The Dodge Aries is a mid-size family car released by the Chrysler Corporation and sold from 1981-1989. It featured a front-wheel drive and replaced the Dodge Aspen. In Mexico, the Chrysler Corporation released the vehicle as the Dart. The Dodge Aries performed quite favorably on the market, selling approximately a million units in one generation. In 1981, Motor Trend magazine named the vehicle ‘car of the year’. The Aries was a twin of the Plymouth Reliant, and was one of the most successful vehicles produced by the Chrysler Corporation. The Dodge Aries was available in three models- a 4-door sedan, a 2-door coupe and a 4-door station wagon. Additionally, the vehicle came in one of three trims- the base, the Custom, or the Special Edition (SE).

Station wagons, however, were not available in base trim.The Dodge Aries used the Chrysler K platform, which were designed with two bench seats which could hold up to six passengers. The Chrysler LeBaron was another car which shared the Chrysler K platform, and therefore shared the same physical appearance as the Dodge Plymouth and Aries. This car was released from 1982-1988. The Chrysler Corporation produced these cars in Detroit, Michigan, Newark, Mexico, Toluca and Delware.

Dodge Aries Engine Specifications

The Dodge Aries featured a 2.2 Liter Chrysler K Single Overhead Camshaft engine. The Mitsubishi ‘Silent Shaft’ 2.6 Liter Hemi engine was available as an option. In 1986, the engine underwent some changes. Manufacturers of the vehicle upgraded the carburetor of the 2.2 Liter engine to a then-new electronic fuel injection system which produced 93 horsepower- 7 horsepower more than the previous version. The new fuel-injection system came just in time to address concerns buyers were having about the driveability of the vehicle. Chrysler claimed that this new engine was more advanced than most other 2-Liter engines on the market. Additionally, the Mitsubishi ‘Silent Shaft’ engine was replaced by a more 2.5 Liter 4 cylinder engine which produced 100 horsepower.

Purchasing a used Aries Engine

When buying a used Aries engine, the powerful 2.5 Liter engine is an ideal choice. Critics have claimed that the 2.2 Liter engine is plagued with problems- for example, some have labelled the engine tempermental, while others have called the engine underpowered. Early versions of the 2.2 Liter also had head gasket issues, though the Chrysler Corporation eventually addressed these problems. Additionally, buyers criticised early models of the Dodge Aries engine for a lack of fuel efficiency. On the other hand, however, Chrysler K engines were generally praised for their affordability.