weight 200 pounds. A loaded kayak trailer will weight 400 pounds on average with a maximum of 800 pounds which is within the limits of this car.
• Jet Ski Trailer: Dodge Challengers with an automatic transmission and a 3.5, 3.6 or 5.7 L engine will be able to tow an empty jet ski trailer. On average an empty jet ski trailer will weigh 300 pounds. A loaded jet ski trailer will weigh an average of 1,800 pounds with a maximum of 3,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Challenger.
• Motorcycle Trailer: Dodge Challengers with an automatic transmission and a 3.5, 3.6 or 5.7 L engine can tow an empty motorcycle trailer. On average an empty motorcycle trailer will weigh 500 pounds. A loaded motorcycle trailer will weigh an average of 2,400 pounds with a maximum of 3,500 which is outside the range of the Challenger.
• Small Open Utility Trailer: Dodge Challengers with an automatic transmission and a 3.5, 3.6 or 5.7 L engine can tow an empty small open utility trailer. On average an empty small open utility trailer er will weigh 700 pounds. A loaded small open utility trailer will weigh an average of 2,500 pounds with a maximum of 3,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Dodge Challenger. 
• Small Enclosed Utility Trailer: Dodge Challengers with an automatic transmission and a 3.5, 3.6 or 5.7 L engine can tow an empty small enclosed utility trailer. On average an empty small enclosed utility trailer weighs 1,000 pounds. A loaded small enclosed utility trailer will weigh an average of 3,200 pounds with a maximum of 7,000 pounds which is outside the range of a Dodge Challenger.
• Fishing Boat Trailer: Dodge Challengers with an automatic transmission and a 3.5, 3.6 or 5.7 L engine can tow an empty fishing boat trailer. On average an empty fishing boat trailer weighs 600 pounds. A loaded fishing boat trailer will weigh an average of 3,300 pounds with a maximum of 6,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Dodge Challenger. 
• Tow Dolly: Dodge Challengers with an automatic transmission and a 3.5, 3.6 or 5.7 L engine can tow an empty tow dolly. On average an empty tow dolly weighs 600 pounds. A loaded tow dolly will weigh an average of 4,000 pounds with a maximum of 5,000 pounds which is outside the range of the Dodge Challenger. 

How Well Can It Tow Compared To Its Competitors?

Besides knowing how much a Dodge Challenger can tow and what this means in real life, it’s also important to compare the towing capacity of the Challenger to its main competitors. The reason for this is that this is essential information if you’re in the market for a Challenger.

It can also be helpful knowing common problems with the Dodge Challenger, how many miles it can last, what types of gas it can take, and other crucial information.

We’ve compiled this information in the table below, where we compared the Challenger to the towing capacity of the Charger, Camaro, and, Mustang. As can be seen, it’s quite normal for a car in this category to have a maximum towing capacity of 1,000 pounds. The same capacity limits both the Mustang and the Charger.

The only car with no towing capacity at all (and it’s not recommended to tow anything with it) is the Chevrolet Camaro. However, this car is comparable to the Demon and the Charger Hellcat towing capacity (since the Camaro has a 6.2 L engine). Since the Hellcat and the Demon also don’t have any towing capacity, the Camaro performs worse.

Why Can The Dodge Challenger Tow So Little?

Many people wonder why a Dodge Challenger that’s able to produce between 305 – 717 hp is only capable of towing 1,000 pounds. The reason for this is quite simple: towing means much more than just having a high number of horsepower or torque.

In the case of the Dodge Challenger, both the frame and the drivetrain aren’t made for towing heavier loads. If you tow a load that’s heavier than advised, this may bend or break the frame of your car. It could also put too much strain on the brakes (because the car needs to stop more weight) or damage the transmission (which also needs to handle more weight).

It could still be that the Dodge Challenger can tow more without damage, but this does mean you’ll take on extra risk. If something breaks, Dodge will identify that you towed more than advised, which means the repair costs are all yours.

Closing Thoughts

The Dodge Challenger, with its powerful presence and muscular build, often surprises many with its towing limitations. For owners of the 3.5, 3.6 L, or 5.7 L automatic transmission models, a maximum towing capacity of 1,000 pounds offers some versatility. However, enthusiasts of the high-performance Hellcat, Demon, and manual transmission Challengers should err on the side of caution, as towing is not recommended for these variants.

Hopefully, the tables provided some useful information on the capabilities of each model and their compatible trailers. Ultimately, while the Challenger serves as a robust driving machine, it’s essential to approach its towing capabilities with care and knowledge, ensuring the vehicle’s longevity and safety on the road.

Stefan K.

Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.

I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.

Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!