Chrysler Is Supposedly Working On A Very Cheap New Car called the Pronto

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JiffyParker@reddit

Makes you wonder if they somehow brought back the exact same thing as the neon was but updated to modern standards, what the price would be.

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narwhal_breeder@reddit

what people consider "modern standards" varies widely

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xrelaht@reddit

I had two Nissan Versa rentals last year. I liked them enough to see if I could find a manual Note in decent shape. If Dodge released a Neon up to those standards, I’d be happy.

Given Nissan isn’t selling them in the US anymore, I am almost certainly in the minority.

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CharlesP2009@reddit

I was gonna say, a new Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge Neon would basically be a Nissan Versa.

I feel like the CVT doesn't belong though haha. But Chrysler has access to automatic transmissions so pop one of those in there. (Would the Neon have had a CVT if they were mainstream in 1994? I guess probably!)

And I suppose people would insist there has to be a hot version. Chrysler has access to sportier engines and suspension and stuff.

Personally though I'd like a modern Neon to be a hybrid. It'll make the car more economical if it doesn't have to idle the engine in traffic or to keep the A/C going in a parking lot. The Neon was a decent economy car for the time. So that hybrid nowadays IMO.

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popups4life@reddit

"No heated seats or air vents for the back seats and as we come around back you can see we only get a manual rear hatch"

-Every "reasonably" priced vehicle review for the past 5 years.

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CHEEKY_BASTARD@reddit

And the incessant scratching and tapping on the “hard plastics.”

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JBoy9028@reddit

Maybe it because I drive 15+ year old Nissans, and grew up with 90s GM, but plastics have never bothered me. How often are people pressing into their dash to make it being soft touch worth it?

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henchman171@reddit

Hard plastics in my 60000 dollar hybrid Toyota…..

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Lower_Kick268@reddit

Why would you spend 60k on a Toyota?

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henchman171@reddit

Because that’s the cost of a Toyota minivan. I assume you live in the 2000s still?

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AndroidMyAndroid@reddit

He drives Chevys and probably assumes that Toyota sells their cars 25% off MSRP like GM does.

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Lower_Kick268@reddit

I drive Chevy's because theyre reliable and cheap, the Toyotas aint any good nowadays anyway so who cares really.

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AndroidMyAndroid@reddit

Chevy makes good products - I'd argue that anything with a V8 is solid. But you have to acknowledge that a Tacoma from the same era as your Colorado is worth twice as much, even though that was a good truck from GM. Full size trucks are one of the only segments that Toyota competes in that they don't define - Tacoma, Corolla, Camry, Sienna, Rav4 are all the car in that segment against which everything else is compared.

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Lower_Kick268@reddit

Hilarious youre calling a GM V8 truck good lol, theyre terrible nowadays but Toyota aint any better with the dogshitass Tundras that explode. Idk why a Tacoma from 2008 is worth more than my Colorado TBH, they rust out way worse, get worse fuel economy, make less power than the i5 with their v6, and parts are more expensive. What you said about them being "the car" isnt true either, id be willing to bet most people are gonna think of a Ranger when they think midsize truck and a Dodge/Chrysler for the minivan, Toyota has their 2 cars and they do those well, but i dont really think theyre worth paying at or over msrp for. Honda and Hyundai make great cars too and you dont have to pay over MSRP for them

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AndroidMyAndroid@reddit

Newer GM trucks have problems, but I don't really think anyone makes a truly trustowrthy truck these days - maybe the 5.0 Fords if I had to pick one.

Tacomas don't depreciate because they will run forever if you take care of them, and they don't ask for much at that. The Ranger went off the market for a while and the truck we got now doesn't hold a candle to the Tacoma in sales, so I'd say the Tacoma still has it beat in terms of recognition. Everyone wants a Tacoma mid-size, everyone wants an F-150 full size.

Hyundai are shit, their engines have the highest failure rate in the industry.

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Lower_Kick268@reddit

Nobody wants a new Tacoma lol, that's why Toyota can't move them and discounts them, they're unreliable and have tons of quality control issues. Dodge makes a solid fullsize, they use the ZF8 and the engines are decent. Even then the 2008 ones aren't anything special, you could say the same about my Colorado, those inline 5's just run and run and run.

Also Hyundai's aren't shit anymore, this is a common misconception, their engines are like 2 gens past the Theta 2's that would seize. The new ones are actually pretty reliable if you look at the data

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AndroidMyAndroid@reddit

Where ass cheek are you getting your data from? Last lear Toyota sold 274k Tacomas, Ford sold 150k Mavericks (if you can say that's a competitor) and just 70k Rangers. The Colorado sold around 107k units.

Tacoma absolutely wiped the floor with the competition in sales.

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Upnorth4@reddit

More reason not to buy a Toyota

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AndroidMyAndroid@reddit

You save on the price when you buy a GM product, you save on a Toyota after the warranty expires or you go to sell it and it's still worth something.

Toyota is the king of building mainstream cars and trucks, nobody else comes close, not even Honda, especially when you include Lexus in the picture.

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Upnorth4@reddit

Toyota's recent reliability has fallen. Competitors like GM and Kia are catching up quickly.

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AndroidMyAndroid@reddit

Toyota has recently refreshed a very old lineup with a lot of new tech and design updates. Their business model makes it almost impossible for a company like GM to consistently build cars to the same level of reliability, the drawback is that Toyotas are expensive compared to their direct competitors and tend to sit on the market for a while.

If you think a 2026 Equinox will be as nice, or worth as much as a 2026 Rav4 in 12 years when they both have 150k miles on them, by all means go buy the Chevy.

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Upnorth4@reddit

It's a car, it's a tool to be used until it's no longer useful. Resale value doesn't matter as much to me.

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AndroidMyAndroid@reddit

A Toyota product, on average, will be useful much longer than a GM product. They have higher resale because for the same age and mileage, the Toyota has more life left in it.

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Lower_Kick268@reddit

This isn't true anymore though, the new Toyotas are junk, once maintenance starts racking up on them they won't have higher resale value either.

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AndroidMyAndroid@reddit

Do you have any evidence to support that?

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Lower_Kick268@reddit

This is correct, theyre shit nowadays, most of their newer drivetrains are plagued with issues.

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Upnorth4@reddit

And the new turbos are shit

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Lancer876@reddit

Only if you're getting a high trim, which is the point of his question

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Lower_Kick268@reddit

Exactly, like 60k can buy an actual nice car, a high trim toyota is still a toyota, why buy a toyota when you can get like a Cadillac or even a Kia.

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henchman171@reddit

The high trim is 70000 though.

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Lower_Kick268@reddit

Yeah and you can buy way better minivans for less, like a loaded Carnival Hybrid, you get that in the 50s.

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FSCK_Fascists@reddit

because stealing is wrong.

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Lower_Kick268@reddit

?

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FMJoey325@reddit

I only buy cars with *soft* plastics

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NightFuryToni@reddit

Everybody hates on old GM plastic and pleather interiors, but when I traded in my almost 20-year old Pontiac the interior was in great condition, no cracks or anything. That interior has been exposed to elements and even rained on (it was a convertible), it held up just fine.

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FSCK_Fascists@reddit

plastics in the 60's were trash. cracked, split, and disintegrated quickly. In the 70's they got better, but still would crack and split after a few years. 80's a bit better. in the 90's they realized the sun exists and added UV protection. Big improvement. its all been incremental improvements since then, and are in a great state compared to the cars I grew up in.

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NightFuryToni@reddit

Maybe except for Chrysler......

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pdp10@reddit

It's because luxury marques had nicer interiors, and a great many brands like VW have been aspiring for years to be as luxury as Mercedes-Benz is in North America. Therefore, non-luxury interiors as seen as admitting to a lower category.

I like light sports cars and actual-utility vehicles, so for anything that has to be there, I normally want the cheap plastic, as long as it wears well. (Center consoles used to be optional features decades ago, but I think that's never the case any more.)

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hells_cowbells@reddit

The only time I find it annoying is when it's hard plastic on the upper door trim, by the windows. I tend to rest my elbow there while driving, it annoys me in my Frontier.

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FSCK_Fascists@reddit

try something like this. I bought one (not this brand) at a truck stop and love it.
www.amazon.com/dp/B01IUO4OMW

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hells_cowbells@reddit

Oh, that's interesting. It's cheap enough to give it a try. Thanks for the tip!

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FSCK_Fascists@reddit

browse for different types, there are a lot of variations out there. find one that suits you best. I was a folding one that lays pretty flat when not in use that caught my eye as a replacement some day.

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Bassracerx@reddit

its hard to do that now the belt lines of the windows on modern cars are above nipple height. then again i am not a giant at only 5 foot 9.

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hells_cowbells@reddit

That's one thing I like about my Frontier. It has low beltlines and good visibility.

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RiftHunter4@reddit

I can understand leather steering wheels and seats but I don't really understand the critiques about hard plastics in a cheap daily, especially if they are sturdy like the stuff Toyota uses. my car will be 16yo this year and that thing doesn't have a single squeak or rattle. and its easier to clean than leather.

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FSCK_Fascists@reddit

leftover hate from the shit plastics of the past. a lot of people- either firsthand or by being raised to hate it- see plastics in a car as trash.

They are way better now.

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Buttholium@reddit

It's a thin veneer of criticism to make the reviewer seem like they're unbiased since they're afraid they won't be provided press cars anymore if they say anything too harsh.

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AndroidMyAndroid@reddit

It's a lot easier to say "hard plastic" than "boring". Honestly modern, cheap cars are just modern cars that have been decontented to a price point. A base Corolla still has Carplay and that's enough to make most people oooh and ahhh.

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AdmiralZassman@reddit

Hard stuff rattles and has worse fit and finish. I much prefer soft touch on upper door, upper dash, and arm rests. The rest can all be GM Rubbermaid style shit

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rewardingsnark@reddit

More important than soft is texture, alignment and scratch resistance. But you are right soft is just a nice to have.

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Lower_Kick268@reddit

I've never cared either, all the vinyl looks like shit after a decade anyways

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MumpsyDaisy@reddit

just make the arm rests kind of padded and idc how hard anything else is

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creep_nu@reddit

I think it's less about the feel and more about the squeak and rattles or cheap plastic...soft touch acts as a damper

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RicoLoveless@reddit

I've yet to actually be in a car that didn't have plastics, piano black or "wood" panel lol

Looks normal to me!

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sea_foam_blues@reddit

Ah, yes. Carwow.

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SaintTastyTaint@reddit

I actually prefer my manual rear hatch on my E83 X3 than I do our 2024 Outback with the automatic one.

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expertninja@reddit

That’s the joke, reviewers trash cheap cars for being cheap and having less features

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pdp10@reddit

I strongly prefer manual seat adjustment. It might be my imagination, or happenstance, but it seems like more new cars/models are back to using manual seats than was the case recently.

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expertninja@reddit

There has been an enshittification of car interiors in general. I love a well designed manual seat, one that flips up in a coupe and flips back down to the same place on the seat rail.

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JiffyParker@reddit

bare bones, nothing more than the minimum for required safety requirements is what I was referring to.

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narwhal_breeder@reddit

Every time a company does this in the modern day - it doesn't do well here - because it competes with the ever-more reliable used car.

Cars are more reliable and long lasting than ever, meaning fewer reasons to pick a car just because it's new.

These hyper-cheap models lack the primary reasons people want a new car over a used one. Higher safety, better tech, or more creature comforts. Most people are willing to pay more for them - so cars like the Mirage dont do exceedingly well here.

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MagillaGorillasHat@reddit

I've only bought a brand new car once in my life and I doubt I'll ever do it again.

It's just not worth taking the depreciation hit.

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pdp10@reddit

I have to buy my brown manual wagons new because I can't find them used.

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WitheredTechnology@reddit

The U.S. is funny like that, people constantly complain about high car prices but let the Mirage, Versa, Rio, Accent, Spark, Sonic, Mazda 2, Yaris, etc; sit on lots and eventually get cancelled.

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pdp10@reddit

I haven't seen data showing those small, inexpensive cars sitting on lots for more days than big expensive vehicles. I suspect dealers are more eager to let expensive, high-margin cars take up lot space than inexpensive, low-margin cars, though.
The general public is wary of the word "CVT", in my experience, and all of those small cars sitting on lots have CVTs (because the manuals already sold).

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Pad_TyTy@reddit

That's because people want to be cheap but look expensive

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trail-g62Bim@reddit

Yep. People don't want cheap cars. They want expensive cars to magically be cheap.

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Skensis@reddit

I want Filet for the price of hamburger!

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hutacars@reddit

Hence why the Envista sells.

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SizeableFowl@reddit

Yeah, you can often find a well optioned 3 year old car for significantly less than a brand new base model.

We got a CPO 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe one trim level down from fully loaded for like 22 grand last July. Base model brand new one was like $35k iirc. Kind of dumb tbh.

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boondoggie42@reddit

I mean, Toyota sells the Corolla for $20k with radar cruise control and lane assist.

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SkellyJelly33@reddit

More like $25k

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boondoggie42@reddit

I mean, my buddy got one for 20k otd like 6 months ago.

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xrelaht@reddit

They exist, but Autotrader says all save one are at a single dealership in Florida.

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SkellyJelly33@reddit

Nice. Apparently you can get a brand new 2025 Nissan Versa for $15k too.

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ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

There are still “new” 2024s listed on Autotrader! Starting at $19k!

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FourEyesAndThighs@reddit

Nah, now way a 2024 Corolla would not have found an owner yet (non-GR Corollas at least).

There is one "new" 2024 Corolla on Autotrader with actual images and not a stock photo. It's listed as new yet has 62,000 miles on it and shows up as a used car with 11 records on Carfax.

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Captain_Alaska@reddit

That’s mostly a byproduct of modern AEB requirements, the car has to have the hardware there anyway.

That’s why it’s suddenly become standard equipment on a lot of cheap cars in the last 5-10 years.

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Jabbles22@reddit

Sure but at the very least the car would have to comply with modern safety and emission standards.

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RacerM53@reddit

20k-25k for a simple commuter would be nice (pick up a used one for 15k-ish)

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splattypus@reddit

'Affordable new car' for the American market?

Dealer msrp 28k, plus delivery fee

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jon13000@reddit

40k, slap a jeep name on it and 70k.

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Shallow_wanderer@reddit

I feel like we might have something like that in the form of the new Nissan Sentra - the thing with "modern standards" is that it basically amounts to "ipad on wheels" at this point

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rewardingsnark@reddit

There is no way they don't price match Civic/Corolla

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Recoil42@reddit

I mean, that exists. You can get a Versa or Sentra right now. So the answer is right around $20k.

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vampyrelestat@reddit

30k starting price in Canada

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CurbsEnthusiasm@reddit

I hope that means the rear seats have power windows, because front power windows and rear roll down is a terrible way to cut costs.

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Hnry_Dvd_Thr_Awy@reddit

Cars track inflation pretty well. $13,500 MSRP in 2003 for a 2004 MY is $24,500 today. It's a Chrysler product so you can expect a discount off MSRP which brings it right in line with all the other "cheapest" cars.

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narwhal_breeder@reddit

it would be cool to see them on the road again for the 10 years they last before they turn into iron oxide dust.

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milesdriven@reddit

I live in the rust belt and still see Neons almost daily. Quite a few survivors .

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Upnorth4@reddit

Same here in California

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pdp10@reddit

Modern cars sold in North America are all dipped in e-coat. There's very little rust compared to cars decades ago.

I predict that today's cars will succumb to mysterious, undiagnosed problems, many of them electrical; expensive parts; lack of available parts; and expensive labor in collision repairs, especially for EVs.

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Shmokesshweed@reddit

My dad's 2002 Neon last 23 years somehow. Burned oil like no tomorrow.

Someone hit him and he got $4000 for it.

And we wonder why insurance costs so much.

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TealPotato@reddit

Imagine a Neon Hellcat

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cd6020@reddit

Hi! <--- actual marketing slogan for the Neon from the mid 90s.

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wildfire98@reddit

Hi.

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Suck_My_Thick@reddit

The SRT4 was legendary when I first got into cars. I think they all blew up now, lol.

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LeanGroundQueef@reddit

Rusted into nothingness.

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riptide120@reddit

Hi.

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mini4x@reddit

It'll be a rebadged Citroen.

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Temporary_Shirt_6236@reddit

Or Caliber 2.0

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Lower_Kick268@reddit

The legend has returned

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WitheredTechnology@reddit

As cheaply made as they were, they had personality lol

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Fishtaco1234@reddit

The dart

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solo118@reddit

fwiw, people may be clamoring for a low cost vehicle rn. Not a bad idea

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Dickis88@reddit

Low cost vehicle right on the cusp of the next big oil crisis honestly would be a slam dunk deal compared to even a year ago.

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solo118@reddit

I find it funny that EV/Hybrid sales are exploding only when things get dicey at the pump...

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narwhal_breeder@reddit

Didnt really work out for the Versa or Mirage.

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Sabinno@reddit

Indeed - and more, like my beloved Fiesta. The subcompact segment in the U.S. literally does not exist anymore now that the Versa was discontinued (except for the Mini Cooper, which I'd argue is a novelty car in the same vein as the Beetle). I doubt it's coming back. I suspect it's a combination of:

feature/safety creep pushing consumers to the next segment up for "only a few thousand more"
consumers being obsessed with car subscriptions ("monthly payments" rather than total price)
our roads being large enough to accommodate much larger vehicles, no practical need for tiny vehicles
substantially lower quality in subcompact vs compact models

And probably some other stuff I'm missing. But yeah, basically, until China is allowed to sell cars here for a reasonable price, subcompacts are likely staying dead. Even Nissan selling \~50k Versa units per year is not enough for them to keep it around.

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pdp10@reddit

You forgot the Honda Fit, Honda Insight, Geo Tracker, Suzuki Samurai, Toyota MR2, Fiat 500, Smart, Scion xB and tC...

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narwhal_breeder@reddit

Of those, adjusted for inflation - only the Smart 4two and samurai are cheaper than the cheapest car on sale new in the US today, the hyundai venue.

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DetroitLionsEh@reddit

Yeah but we’re really poor now

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narwhal_breeder@reddit

On the contrary - compared to 10 years ago - the median household is wealthier, which probably explains why these ultra-low-cost cars haven't been revived my more makes.

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/data/MEHOINUSA672N

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DetroitLionsEh@reddit

These arguments get tiring. You’re not the first on this sub that likes to point this out while ignoring the rapid rise of expenses in the same timeframe

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narwhal_breeder@reddit

Real dollars means adjusted for expenses - that's the entire point of adjusting for inflation.

"I got poorer" does not mean everyone did. You think just because it doesn't match your own experience, or even your small local communities, that its true for everyone.

On average, the median house is richer, adjusted for housing, food costs, transportation, and all of the other hundreds of things included in the CPI.

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DetroitLionsEh@reddit

I’m incredibly well off compared to 10 years ago, but thanks for the armchair psychology

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narwhal_breeder@reddit

That is great - I would recommend trying to continue that path of self growth by familiarizing yourself with 9th grade statistics.

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DetroitLionsEh@reddit

Table Data - Real Median Household Income in the United States

You didn’t even read your own study posted and are talking about high school classes. Man lol

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narwhal_breeder@reddit

Real, when discussing census income, means buying power. i.e. Inflation adjusted.

As you can see in the units section:
2024 C-CPI-U Dollars

C-CPI-U = adjusted for inflation using the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.

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Competitive-Yam9137@reddit

got any recent figures? 2024 was two years ago. a whole lot has changed since 2024.

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DetroitLionsEh@reddit

Whatever you need to tell yourself dude 😂

Armchair psychology and saying “reading comprehension”. Reddit on bro

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AndreLeGeant88@reddit

I love inflation measures. Especially since people take it as gospel despite continuous adjustments intended to reduce the number. The new incoming chair has already discussed his plan to fight inflation: change how it's calculated.

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narwhal_breeder@reddit

I’m curious what you think the date is on the unit (2000-2024) is other than how long they’ve been using the same methodology.

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mgobla@reddit

Why is no one buying leftover, still unsold Mirage and Versa then...

When was the last time YOU bought a brand new car under $20k?

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solo118@reddit

different times call for different measures.... new car average is now in the 50k region, imagine coming in hot at half that

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Tuxedo_Muffin@reddit

2027 Nissan Leaf expected to be about $30k

2027 Ford Maverick *may get down to $26k

I guess we'll see.

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hutacars@reddit

Is that why average transaction prices just ticked up to their highest ever?

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DetroitLionsEh@reddit

Almost like $1 isn’t what it used to be

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skagoat@reddit

Neons sold like hot cakes in the late 90s

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mgobla@reddit

they want big used cars, not new small cars

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moonwoolf35@reddit

Chrysler makes no sense, they need a top tier luxury flagship considering that their supposed to be they luxury brand. Wtf are they even doing

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RebelAlliance1701@reddit

So...Imperial?

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tempestokapi@reddit

do you think with the suspension of CAFE fines, we can get small efficient cars again?

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Drzhivago138@reddit

No, because completely suspending CAFE fines like the administration did last year makes it even easier to build large, inefficient vehicles. The real fix would be to get rid of the light truck loophole, and/or re-classify all unibody crossovers and minivans as cars instead of trucks, but that's about as politically feasible right now as raising the gas tax.

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obgyb@reddit

End the Chicken Tax and we get: Toyota Hilux Suzuki Jimny just to name a few solid winners for USA.

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Drzhivago138@reddit

That's not at all related to CAFE, but okay...

I think enthusiast groups overestimate how popular those vehicles would actually be if they were sold in the US. The Jimny, yes, it'd be in a segment all of its own today, at least for highway-legal vehicles (i.e. not UTVs). Its closest competitors from when it was last sold here have either gotten bigger, turned into CUVs, or no longer exist.

But the Hilux? We had that in the US until 1995. The reason they switched to the Tacoma was not because of the chicken tax--they had been building it at the NUMMI plant in Fremont for years tax-free. The biggest reason was that after polling owners, what they found most wanted was a vehicle with a more comfortable ride, more power, better MPG, more refinement, etc. even if all that came at the cost of payload and general ruggedness. It's the same reason the US Frontier and the global Navara also began diverging, or the US Ranger and global Ranger/Courier, or the US S-10/Colorado and its global counterparts.

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RandosaurusRex@reddit

US Ranger and global Ranger/Courier

although these are now largely one and the same vehicle again, oddly enough

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Drzhivago138@reddit

True, the biggest difference between them now is the bumpers.

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vagabond139@reddit

It doesn't make it any easier though. They know that it can be undone in 4 years. It's not codified into law and it does not have support from half of the government. Nothing is certain. On top of that you can't just wave a wand and suddenly shift development of a car that has been in the works for the last 5 years. And top of that you are thinking small like a American, the car market is global. We aren't the only market for cars and other markets haven't have any change like we have had by going backwards on emissions.

Plus people have to want those vehicles. People generally like their vehicles to be fuel efficient and couldn't care less how it is achieved. On top of that we have sky high gas prices. There are some here wishing they didn't have a gas guzzling V8 right now.

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pdp10@reddit

other markets haven't have any change like we have had by going backwards on emissions.

Are you counting dieselgate?

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Drzhivago138@reddit

It doesn't make it any easier though. They know that it can be undone in 4 years. It's not codified into law and it does not have support from half of the government. Nothing is certain.

It makes it easier to continue offering the current models, not necessarily to introduce new models.

On top of that you can't just wave a wand and suddenly shift development of a car that has been in the works for the last 5 years.

Correct, that's why the OEMs didn't immediately cancel all EV or hybrid vehicles in favor of gas guzzlers.

And top of that you are thinking small like a American, the car market is global. We aren't the only market for cars and other markets haven't have any change like we have had by going backwards on emissions.

Also correct, but remember that the US market has historically been running on a different track, so to speak, from the ROW for its entire existence. The sprawling nature of our infrastructure and the generally lower price of fuel (even in the current spike) means we don't prioritize absolute MPG over every other factor.

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Glittery_Kittens@reddit

Pronto is a great name.

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Twiggyhiggle@reddit

So will it be a rebadged Fiat or Peugeot?

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V8-Turbo-Hybrid@reddit

It’s more like Peugeot models because Fiat is now only focus in small city car business, they don’t have own design compact and larger models in Europe.

The size of 308/Astra are same Civic and Corolla. If Chrysler wants to respond both Japanese hatchbacks in America, 308/Astra is definitely their candidate.

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Twiggyhiggle@reddit

Jeep Compass is already using a version of the 308 platform - so it makes sense to continue using it. However, if the Chrysler wants a low price car, it might be a smaller car. After the 2008 economic crisis all the car manufacturers had sub compact models released- Fiesta, Sonic, Rio, Fit, Yaris, IX, etc.

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niftyjack@reddit

The Peugeot 3008 is about the same size as a Chevy Trax and on the STLA Medium platform but the cheapest it gets seems to be $28k USD in Saudia Arabia—granted, that's with a 1.6 turbo that would be the most powerful in the segment. With some decontenting and a cheaper drivetrain they could probably get there.

Imo a slam dunk would be captive importing the Fiat Grande Panda; the hybrid with American-level specs costs $20.6k, and it would be easy to cross sell the more rugged Panda look as a Jeep with the platform mate Opel Frontera as a Chrysler.

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Hoovooloo42@reddit

I could go for a Twingusa

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Competitive-Yam9137@reddit

nah Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi have an alliance (to make the cars with the worst resale possible?) they aren't Stellantis

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dimebag2011@reddit

No, Peugeot and Citroen are the french brands of Stellantis

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mgobla@reddit

Apparently changing them to do decently in US crash tests would be so expensive they might as well make a new model.

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UmaThurmish@reddit

what was the last time a rebadged Peugeot ever made it to the U.S?

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ryzenguy111@reddit

Now, the RAM Promaster City

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Tuxedo_Muffin@reddit

That little Promaster is such a POS.

We have 1 in our fleet. The best thing the driver can say about it is "It's a company provided vehicle"

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UmaThurmish@reddit

ah makes sense why it's a normal sized van that looks good.

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Drzhivago138@reddit

It's not here yet, but it will be.

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Torogthir@reddit

With that name it should be a Fiat 🤌🤌

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KingMario05@reddit

Only on Reddit would this be seen as a bad thing, lol. Look, they're finally giving Chrysler something new to sell. And it's something the masses all claim to want. I say, let's see what Auburn Hills has got. And hopefully, the profits made will go towards a new 300 on STLA Large. That's the one I wanna see make it to production.

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Left4DayZGone@reddit

What’s wrong with “Neon”?

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KingMario05@reddit

"It's not new! We want new!"

-Stellantis

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Rubber_Raven@reddit

Too bad we can't go back to basics like the 90s where you could order a car without a ton of stuff and even manual windows and sometimes no airbags or even no ac

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nuttageyo@reddit

Triple AAA will have to get there Pronto when it breaks down

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Shmokesshweed@reddit

Triple Triple A.

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The_Spectacle@reddit

AAAAAA

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a_modal_citizen@reddit

The sound of passengers in a Chrysler Pronto?

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hutacars@reddit

The engine as it tries to get up to speed

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Upnorth4@reddit

If they put a CVT in it it will sound more like "EEEEEEEE"

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nuttageyo@reddit

More

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knowsitall-@reddit

Or AAA cubed? That’s a lot.

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ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

I think it would be 3(AAA)

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knowsitall-@reddit

A cubed

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aquintana@reddit

That’s like nine A’s

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JoveyJove@reddit

Lucky I'm a member of the Astro-Afro-Antarctico-Amer-Asian Auto Association. Hello? Septuple-A?

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ChonkyHippo283@reddit

I mean if they’re going to produce absolute dog shit cars at least they’re cheap?

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MrHugh_Janus@reddit

Well, If their expensive cars are dog shit, I can’t even imagine what their cheap cars would be

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flapsmcgee@reddit

Dog shit but with lower expectations

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Nervous_Olive_5754@reddit

And no margins, finally ending the business

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FSCK_Fascists@reddit

or maybe launching them in a new direction. there is a market for cheap simple commuters. Leave off all the shit that breaks in a chrysler, like electronics, trim, useless doodads, and make an efficient simple car. could save them if done right. They have plenty of efficient tried and reliable 4 cylinder engines and light transmissions.

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Nervous_Olive_5754@reddit

There's no margin on the low end by definition.

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FSCK_Fascists@reddit

if you are referring to financial reporting only. low end basic products can have margins. with minimal competition, those margins can be quite good.

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Nervous_Olive_5754@reddit

And you can expect if there were any success, there'd be competition. The people who are good at this are pulling out now. The companies that were never that great at this, like Chrysler, pulled out of the low-margin business because they need large margins to survive.

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FSCK_Fascists@reddit

The companies that were never that great at this, like Chrysler, pulled out of the low-margin business because they need large margins to survive.

https://old.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/1tb8de1/chrysler_is_supposedly_working_on_a_very_cheap/

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Buttholium@reddit

Same shit same dog

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GrimInspector@reddit

Would be funny if those cheap cars ended up being more reliable than the expensive crap.

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expertninja@reddit

Usually are, the things that break are all the electronic bits. Best solution for reliability in any car model is getting the most volume option, aka rental car spec or fleet spec.

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FSCK_Fascists@reddit

10 years with a manual roll up window and nothing breaks.

and if it does, its a simple fix.

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funkmon@reddit

I'll buy it

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oralabora@reddit

The same as the expensive ones with cheap(er) finishes.

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Lower_Kick268@reddit

They're not dogshit tho, aside from the Hornet and Compass Stellantis really doesn't make anything that bad.

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Bderken@reddit

I know 3 people who got the charger Ev on a lease and they all sat at the dealer for \~6 months.

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Lower_Kick268@reddit

Yeah because nobody wants a Charger EV, that's like getting a vegan cheeseburger, your customerbase isn't very big since it defeats the whole point of it. They're not having issues selling the Hurricane chargers though, some dealers have wait lists for the Hemi ones.

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idontremembermyoldus@reddit

I think he means they sat for six months waiting to be fixed. None of the Stellantis EVs has a good track record.

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Bderken@reddit

Yeah that’s what I meant, they bought them and used them for less than 3 months in the full year they owned it

[-]

DoublePostedBroski@reddit

I present to you: Jeep

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howyinzdoingnat@reddit

The company that sells the most poorly made car is now going to make an even less quality vehicle!

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Santa_Ricotta69@reddit

Idk I think that's cap, I had a 200C rental once and it was pretty nice. Definitely nicer quality than a Toyota (all of which feel like complete Tupperware inside)

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howyinzdoingnat@reddit

It was nicer for the 4 days you had it. What’s it like at year two of ownership?

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8funnydude@reddit

I've had my 2019 V6 300S for 6 years now. All I do is keep up with regular fluid changes.

No complaints, no issues, no weird noises inside and out. Very solid vehicle.

Even after getting lightly t-boned at the 3 year mark, we fixed up the passenger side, and it's still going strong.

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MandoBaggins@reddit

I feel like they really dropped the ball by not continuing the 300 series. I would think leaning into that versus just continuing a single minivan would’ve been more profitable but what do I know

[-]

howyinzdoingnat@reddit

Then it’s settled. Stellantis is a stellar quality company that makes Lexus quality cars with more style!

[-]

8funnydude@reddit

Alright Mr. Top 1% Commenter.

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howyinzdoingnat@reddit

That’s a very low bar Mr Chrysler makes a good product

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Odd_Addition3909@reddit

I had one from 2017-2025 with 0 issues. V6 AWD 200C that parallel parked itself

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howyinzdoingnat@reddit

Wow

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Bella_Mia_@reddit

Most likely a minivan

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doug_Or@reddit

Why would the shitbox be a Chrysler and not a Dodge? Is the brand equity in Chrysler just so non-existent and they want to avoid alienating Durango buyers?

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creep_nu@reddit

I could honestly see them rebuilding Chrysler as an entry level produce and test bed for cheap electric vehicles. Dodge ram and jeep won't take a reputation hit(what reputation I hear you say? Agreed).

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pdp10@reddit

It's still "RAM" and not Dodge, isn't it?

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creep_nu@reddit

I suppose commas would have been helpful

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Low-Umpire236@reddit

Chrysler doesn’t know what Chrysler is.

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skagoat@reddit

In Canada, you could get Chrysler, Plymouth and Dodge Neons.

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IamaFunGuy@reddit

This question operates on the theory that Chryslers are somehow not the shit boxes that Dodges are.

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mini4x@reddit

Currently Chrysler make one car a minivan, Pacifica if it's the Hybrid, and Voyager if it's gas.

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narwhal_breeder@reddit

Everyone knows how great the Chrysler 200 is.

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idespisemyhondacrv@reddit

It’s gonna be a cheap car that doesn’t look cheap, they’re trying to replace the niche left by takeover cars

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narwhal_breeder@reddit

Dodge is pivoting to exclusively service people with deeply entrenched masculinity issues.

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doug_Or@reddit

Pivoting? What have they been doing for the last decade?

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narwhal_breeder@reddit

They've had their hands in two markets - the single digit credit score single parent crowd (Dodge Journey), which they've fully lost to Nissan, and their more "traditional" market of dudes who's wives leave the room and lock the door if the football game isnt going the right way.

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shouldahadaflat4@reddit

🤣this gave me a chuckle

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ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

The junior enlisted market

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HighFiveKoala@reddit

Military recruits with bad credit scores

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No_Cherry_1423@reddit

They’ve spent 20 years gradually making the brand unappealing to everyone except its core customers, and those core customers are the 200k biggest cavemen in America. Chrysler is basically a blank slate with name recognition in contrast.

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datums@reddit

People here will be like, I’d buy it with a manual, rear wheel drive, with 300 horsepower, but manufacturers don’t have the courage to make cheap cars like that these days.

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pdp10@reddit

The manual, read-wheel drive, 300 horsepower Mustang was pretty cheap. The last year for that configuration was 2017, when the MSRP was $25,185.

Ford still makes that car, and all of the engines have over 300 horsepower, but Ford does lack the courage to make such a high-value combination available once again.

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kstetter@reddit

They used to make base model fleet sedans with rear wheel drive and 240+ horsepower

[-]

skagoat@reddit

When?

[-]

kstetter@reddit

2002 to 2005 in the BA Falcon, it was upgraded to 250hp in the BF Falcon and finally 260 in the FG in 2008 until 2016

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Drzhivago138@reddit

I was under the impression those were full-size cars at the top of Ford's Aus lineup, not necessarily cheap entry level cars.

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kstetter@reddit

It was still relatively cheap and popular. Being either the first or second best selling car in Australia from 1977 to 2005.

The engine specifications I used were from the entry-level variant, priced at AUD $33,640 in 2002. Versus the Camry's entry at $26,990 and the Commodore's $30,880. Positioned quite well for the most powerful base spec in the mid/full-size market.

But it was pricier compared to the $14,490 for a 2004 Fiesta or $20,990 for a 2005 Focus in Ford's line up.

[-]

leedle1234@reddit

There were/are tons of base model V6 Chargers in rental fleets too.

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BCPrimo@reddit

The jokes write themselves

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DishSoapIsFun@reddit

I am by no means wealthy, but you couldn’t pay me to go through the hassle of owning a piece of junk Chrysler. Or any Stellantis vehicle.

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V48runner@reddit

Can't wait for the Doug Demuro review. THIS INTERIOR IS CHEAP AND PLASTIKIY!!

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Black_Raven_2024@reddit

Ford should bring back the Pinto! Just make it electric so it doesn’t catch fire when it’s hit from behind.

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leftoutnotmad@reddit

I have a soft spot for Chrysler products so.. good luck!

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anchor_states@reddit

Every 20 years like clockwork they knock one reasonably priced car out of the park that keeps them going until the next big crisis, the k-car, the caravan, the neon, the 300, etc.

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RessurectedAccount@reddit

Why Chrysler though? Its a dead brand. Give it to Dodge ffs

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leedle1234@reddit

They've been planning a big brand relaunch for a while now, there was that news a couple years ago they gave them their own dedicated design and marketing teams. Might be a full lineup of rebadged, maybe even re-bodied french cars.

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kstetter@reddit

Chrysler had the PT Cruiser

[-]

RessurectedAccount@reddit

30 years ago. And?

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kstetter@reddit

The only two Chryslers I see in my country

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RessurectedAccount@reddit

But that is irrelevant to my point. For all intent and purposes, Chrysler is a dead brand now. They have one old minivan and that's it. There is no point in putting money into it when Stellantis is already saturated with brands.

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kstetter@reddit

The Chrysler 300 was their only good car since the 80s

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Santa_Ricotta69@reddit

Surprised nobody's mentioned that "PT Cruiser" stands for "Pronto Cruiser"

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Drzhivago138@reddit

I was under the impression it stood for "Personal Transport". Where did you hear this?

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Santa_Ricotta69@reddit

The concept was called Pronto Cruiser. They had several Pronto concepts during this era, one was a Roadster and I think there was a third one as well.

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Drzhivago138@reddit

Where'd you hear/see this?

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Santa_Ricotta69@reddit

I was alive when they came out. I'm pretty sure the concept was in a Gran Turismo.

[-]

Drzhivago138@reddit

I was alive when they came out.

As was I (8). I was fishing for some kind of link to an article or press release or something.

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HideyoshiJP@reddit

Or the counterpart concept, the Pronto Spyder.

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ZipTieTechnicianOne@reddit

When will it break down?

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A_ChadwickButMore@reddit

"Starting in the $20,000 range"

I miss my 2015 chevy spark that was 12k brand new ;-;

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Dr__Nick@reddit

Doesn't Peugeot or Citroen or FIAT or whatever Stellantis division have a cheap new car that Chrysler could build in the US? Isn't this what a large conglomerate automaker should be doing?

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OkDirection8015@reddit

I’ll believe it when I see it in showrooms.

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adotang@reddit

Looking it up, the "Pronto" name was previously used for a Plymouth concept that became... the PT Cruiser, back when it was slated to be a Plymouth model.

God? Is that you? Are you back to give us a sub-$20k PT Cruiser in the big '27 before leaving again?

[-]

ArCanSawDave@reddit

Fun fact: The concept car that the PT Cruiser was based on was called the Pronto Cruizer. They're bringing it back! Lol

[-]

nd4spd1919@reddit

Oh boy, I could get one and go for a nice relaxing drive, like a cruise.

In my Pronto.

A Pronto Cruise. Or, a PT Cruise for short.

Wait a second.

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racefever@reddit

We need to sell a cheap car, pronto!

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Plus_Fox9063@reddit

great, another poverty-mobile to avoid.

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Tactically_Fat@reddit

Chrysler has been making cheap cars for decades upon decades.

Not many of them are inexpensive, however.

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A_Downboat_Is_A_Sub@reddit

"We're making a very cheap car"

$27,000 base and no dealers have a base model

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fredinNH@reddit

The first car I bought new was a Plymouth volt for like $6200 in 1991. Never needed a single repair other than wear and tear items. I put 170k miles on it. Drove it all over the country.

Any modern car, even a stelantis product, is going to be reliable. If they want to make a really affordable machine that’s get people who don’t have a lot of money from point a to point b I’m all for it.

[-]

Outdoorguy2017@reddit

Oh good

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GrimInspector@reddit

Honestly I’m rooting for them, like yeah it’s kinda a walk of shame since they left the sedan market (I know Stellaris has sedans but cmon the Chrysler line is pathetic atm) and hope that this new car will be… acceptable and competitive at least.

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seaburno@reddit

Is its name how fast it will be recalled?

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wwwhatisgoingon@reddit

How soon is it going to be released?

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jabroni4545@reddit

Pronto.

[-]

DoubleExposure@reddit

Pronto, translated from Italian, means ready. Subito is the Italian word for right away or immediately.

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jabroni4545@reddit

Also means soon in Spanish.

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DoubleExposure@reddit

Italians also say "pronto" when they answer their phone.

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denkenach@reddit

Well, hurry up then. Pronto!

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nihil8r@reddit

what an awful name for acar

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Guilty-Lychee874@reddit

I am thinking foreign friends r my next purchase

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mattmaster68@reddit

Maybe then the Panamera won’t be the least reliable car for the nth year in a row lmao

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TripleShotPls@reddit

Funny, was just thinking the other day how this company needs a PT Cruiser moment right now.

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mini4x@reddit

Pronto was the name use for a concept car that eventually became the PT Cruiser.

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Gunstonwolf@reddit

Put the hurricane i6 in this please.

[-]

jalopaf2@reddit

I mean if it's small enough the I4 hurricane and an SRT-4 trim would be enough for me

[-]

nauticalfiesta@reddit

again?

[-]

MannyCoon@reddit

Remember the Plymouth Pronto Spyder concept? And the Pronto Cruiser was the name of the concept that became the production PT Cruiser.

[-]

HundleyC09@reddit

They should just bring back the neon name.

[-]

PinkishOcean430@reddit

No shit. All the names that get recycled and the neon won't?

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HundleyC09@reddit

Probably not.

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cubs223425@reddit

Does Stellantis understand any brand that isn't Jeep?

An EV-first Dodge Charger and an economy-class Chrysler sound like opposite dal jokes.

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redditissocoolyoyo@reddit

I like the name. Play on words. Pinto, pronto.

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Pro-editor-1105@reddit

A pronto until it breaks down

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Liandris@reddit

Sounds too close to Pinto. I don’t want to be reminded of that car.

[-]

mopar39426ml@reddit

Chrysler had the Pronto and Pronto Spyder concepts like 30 years ago that previewed the PT Cruiser (Pronto) and was vaguely Miata-like (Pronto Spyder).

I had toys of them that I really liked.

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