Whether on style, handling, or raw power, the Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger, and Chevrolet Camaro earn enthusiast admiration. But one aspect of muscle car ownership doesn't often come up: insurance costs. Here, the numbers are as calculated as those on a drag race time slip.
We worked with Insure.com to find premiums for popular versions of the Camaro, Challenger, and Mustang. They're based on national averages for a 40-year-old male who's single, has a clean driving record, good credit, and a 12-mile daily commute. His policy limits are $100,000 for injury liability for one person, $300,000 for all injuries, and $50,000 in property damage, with comprehensive and uninsured motorist coverage and a $500 deductible.
He's the kind of responsible, mature fellow who would never even think about chirping the tires. Whether that's you (it ain't us), his estimates give an idea of which muscle cars are the most and least expensive to insure.
Entry-level muscle cars may not pack V-8 engines, but still have plenty of curb appeal. The V-6-powered Challenger SXT has 303 hp and costs $2,000 on average to insure. The Mustang EcoBoost and its 310-hp turbocharged I-4 engine costs $1,850 to insure annually. Output from the Camaro 1LS' turbo I-4 isn't as high at 275 hp, but insurance of $1,732 per year makes it the least expensive of these three.
Winner: Chevrolet Camaro 1LS
A V-8 engine makes any muscle car better—it adds power, noise, and fun. Thing is, it also adds to insurance premiums. With 375 hp, the Challenger R/T is the least powerful of this trio, as well as the most expensive to insure at $2,091 annually. The 455-hp Camaro LT1 slots in the middle, carrying about $2,012 in yearly insurance costs. Meanwhile the Mustang GT provides the most for the least, with 460 hp and costing $1,951 per year in coverage.
Winner: Ford Mustang GT
A V-8 is one thing, but style, handling, and panache can be worth the extra cost. The Challenger R/T Scat Pack has 485 hp, bigger brakes, and design details that raise its premiums to $2,329 on the national average. Although Ford dropped the Mustang Bullitt for 2021, this trim's lovely green paint and 475-hp engine give it distinctive allure; it costs $2,247 on average to insure. The Camaro SS has 455 hp bolstered by an upgraded cooling system and summer tires, with tinted taillights and a spoiler adding sporty flair. It's the least expensive of these three to insure, at about $2,016 annually.
Winner: Chevrolet Camaro SS
Some muscle car fans demand nothing less than the most power and are prepared to pay for it. The Challenger Hellcat Redeye's 797 hp is a staggering amount, as is its $3,282 annual insurance premium. Slightly less powerful but much less expensive to insure is the 760-hp Mustang GT500, for which coverage costs $2,488 per year. With 650 hp, the Camaro ZL1 is somehow the least powerful here, but it's also less expensive to insure than the Challenger, at $2,539.
Winner: Ford Mustang GT500
Although prices vary between trims and engines, the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang are generally less expensive to insure than the Dodge Challenger. That'll leave some cash for fuel and fresh tires. Meanwhile, data from Insure.com shows that the Dodge Challenger commands the highest insurance premiums of any muscle car. All three are much more expensive than the cheapest cars to insure, but none of those vehicles has quite the same appeal as these three American icons.
