Over the coming weeks, I will be presenting to you a series on the many unique Mexican market Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth vehicles. This is Part 1.
In September 2016, production of the Dodge Dart ended. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne blamed slow sales and the failure to find a production partner for both the Dart and related Chrysler 200. The Dart’s discontinuation leaves Dodge without a compact offering for the first time in decades, but, south of the border, Mexican consumers have the choice of three. Two of those cars wear very familiar names.
The Mexican Dodge lineup opens with the Attitude sedan at $MX174,000. Don’t let the aggressive name fool you—this is simply a rebadged Mitsubishi Mirage sedan with the same 1.2 three-cylinder engine. The Attitude name was previously used on a rebadged Hyundai Accent, however Hyundai and Kia’s entry into the Mexican market in 2015 meant Dodge had to find a new source to tap. And that new source proved to be an old source, with Chrysler and Mitsubishi’s relationship going back many decades.
At least the masquerading Mitsubishi gets a neat crosshair grille. The next step up in the Dodge range is the $MX204,000 Vision, a Brazilian-built Fiat Grand Siena that has been rather awkwardly rebadged. Since Chrysler separated the Ram trucks into their own brand, the old ram’s head logo was replaced on Dodge vehicles by a simple text logo with two red stripes, situated to the side of a crosshair grille. However, the Vision retains the same badge slots front and rear as the Fiat Grand Siena, meaning the Dodge text – sans stripes – sits awkwardly within a black circle. A small detail, yes, but it doesn’t look right. At least most Mexican consumers won’t realize it’s a badge job—Fiat’s Mexican lineup doesn’t include the Grand Siena or, indeed, any sedans.
The Vision’s body is also rather awkward itself. Unlike the last Mopar product to wear the Vision name – the Eagle Vision – this rebadged Fiat, designed for developing markets, looks uncomfortably tall and high-waisted. The Grand Siena is the sedan version of the Palio and was last redesigned in 2012. Under the hood is a 1.6 four-cylinder with 115 hp and 117 ft-lbs. The Vision actually has a shorter wheelbase than the Attitude – 99 inches versus 100.4 inches – but is longer overall (169 inches vs. 167.4).
When FCA announced the Dart nameplate was returning, it was a surprise to many to see such an old name returned. For the Dart’s replacement in Mexico, based on the Fiat Tipo/Egea, FCA has reintroduced another heritage nameplate—Neon! The compact Dodge enjoyed a great deal of popularity in Mexico, something its Caliber and Dart successors failed to emulate. Unlike the Vision, the $MX245,000 Neon is based on a Fiat that has been created for both developing and developed markets alike – the Tipo is sold in Fiat’s homeland – and Mexican market models are sourced from Turkey.
Those waiting for a return of exciting Neons like the SRT-4 will probably have to keep waiting. The Neon is powered by the same 1.6 Fiat E.torQ engine as the Vision, albeit with only 110 hp and 112 ft-lbs. Unlike the Vision, there is no manual transmission available—Neon buyers can choose only a six-speed automatic. If those specifications sound rather milquetoast, you would be right—even the original Dodge Neon’s base 2.0 four-cylinder produced more power and torque (131 hp and 128 ft-lbs).
Neon (top), Dart (bottom)
Dimensionally, the 2017 Neon is 3 inches wider and 6.6 inches longer than the 1994 Neon; the older car has a wheelbase 0.2 inches longer and weighs roughly 300 pounds less. Interestingly, the new Neon weighs around 400-500 pounds less than the Dart although it is around 5 inches shorter and 2 inches narrower. It also lacks that car’s wide variety of engines and trim levels and features a more conservative exterior.
At this point, the Neon is not going to be introduced to North America. However, it is entirely possible it could be as the Dart’s axing will leave Dodge without a compact. Foreign manufacture can also keep costs down and profitability up. A couple of years ago, many feared the Dodge brand was facing the axe because of a lack of new product. Now, the Chrysler marque will be down to two models while Jeep thrives and Dodge is earmarked for a range of new rear-wheel-drive vehicles. Don’t be surprised if the Neon returns to illuminate the Dodge brand for younger consumers.
Neon photographed in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato. Vision photographed in Roma Norte, Ciudad de México.
Related Reading:
Curbside Classic: 1995 Dodge Neon Sport – Say “Hi” To Dashed Expectations
Curbside Classic: 1997 Plymouth Neon – Brightening Up The Compact Class
COAL: 2015 Fiat 500L Urbana Trekking – I Bought One. That’s Got to be a Bad Omen For Fiat.
I suspect that the sales success lately with the Jeep Patriot and Compass, that retaining the Caliber would have seen higher sales than the Dart. The fake SUV styling would have differentiated in an ever more generic class of car.
I don’t think any of these models would sell.
I agree, Dodge was on the right track with the Caliber as a concept, it just needed refinement. Going back to a sedan (only) was a step in the wrong direction even back in 2008 when the planning was happening, and the market’s only moved further away from them since.
Have the Patriot and Compass sold well? I don’t feel like I see all that many, especially the Compass. In fact I had thought the Renegade was supposed to replace the Compass. Patriot sells on price and price alone, and I think a lot (most?) go to fleets.
The Patriot had a record year last year, pretty good for being so long in the tooth.
I never figure how those cars have consistent sales increase over the years and I don’t recall any other cars having a sales curve similar. And I noticed Jeep Patriot is recently very popular among younger girls as a brand new/newer car. I don’t get it neither.
Ol’ Serge is letting the Dodge/Chrysler brands die on the vine while trying to resuscitate Alfa-Romeo (insert eyeroll here).
It would be easy to say he’s never studied how well so many brands worked for GM, but I’ll bet the reality is more like he knows how it all went down, then decided to go that route anyway because he’s so much smarter…
It certainly does make one wonder. Particularly in light of the Challenger and Charger positioning Dodge as FCA’s “American Muscle Heritage” brand, I thought it was odd that they introduced the Dart as a sedan only, and with rather conservative styling. (Don’t get me wrong, I actually really liked the Dart and was disappointed to see it discontinued…but then I also never drove one). Dodge showrooms seem like they’d be great places to intro some youthful, performance oriented entry-priced crossovers, or even an entry level coupe type vehicle a’la Hyundai Veloster. But no, instead there are several variations on the Fiat 500-styled entries, and now a push to reintroduce Alfa-Romeo to the US Market? They might have done better to rebadge the anticipated Alfa entry as a “Performance Chrysler” in this market. Global marketplace or no, there are plenty left here who still remember the “Fix It Again, Tony” jokes, and Alfas, while lauded for their performance were also widely perceived to be finicky cars, which in today’s “One vehicle for all purposes” climate will not bode well, I think.
Alfa Romeo means absolutely nothing to most Americans. Seeing the name in print, most people would think it was probably Caesar Romero’s brother. Sergio better give Chrysler and Dodge some product because if he doesn’t I know of a plot to have a whole jar of attack moths make a meal of his sweater.
A very underrated car. My wife has a ’15 Dart GT and absolutely loves it. While my tastes run more to my Abarth cabriolet, I find it a very nice car to drive and definitely good value for the money.
That Vision is a particularly egregious example of “hatchbacks very clumsily turned into sedans”. It isn’t that bad in the first photo, but it’s awful in the second.
As to the neo-Neon, I can’t really see it here either–if they’re trying to pitch Dodge as the excitement brand with a range of RWD vehicles, they would be smart to include an affordable compact to sell to young buyers on a budget. But that Neon seems the very definition of boring so I don’t see it as the logical entry point into a performance-targeted brand.
I like the looks of the Tipo/Neon, would like to see it/them offered in the US.
Rumor mill has it FCA dealers are chafing at the loss of the price leader Dart, Reports are that some are trying to fill that entry level demand with Fiats. Last March, FCA announced they were dropping the requirement that dealers have a separate facility for their Fiat showroom, so they can now move the Fiats into their Dodge stores and thus reduce costs. If FCA had done that from day one, they might have more than 250 Fiat stores in the US now, but the train may have already left the station wrt building the Fiat dealer network.
The Tipo is on the same platform as the 500L and 500X. The 1.6 used in Mexico is a bit weak for the US, but the turbocharged 1.4 from the 500L should be a drop in fit, along with the Aisin 6 speed conventional automatic that is now used in the 500L in place of Fiat’s attempt at a DSG (Feeble Italian Automated Transmission?)
In a perfect world, I would see the Tipo sedan offered here as a Dodge Neon, while the hatchback is offered at Fiat stores.
But no-one ever asks me, and Sergio is more interested in shopping the company than building it, so I expect the Dodge and Chrysler brands to continue to be starved.
Of course, with my well known wagon fetish, I would like to see the wagon version offered here, and care not one whit whether it’s called a Fiat or has a Dodge gunsight in the grill.
Steve,
That is a very good looking wagon IMO
Looks like a smaller version {copy} of the 2016 Subaru Outback. FCA should bring it to our shores to expand their dwindling small car sales. Looks like wagon sale are starting to increase slowly.
Designers from Fiat particularly hate sedans and they let it clear in each one they create… Wow! That Fiat Grand Siena is sold like it has a duct tape put in its nose written Dodge on it!
As I see it, Chrysler shot themselves in the foot when they axed the original Neon, then gas prices surged and they only had that ugly mini SUV wanabee Caliber to fill the void.
At least the Caliber should have been offered as a proper wagon, instead of just that humpback hatch. Plus, gas prices aren’t going to stay down forever, and not everyone wants a mini-SUV.
And, historically, one of Fiat’s big problems in the US was not having an adequate dealer network. So not having Chrysler dealers share product was just stupid. If Neon leaves a bad taste with US buyers, maybe they should try selling the Mexican car as a Dart, including a wagon version.
But, coupled with the poor reliability ratings of some recent Fiat and Chrysler models, I don’t see much of a future in the US for either.
Happy Motoring, Mark
Allpar has been reporting plans afoot to sell the Tipo in the US branded as a Chrysler 100, but Automotive News reports the Chrysler 100 idea has been dropped.
From other material I have seen, the Tipo suffers cheap materials and a not class leading driving experience. It is priced against Dacia, rather than VW, Opel and Ford. A Chrysler produced from such pedestrian roots would probably be another silk sow’s ear, like the 200.
“At least most Mexican consumers won’t realize it’s a badge job—Fiat’s Mexican lineup doesn’t include the Grand Siena or, indeed, any sedans.”
I’m pretty sure anyone from anywhere with an established market for cars would notice a slapdash rebadge like that.
I think the Tipo/Neon would have been more successful than the Dart, with the right engines. The Dart was too big and too heavy for its more efficient power trains and that was a big part of its critical failure. A less expensive car without those drivetrains flaws might’ve brought people back into Dodge showrooms. Perhaps they could try a US Neon based on this architecture sometime again, to face off against the likes of Versa, Sentra, Forte, etc.
They did fine with the previous Dodge Attitude, and they didn’t even bother to take off any of the Hyundai badges on that one.
I love my Dart. My mother was surprised at how nice my limited was having only seen base models before mine. My brother liked mine so much, he bought the exact same special edition limited in another color. Sad to see it go, but it’ll probably be my last Dodge. I can’t see paying that much for a for a Challenger, and had really hoped to trade into a Dart hatchback.
They should never put the name Neon on anything else. Damned lousy car. Oh but wait, most Chrysler products are lousy.
A good friend bought one of the first ‘new’ Darts a few years ago, and liked it so much he just traded it for a 2016 version with better equipment and a nicer color. I like it. The styling is OK/not overly weird for a contemporary small car. It’s also nice driving and real zippy with the 6-speed manual. But he’s already had problems with a power window, the electric power steering and manual tranny, which the dealer quickly resolved (or the problems resolved themselves) – not reassuring for long term reliability with such a new vehicle.
Happy Motoring, Mark
¡Hola otra vez!