This nameplate first appeared for the 1960 model year and quickly became one of Dodge’s most familiar cars of the 1960s and 1970s. The early versions were introduced as a larger, lower-priced Dodge, then the line shifted through different size classes before settling into the compact A-body role that enthusiasts most often associate with the badge. Over the years, it became a broad family of coupes, sedans, and hardtops, and later performance-minded versions such as the Swinger, Demon, and Dart Sport gave it a lasting place in Mopar history. The original production run ended after the 1976 model year.
After a long absence, the name was revived for the 2013 model year on a very different kind of car: a modern front-wheel-drive compact sedan aimed at the mainstream small-car market. That revival carried the old badge into a new era, but it too was short-lived, ending after the 2016 model year. Because the nameplate was discontinued and later brought back, it has multiple distinct production periods rather than one continuous run.