The Chrysler LeBaron is a midsize car built from 1981 to 1995 over 5 generations. Most were assembled in the United States — 84.6% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6. Worth buying? It depends heavily on which year you buy at 3.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the LeBaron is
The Chrysler LeBaron is a midsize car that Chrysler built from 1981 to 1995 — 15 model years. Our measurements put it at 5 generations, the current one starting in 1995. It has been offered with 4-cyl, V6 power. Its closest siblings in the Chrysler range: 200, New Yorker, NEWPORT.
Where the LeBaron is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 462 LeBarons on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 1C3 | 1983-1995 | |
| Mexico | 3C3 | 1987-1995 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Chrysler VIN decide which of these 5 lines your LeBaron belongs to. What every character in a LeBaron VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Chrysler LeBaron adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
LeBaron generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the LeBaron's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the LeBaron that gives 5 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977-1981 | 521 cm | 286 cm | 1660 kg | - | - |
| 1982-1988 | 457 cm | 254 cm | 1125 kg | -64 cm | -535 kg |
| 1989-1993 | 470 cm | 255 cm | 1275 kg | +13 cm | +150 kg |
| 1994 | 467 cm | 260 cm | 1395 kg | -3 cm | +120 kg |
| 1995 | 470 cm | 256 cm | 1430 kg | +3 cm | +35 kg |
Chrysler LeBaron tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment LeBaron owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Chrysler LeBaron have? Power & range
The Chrysler LeBaron is offered with 2 powertrains — 3L 6-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 2 for the Chrysler LeBaron, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.0L · 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | FWD | Regular |
| 4-cyl | 2.5L · 4-cyl | Automatic 3-spd | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The LeBaron by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Chrysler LeBaron. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | LeBaron | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 45 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 820 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 3.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Chrysler LeBaron?
The LeBaron is a midsize car, built from 1981 to 1995 across 5 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6.
Where is the Chrysler LeBaron made?
Across 462 cars in our records the split is: the United States (84.6%), Mexico (15.4%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the LeBaron have?
5 by our measurements, the latest starting in 1995. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car.
What is the Chrysler LeBaron warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the LeBaron reliable?
It scores 3.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific LeBaron?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Chrysler
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrysler 300 | 1999–2026 | 86 | 23 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Chrysler Pacifica | 2004–2026 | 98 | 32 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Chrysler 200 | 2011–2017 | 26 | 27 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Chrysler Town and Country | 1990–2016 | 174 | 21 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chrysler 300C | 2005–2011 | 8 | 21 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chrysler Sebring | 1995–2010 | 106 | 24 mpg | 3.5/5 |
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