Used Plymouth Colt Vista Buying Guide (and Dodge Colt Vista)

The Plymouth Colt Vista and Dodge Colt Vista are the same tall, three-row wagon: a first-generation Mitsubishi Chariot sold by Chrysler from the mid-1980s through about 1991, with front-wheel drive or, from 1985, permanent four-wheel drive. If you're buying one now, you're buying a 35-to-40-year-old Mitsubishi. Pick the most rust-free example with service records, check the 4WD hardware if it has it, and run the VIN yourself, because NHTSA's recall lookup returned nothing for it when I tried.

On Oct. 20, 2026 I read the Truth About Cars' Colt history (Part IV covers the Vista), Curbside Classic's Colt Vista chapter, an Autoweek post on a 1986 Colt Vista 4WD ad, and NHTSA's recall data. The sources disagree on a couple of basic facts, and I've noted where.

What the Colt Vista is

According to TTAC's Abandoned History, Part IV, the Chariot entered production in Japan in 1983 as a 1984 model, and Dodge and Plymouth sold it as the Colt Vista. It was close to a minivan, with a high roof and a third-row seat. TTAC says it seated seven, while Curbside Classic says eight. Count the belts in the car you're looking at.

The launch engine was Mitsubishi's 2.0-liter 4G63 four with a single overhead cam, rated at 88 hp. TTAC says late cars got a twin-cam version of the 2.0 rated at 98 hp. The Vista rode on a 103.3-inch wheelbase and was 169.1 inches long, much bigger than the Colt hatchback it was sold next to. Our used Dodge Colt guide covers those small cars, which share the name and almost nothing else.

The dates are a little fuzzy. TTAC and Curbside Classic treat it as a 1984 launch, while Autoweek says it was brought over for 1985. Curbside Classic also says it may have ended in 1990 instead of 1991. Go by the model year on the title and VIN.

Front-drive or 4WD

TTAC says permanent four-wheel drive was added for 1985 and became the most expensive Colt. The 4WD cars have a slightly longer wheelbase (103.5 inches) and about two inches more ground clearance. Curbside Classic lists 1984 prices of $8,721 for the front-driver and $9,809 for the four-wheel-drive version, so the 4WD was a real step up when new.

Today, the 4WD is the one people want, and it's also the one with more to go wrong. Before buying one, drive it in tight turns on pavement and listen for binding or clunking, check for leaks around the transfer case and rear differential, and ask when the fluids were changed. A front-drive Vista has fewer parts that can fail, and if you don't need the traction, it's the easier car to keep running.

Recalls: check by VIN

NHTSA's model list for 1986 includes "COLT VISTA" under both Dodge and Plymouth among models with recalls, but its recall lookup by vehicle returned zero results for every year from 1984 through 1991 when I ran it. That's a known problem with the API for some older models, and it doesn't mean the car is clean. Run the VIN with our Plymouth recall check by VIN or the Dodge version, and assume that records of work done in the 1980s may be gone.

What a history report won't show

A history report on a Vista will probably start years after it was built and will have big gaps. It might show a title brand, an odometer problem or which states it's been registered in. It won't show rust, a worn transfer case, a cracked dash or the condition of the seats. The things that will cost you money on a car like this are mostly ones you have to see for yourself.

Start underneath. Check the floors, rockers, rear wheel arches, the tailgate's lower edge and anywhere water sits. Lift the carpet in the cargo area if you can. Check the frame rails and suspension mounts on 4WD cars, since they spent more time in snow. Our post on whether CARFAX shows rust explains why a report won't save you here.

Next, the paperwork. Look the VIN up on NMVTIS for title brands, and make sure the title, the door jamb and the dash all show the same VIN. Check that the seller's name is on the title. Old wagons get passed between friends on a bill of sale for years, and you don't want to inherit that problem. Since this is a Mitsubishi underneath, our Mitsubishi VIN decoder can help you understand the VIN.

What it's worth

I couldn't find a current price guide I trusted for the Colt Vista, so I'm not going to make up a range. Values depend almost entirely on rust and whether it's a 4WD. Compare recent sales of similar cars and leave money for repairs. CarVins is a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller and isn't affiliated with either company, Chrysler or Mitsubishi. As of late October 2026, guests paid about $5.50 a report and members about $4.50, both reports together ran around $6.75 and retail is $39.99 to $44.99. On a cheap old wagon, a few dollars for a report is fine, but believe the price at checkout, not this paragraph.

Sources

• The Truth About Cars: Chrysler and the Colt, Part IV (Corey Lewis, 2022)
• Curbside Classic: Colt Chronicles Part 6, 1984-1991 Colt Vista
• Autoweek: 1986 Colt Vista 4WD ad (Murilee Martin, Feb. 2023)
• NHTSA: 1986 Plymouth models with recalls