The Dodge OMNI is a compact car built from 1981 to 1990 over 7 generations. Most were assembled in the United States — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl. 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 OMNI is
The Dodge OMNI is a compact car that Dodge built from 1981 to 1990 — 10 model years. Our measurements put it at 7 generations, the current one starting in 1990. It has been offered with 4-cyl power. Its closest siblings in the Dodge range: Neon, Shadow.
Where the OMNI 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 15 OMNIs on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 1B3 | 1987-1990 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Dodge VIN decide which of these 7 lines your OMNI belongs to. What every character in a OMNI VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Dodge OMNI adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
OMNI generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the OMNI'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 OMNI that gives 7 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 415 cm | 252 cm | 969 kg | - | - |
| 1979-1980 | 429 cm | 249 cm | 1010 kg | +14 cm | +41 kg |
| 1981 | 442 cm | 245 cm | 997 kg | +13 cm | -13 kg |
| 1982 | 428 cm | 249 cm | 980 kg | -14 cm | -17 kg |
| 1983-1984 | 419 cm | 252 cm | 961 kg | -9 cm | -19 kg |
| 1985-1986 | 412 cm | 252 cm | 993 kg | -7 cm | +32 kg |
| 1990 | 415 cm | 252 cm | 1043 kg | +3 cm | +50 kg |
Between 1978 and 1990 the OMNI gained 0 cm in length (+0.0%) and 74 kg in weight (+7.6%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the OMNI that is 74 kg against 0 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Dodge OMNI tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment OMNI 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 OMNI have? Power & range
The Dodge OMNI is offered with 1 powertrain — 2.2L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Dodge OMNI, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-cyl | 2.2L · 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 OMNI by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Dodge OMNI. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | OMNI | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 23 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 42 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 3.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Dodge OMNI?
The OMNI is a compact car, built from 1981 to 1990 across 7 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl.
Where is the Dodge OMNI made?
Across 15 cars in our records the split is: the United States (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 OMNI have?
7 by our measurements, the latest starting in 1990. 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 Dodge OMNI 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 OMNI 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 OMNI?
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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