The Dodge Colt is a compact car built from 1981 to 1995 over 9 generations. Most were assembled in Japan — 100% of those on record. Between 1971 and 1996 it grew 27 cm longer and gained 13 kg. Engines offered: 4-cyl. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Colt is
The Dodge Colt is a compact car that Dodge built from 1981 to 1995 — 15 model years. Our measurements put it at 9 generations, the current one starting in 1995. It has been offered with 4-cyl power. Its closest siblings in the Dodge range: Daytona, Stealth, Conquest.
Where the Colt 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 191 Colts on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | JB3, JP3, JB4 | 1982-1994 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Dodge VIN decide which of these 9 lines your Colt belongs to. What every character in a Colt VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Dodge Colt adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Colt generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Colt'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 Colt that gives 9 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-1972 | 408 cm | 242 cm | 932 kg | - | - |
| 1973 | 415 cm | 241 cm | 939 kg | +7 cm | +7 kg |
| 1974-1978 | 437 cm | 242 cm | - | +22 cm | - |
| 1979 | 413 cm | 234 cm | 964 kg | -24 cm | - |
| 1981 | 399 cm | 230 cm | 875 kg | -14 cm | -89 kg |
| 1982-1984 | 404 cm | 235 cm | 874 kg | +5 cm | -1 kg |
| 1991-1992 | 400 cm | 238 cm | 915 kg | -4 cm | +41 kg |
| 1993-1994 | 435 cm | 250 cm | 995 kg | +35 cm | +80 kg |
| 1995-1996 | 435 cm | 244 cm | 945 kg | +0 cm | -50 kg |
Between 1971 and 1996 the Colt gained 27 cm in length (+6.6%) and 13 kg in weight (+1.4%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the Colt that is 13 kg against 27 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Dodge Colt tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Colt 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 Dodge Colt have? Power & range
The Dodge Colt is offered with 1 powertrain — 1.5L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Dodge Colt, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-cyl | 1.5L · 4-cyl | Manual 5-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 Colt by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Dodge Colt. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Colt | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 18 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 323 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Dodge Colt?
The Colt is a compact car, built from 1981 to 1995 across 9 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl.
Where is the Dodge Colt made?
Across 191 cars in our records the split is: Japan (100%). 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 Colt have?
9 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. Over its life the Colt grew 27 cm longer and gained 13 kg.
What is the Dodge Colt 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 Colt reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 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 Colt?
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 Dodge
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge Charger | 1983–2026 | 133 | 98 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Dodge Ram | 1994–2012 | 188 | 17 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Dodge Challenger | 1981–2026 | 77 | 23 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Dodge Durango | 1995–2026 | 160 | 21 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Dodge Viper | 1992–2017 | 45 | 16 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Dodge Caravan | 1984–2008 | 208 | 35 mpg | 3.5/5 |
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