Zombie cars continue to roam among us. Despite being out of production for many years, they stubbornly refuse to disappear. In recent times, Stellantis has had the most notorious examples of these dead-but-alive vehicles, including a 'new' Viper that someone purchased in the first quarter of 2024. The latest sales figures for Q3 2024 reveal yet another Dodge. This one, however, is far less thrilling than the V-10 monster. Yes, it's a humble Dart. The dealer likely forgot all about this compact sedan, leaving it to languish in a corner of the lot. It's been gathering dust for several years, considering the last Dart was assembled eight years ago. Indeed, Dodge produced the final car at the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois way back in September 2016. Technically, the econobox survived into 2017 when the equivalent Fiat Viaggio sedan and Ottimo hatchback for China were discontinued.
What could drive someone to buy an unused Dart after all this time? Surely, that person got an incredible deal, as the dealer must have been desperate to offload the car. The Dart has consistently appeared in the sales chart, with Dodge managing to sell three cars in 2023 and four the year before. Looking further back, ten people bought one in 2021, and another seven were sold in 2020. Before it vanished, the 2016 Dart started at $18,990 for the base model. In 2024, it's challenging to find a brand-new car for under $20,000. The Kia Rio and Chevy Spark are gone, while the Mitsubishi Mirage and Kia Forte are on their way out. Thankfully, the 2025 Nissan Versa remains refreshingly affordable at $18,330, making it America's cheapest car. The Versa costs roughly 62% less than the average new car sold in the US. According to the Kelley Blue Book, the average transaction price of a new vehicle in July 2024 was $48,401. Transaction prices have declined year over year for 10 consecutive months, with the peak being in December 2022 at $49,929.
