CHRYSLER

What is Chrysler?

Walter Chrysler founded Chrysler in 1925, headquartered in Auburn Hills, USA. Despite the USA badge, 62% of the Chrysler cars in our records were assembled in Canada — the country on the boot lid and the country under the car are rarely the same thing. 36 models tracked (1981–2026).

Data · NHTSA & EPA · 36 models · 1981–2026 · Updated Sep 1, 2026 · 4.2 ★★★★★★★★★★ Brand Score
Quick answer

Chrysler is a USA carmaker founded in 1925, now part of Stellantis. The cars themselves are another matter: across 28 VIN prefixes on record they came off lines in 3 countries — Canada 62%, the United States 29.2%, Mexico 8.7%. 36 models are tracked here (1981–2026). Reliable? yes, on balance — 4.2 out of 5 across 36 rated models, though the spread between model years is far wider than the badge suggests (every model ranked →).

36
Models
1981
Since
1
Vehicle types
USA
Origin
1925
Founded

Who makes Chrysler

Chrysler is an American automotive brand owned by Stellantis, headquartered alongside its parent in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Founded by Walter Chrysler on June 6, 1925, from the assets of the failing Maxwell Motor Company, Chrysler became the third pillar of the Detroit Big Three alongside Ford and General Motors and acquired Dodge, Plymouth, DeSoto and AMC over its history. Chrysler introduced industry firsts including the four-wheel hydraulic brakes (1924 Maxwell-derived prototype), high-compression L-head engines (1924 Six), the first hardtop convertible (1949 Town & Country), and the K-car platform (1981) that saved the company from bankruptcy under Lee Iacocca's leadership. The 1983 Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager invented the modern minivan segment, and Chrysler-branded minivans (Town & Country, Pacifica) have led that segment ever since. The modern Chrysler lineup is limited to the Pacifica minivan, the Pacifica Hybrid PHEV and the Voyager fleet variant; the 300 sedan was discontinued after 2023. Chrysler's parent Stellantis trades on the NYSE under STLA. Recall data for every Chrysler VIN is reported to NHTSA. ForCar.org decodes any Chrysler VIN to surface trim, factory options, open recalls and original window-sticker MSRP.

Walter Chrysler joined Maxwell Motor as president in 1921 and reorganized the bankrupt company as Chrysler Corporation in 1925. The Chrysler Six, introduced at the 1924 New York Auto Show, established the brand with high-compression performance and four-wheel hydraulic brakes. Acquisitions of Dodge Brothers (1928) and the launch of Plymouth (1928) and DeSoto (1928) established the multi-brand structure. Chrysler's 1980 federal loan guarantee and 1981 K-car launch under Lee Iacocca saved the company from collapse.

FIG.01·About Chrysler
Chrysler
Founded1925
Founded byWalter Chrysler
HeadquartersAuburn Hills, USA
Owned byStellantis
Listed asSTLA
Slogan«Imported from Detroit»
Models tracked here25 (1981–2026)
Assembled in3 countries
ROWS 8·SOURCE ForCar Editorial + NHTSA VIN records

Technology it is known for: Stow-n-Go second-row seating (Pacifica), Uconnect 5 infotainment, Pentastar V6 engine, Pacifica Hybrid PHEV, Family-Cam interior camera.

This page covers the Chrysler brand within Stellantis — not the Chrysler Building (1930 Manhattan landmark) or Walter Chrysler personally.

Where Chrysler cars are actually built

A badge says where a company is registered, not where its cars were bolted together. The first three characters of any VIN — the world manufacturer identifier — say the second thing, and that is what we counted: 29,545 vehicles on record, 28 distinct manufacturer codes.

FIG.02·Where Chrysler cars are built
Assembled inShareVIN starts withYears seen
Canada62%2C3, 2C4, 2C8, 2A41983–2026
the United States29.2%1C3, 4C3, 1A8, 1C41981–2017
Mexico8.7%3C8, 3C3, 3C4, 3A41987–2015
ROWS 3·SOURCE NHTSA records, grouped by VIN manufacturer code

Read your own: the first character is the region, the first three together identify the plant's manufacturer. A Chrysler beginning 2C3 was assembled in Canada.

All Chrysler models 36

Every Chrysler model we track, grouped by body type. Click any model for its VIN decoder, recalls, MPG, safety and ForCar Reliability Score — broken down by year.

Chrysler SUVs & crossovers 2

Chrysler SUVs & crossovers by the numbers
ModelYearsRecallsComplaintsBest MPGForCar score
Chrysler PT Cruiser1995–2010342,61823 mpg3.5/5
Chrysler Aspen2007–2009944321 mpg4.0/5
ROWS 2·SOURCE NHTSA + EPA + ForCar

Chrysler Cars & sedans 17

Chrysler Cars & sedans by the numbers
ModelYearsRecallsComplaintsBest MPGForCar score
Chrysler 3001999–2026753,29923 mpg4.5/5
Chrysler 2002011–2017264,16027 mpg4.5/5
Chrysler 300C2005–201182521 mpg4.0/5
Chrysler Sebring1995–20101063,50224 mpg3.5/5
Chrysler New Yorker1981–19973789222 mpg4.0/5
Chrysler Imperial1981–1993624120 mpg4.0/5
Chrysler LeBaron1981–19954582026 mpg3.5/5
Chrysler NEWPORT1981–1988218 mpg4.5/5
Chrysler Conquest1987–19892418 mpg4.5/5
Chrysler Concorde1993–2004412,51922 mpg3.5/5
Chrysler FIFTH AVENUE1984–198952120 mpg3.5/5
Chrysler Daytona1984–199326 mpg4.5/5
Chrysler LASER1981–198691126 mpg3.5/5
Chrysler LHS1994–20012157819 mpg3.5/5
Chrysler Cirrus1995–2006531,01722 mpg3.5/5
Chrysler E-CLASS1981–19845222 mpg4.5/5
Chrysler EXECUTIVE1981–198419 mpg4.5/5
ROWS 17·SOURCE NHTSA + EPA + ForCar

Chrysler Minivans & vans 3

Chrysler Minivans & vans by the numbers
ModelYearsRecallsComplaintsBest MPGForCar score
Chrysler Pacifica2004–2026956,96732 mpg4.5/5
Chrysler Town and Country1990–20161263,12522 mpg4.0/5
Chrysler Voyager1995–20265026622 mpg4.5/5
ROWS 3·SOURCE NHTSA + EPA + ForCar

Chrysler More models 14

Chrysler More models by the numbers
ModelYearsRecallsComplaintsBest MPGForCar score
Chrysler Crossfire2004–2008970821 mpg4.0/5
Chrysler Caravan2003–20034.5/5
Chrysler Neon1995–20024.5/5
Chrysler Intrepid1993–20034.5/5
Chrysler Cordoba1981–1983314.5/5
Chrysler Prowler2001–200221418 mpg3.5/5
Chrysler Shadow1987–19944.5/5
Chrysler Vision1984–19974.5/5
Chrysler Stratus1984–19974.5/5
Chrysler Grand Caravan2021–20264.5/5
Chrysler Dynasty1981–19934.5/5
Chrysler TC1989–199119 mpg4.5/5
Chrysler Grand Voyager2000–20001104.5/5
Chrysler Viper1984–19974.5/5
ROWS 14·SOURCE NHTSA + EPA + ForCar

Chrysler by the numbers

What the federal records say about the marque. Each line links to the full breakdown by model and year.

FIG.03·Chrysler by the numbers
TopicChryslerDetail
Recalls770 campaignsMost recalled: Equipment
Owner complaints28,919+ filedMost reported: Pacifica
Fuel economy32 mpg bestLeader: Pacifica
Crash safety★★★★★ top rated5 models tested by NHTSA
Insurance$1,547/yr typicalCheapest: Crossfire
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA, EPA and HLDI records
Upgrade to Pro

Compare model years like a dealer does.

  • Full research report on any model year
  • Market chart: how this model holds value
  • Exact values with mileage adjustment
  • Price-drop alerts on the trims you're watching
  • No ads, no tracking — and much more
Free plan available — no credit card needed

Chrysler hybrids & electric models

Chrysler's electrified lineup — 1 hybrid. Click any model for its full powertrain, MPG and range by year.

Chrysler hybrids 1

Chrysler hybrids
ModelYearsBest figureRecallsForCar score
Chrysler Aspen2007–20092194.0/5
ROWS 1·SOURCE EPA + NHTSA

Electrified variants from EPA fueleconomy.gov powertrain data. A model may offer gas, hybrid and electric versions across years.

CHRYSLER

Get a Chrysler window sticker by VIN

Recreate any Chrysler's original Monroney label — MSRP, factory options, EPA MPG and safety — free from the VIN.

Chrysler window stickers →

How to read a Chrysler VIN

Every Chrysler built since 1981 carries a unique 17-character VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). It encodes where and when the vehicle was made, its engine and body — here's what each part means:

FIG.05·How to Read a Chrysler VIN
1–3 · WMI3A3
4–8 · VDSCM826
9 · Check5
10 · YearR
11 · PlantA
12–17 · Serial004352
  • WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Chrysler and the country it was built in (real Chrysler codes below).
  • VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
  • Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
  • Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
  • Plant (11) — which factory assembled it.
  • Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
Real Chrysler WMIs — the first 3 VIN digits by build country
  • Mexico3A3 · 3A4 · 3A7 · 3A8 · 3B4 · 3B5
  • Canada2B1 · 2BA · 2V8 · 2XM
  • GermanyWCD · WD6 · WDR · WDY
  • USA1VH · WD2 · WD5
17 CHARS·SOURCE SAE / ISO 3779 · NHTSA vPIC

The remaining digits — engine (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard. Our VIN decoder breaks all seventeen positions down — year codes, country of assembly and the plant that built the car.

Who owns Chrysler, and what you get

Chrysler belongs to Stellantis. Chrysler within Stellantis serves the US minivan and family-vehicle segment with the Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid as the only Chrysler products available for retail sale. The brand's storied history of innovation has been reduced to a single nameplate as Stellantis consolidates US production under Jeep, Ram and Dodge. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares has indicated Chrysler will receive new EV products in 2025-2026, but as of 2024 the brand's portfolio is the smallest of any major US nameplate.

FIG.04·Chrysler ownership and warranty
Chrysler
Country of originUSA
OwnershipStellantis
Stock tickerSTLA
Basic warranty3 years / 36,000 miles
Powertrain warranty5 years / 60,000 miles
Assembly countriesCanada, United States, Mexico
ROWS 6·SOURCE Manufacturer terms + NHTSA VIN records

⚠ Worth knowing before you rely on it: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, while basic cover here runs 3 years / 36,000 miles. See when Chrysler models actually start to break →

Chrysler — frequently asked

Is Chrysler usa?

Chrysler is a USA company, headquartered in Auburn Hills and founded in 1925. The cars are a separate question: 62% of the Chrysler vehicles in our records were assembled in Canada.

Where are Chrysler cars made?

Across 28 manufacturer codes on record, assembly splits as: Canada (62%), the United States (29.2%), Mexico (8.7%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the manufacturer and plant country — that is where these shares come from.

Who owns Chrysler?

Chrysler is part of Stellantis.

How many Chrysler models are there?

We track 36 Chrysler models spanning 1981–2026. The full list is above, ordered by how often each is searched.

What is the Chrysler warranty?

New vehicles come with 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Terms vary by model year and market — confirm with a dealer.

Is Chrysler reliable?

It depends far more on the model and year than on the badge. Every Chrysler model is ranked by complaint rate here, along with the age at which each starts to fail.

Explore other brands

Brands like Chrysler
BrandModels trackedSearch demand
Mercedes-Benz42 models4,007,630/mo searched
Cadillac32 models3,966,300/mo searched
RAM9 models3,104,310/mo searched
Buick25 models3,040,650/mo searched
Infiniti33 models2,720,760/mo searched
Lincoln17 models2,334,760/mo searched
ROWS 6·SOURCE ForCar catalogue
Model data and search demand from ForCar's catalog of 36 Chrysler models. Recalls, complaints and safety ratings sourced from NHTSA; MPG from EPA fueleconomy.gov. Brand facts compiled by ForCar Editorial. Last updated Sep 2026. Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.