The Dodge Dart played a key role in the brand’s history, but Dodge ended production in 2016 without introducing a direct successor. Nine years later, the model has unexpectedly returned to the spotlight in the United States for a curious reason. According to official data that Stellantis released in recent days, Dodge Dart registrations in 2025 jumped by 500 percent compared with the previous year. Yes, that number is correct.
Discontinued Dodge Dart posts a 500% sales increase in the U.S. in 2025
The figures remain extremely small, yet they tell an unusual story. In 2025, buyers registered six Dodge Dart units, compared with just one registration in 2024. The data do not clarify whether dealers sold forgotten inventory or completed re-registrations. Even so, the anomaly stands out. After all, the Dodge Dart still retains a degree of popularity among U.S. buyers.
The Dart was not the only Stellantis “zombie car” to find buyers last year. Dodge registered 17 units of the Journey in 2025, despite discontinuing the model in 2020. Dealers also sold two Fiat 500L units, produced between 2014 and 2020, along with nine Dodge Grand Caravan models built from 2008 to 2020. According to some observers, these figures reinforce a cynical but persistent idea: if a vehicle sits on a dealer lot long enough, someone will eventually buy it.
Beyond this curious zombie-car phenomenon, Stellantis faced a more challenging year in the U.S. market. In 2025, the group delivered 1,260,344 vehicles in the United States, down 3 percent from 1,303,570 units in 2024. Alfa Romeo recorded the steepest decline at –36 percent, followed by Dodge at –28 percent and Fiat at –14 percent. By contrast, Jeep, Ram, and Chrysler held relatively stable positions.
The final quarter of the year, however, offered more encouraging signs. Stellantis posted a 4 percent year-over-year increase, driven by its strongest nameplates. Ram boosted 1500 sales by 23 percent, Dodge Durango more than doubled with a 114 percent surge, Jeep Wagoneer grew 67 percent, and Jeep Gladiator finished the year with an impressive 93 percent increase. These results confirm that several core models continue to attract strong demand in the U.S., even as the group navigates broader market pressures.
