Overview & Reviews

Chrysler is generally considered part of the Big Three, a title that refers to the traditional triumvirate of domestic automakers. The current accuracy of this classification is open for debate, but there's no debating the fact that Chrysler has experienced a revival of sorts over the past few years.

Chrysler Corporation was founded in 1925 by Walter P. Chrysler, a noted machinist; he'd purchased the Maxwell Motor Corporation of Detroit and used it as the foundation for his new company. The automaker quickly earned a reputation for advanced engineering. In 1928, Chrysler Corporation expanded with the purchase of Dodge and the creation of the DeSoto and Plymouth divisions.

The 1930s saw Chrysler boldly looking toward the future with the introduction of its revolutionary Airflow. Powered by a front-mounted inline-8, the car was one of the first to be designed with aerodynamics in mind, and featured swooping lines and a prominent grille. Perhaps a bit too ahead of its time, the Airflow was a flop with the public. Chrysler was able to survive the lean years of the Depression thanks to strong sales of its entry-level Dodge and Plymouth brands, whose vehicles boasted more traditional designs and much lower price tags.

Chrysler shined postwar. For a period in the late 1940s, it even surpassed Ford as the No. 2 U.S. automaker. The company's storied "Hemi" V8 engine debuted in 1951. Offering 180 horsepower, it was a significant improvement over Chrysler's previous 135-hp V8. The Hemi engine was meant to trounce the V8 offered by Cadillac, Chrysler's rival, and it kick-started Detroit's horsepower race of the 1950s and '60s. The '50s also saw the debut of treasured Chrysler classics like the handsome Town and Country and the sleek 300C.

By 1961, Chrysler had trimmed its line of brands by dropping the DeSoto nameplate. New technologies were also afoot, such as unibody construction (Chrysler was the first of the Big Three to introduce it) and the replacement of generators with alternators for a car's charging system. In the latter half of the '60s, Chrysler was heavily involved with NASCAR and producing performance-oriented cars.

At the same time, however, dark clouds were gathering. As with other domestic automakers, the 1970s proved to be a difficult decade due to the oil crisis, new government regulations and changing consumer tastes. A costly and ineffective overseas expansion further hurt the company's bottom line. By the late '70s, the company was in such financial disarray that it petitioned the government for $1.5 billion in loan guarantees to save it from bankruptcy.

Thanks to impressive public campaigning by then-chairman Lee Iacocca, the debut of the well-received K-car platform and the creation of the modern minivan, sales had improved dramatically by the mid-'80s. The government's loan was paid off seven years early. The picture further brightened in the late 1980s with Chrysler's purchase of American Motors Corporation (which netted the company the Jeep brand) and a joint venture with Mitsubishi known as Diamond Star Motors.

Success continued through the early 1990s. In 1998, German-based Daimler-Benz merged with Chrysler to form DaimlerChrysler. At the time, this deal was presented as a merger of equals. But it quickly became apparent that it was more of a purchase, with Daimler being the dominant partner.

Less than a decade later, that merger was no longer, as Daimler sold Chrysler (and Dodge) to a private equity firm in 2007. However, that merger had borne some worthwhile fruit, most notably in the form of the Chrysler 300 full-size sedan. The latter shared some chassis components with an older Mercedes-Benz E-Class platform.

As such, the 300 was a highlight for Chrysler that had a pleasingly solid feel to its driving dynamics that was further sweetened via an available powerful V8 engine. But soon after the split, America's economy slid into recession. Due to poor sales and debt, Chrysler had to declare bankruptcy and the federal government intervened with bailout loans. Eventually Chrysler came under control of Italy's Fiat.

Today, the lineup has been pared down to a pair of sedans, a convertible and a minivan. However, after years of having lackluster entries in the very important midsize car category, Chrysler made major improvements in the performance, design and quality of its midsize sedan entry, the 200. The latest 300 also stands as a prime choice for a premium full-size sedan. Still, it remains to be seen as to whether this and future product releases will be enough to restore the company to its former glory.

User Reviews:

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  Vehicle stalling intermittently - 2011 Chrysler 200
  By concerned25 - May 2 - 6:27 pm

  I have had my 2011 Limited convertible for 1 year and it has stalled on my about 10 times within the last year. I have brought it in numerous times and they are unable to identify what the problem is since no code is generated. Very concerned with this issue. I have called Chrysler HQ and they are researching this. There have been many other people that have posted issues with their vehicles stalling also. I do enjoy driving the vehicle and would have been extremely happy with it but now that it stalled on me while I was in the middle of an intersection it is very concerning to me. I would not recommend buying this car until they resolve the issue.

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  great long distance cruiser - 2012 Chrysler 300
  By deaconbluz - April 28 - 3:03 pm

  I am an atypical consumer. I ride my bike to work and would prefer to have a Prius as my car. But I am afraid to fly and frequently take road trips of 4,000 miles. The Chrysler 300 was the quietest and most comfortable car I could afford. I paid $22,612 for the base model with the 8 speed transmission at Orange Coast Chrysler in Costa Mesa. I like the keyless entry and startup. The seats are very comfortable with multiple power adjustments.The ride is smooth , but not sporty. That said, it maneuvers very well for such alarge car. It is a little quieter than my 2011 Camry. The 8 speed is very responsive and you dont notice it being busy. I have never had a luxury car before so cant compar

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  Not what my 2007 was - 2012 Chrysler 300
  By roselawn - April 21 - 6:07 pm

  I enjoyed my 2007 300 limited so much, I was excited to get a 2012. It is somewhat of a disappointment. In 5 weeks, its been at the dealer more than my 07 was in 5 years. Yes, its beautiful, rides great, more power, and very quiet, but all the electronic features have been extremely annoying. Lights go on during the day, A/C goes on without being turned on, FOB doesnt always make contact. Dealer says it cant find a problem. A real disappointment. Wish I had my 07 back.

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  Disappointment - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By nflatow - April 19 - 3:19 pm

  OUr 2004 Chrysler-Sebring convertible has ONLY 51,500 miles. Yet the front catalytic converter got so hot, that it burned a hole in the converter. That is extremely disappointing. Of course, the warranty for the converter was ONLY 8 years, so we are out $1,000 for a replacement. All the cars I have owned in teh last 50 years, have never had a catalytic converter fail. Shame on Chrysler!

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  Chrysler Sebring Lxi 2002 2.6v6 - 2002 Chrysler Sebring
  By londonlad1 - March 25 - 8:29 pm

  I bought this car with no pre-conceptions of Chrysler, Im from the UK. It was exceptionally clean and well cared for with 114k on the clock, looked factory new inside and out. Its reliable, nice to drive, excellent driver ergonomics. The interior is tasteful and well built. The bodywork is of high quality. BUT! before you buy, check to see if the timing chain and water pump have been changed. Be aware that when the water pump fails as they all do eventually, it will end up fouling the engine oil if left too long as its INSIDE the crankcase and runs off the timing chain. Repair is approx. $1350.00 at a Chrysler dealer. Be sure to factor this in when haggling! Check your coolant often!

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  Great performance, mediocre reliability. - 2000 Chrysler 300M
  By donald9251 - March 23 - 1:43 am

  I have had the car for 4 years so far. Bought it in 2008 with 77K miles on it. Since then Ive had to replace the power door lock on the drivers side, the front suspension control arms, turn signal flasher and the oil pressure switch. The a/c also doesnt blow cold because theres a leak in the a/c system (the condenser, compressor, or evaporator). Not sure if I want to spend the money to fix the a/c. Also the interior instrument panel lights were flashing, so I replaced the headlight/dimmer switch assembly with a used on purchased from eBay (that fixed the problem). However the car has strong acceleration and smooth engine performance, but Chrysler needs to focus on reliability.

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  2012 Chrysler 200 Touring with V6 Engine - 2012 Chrysler 200
  By krysti - March 21 - 10:56 pm

  I just bought this car a few days ago, and I really like it. The V6 is very quick and the car looks good. The seats are very comfy and I love the blue tooth "UCONNECT" The con to this car is the speakers and electronics. The speakers arent great unless you get the Boston Acoustics System (extra money) So I plan to buy speakers elsewhere and upgrade. My mother has the 200 S Convertible with leather seats and premium sound system and its amazing. I couldnt afford something that nice so I went with the $8,000+ less model haha. But really give this a test drive if you are thinking about it

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  First Car - 1998 Chrysler Sebring
  By sebringbaby - March 20 - 11:13 am

  I had gotten my Sebring, almost 2 years ago. After the first year, It started turning off when I was driving it back and forth to school. We took it to many mechanics and they said that they couldnt find what was wrong with it. But quite a few said it might be the fuel pump. It is a good car over all. I loved it when my parents first pulled it in the parking lot.

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  Waiting/hoping to expect something good from America - 2001 Chrysler 300M
  By thafemann - March 15 - 8:44 am

  Hello all, I purchased a 1998 Dodge Ram Van, new, and vowed that it would be the last Chrysler product that I would ever own. The Van didnt last 10 years until it was in the junk yard. Recently I purchased a 2001 Chrysler 300M. The car looks really sharp and is fun to drive. I purchased it from a dealer who gave me a great price. I know of the previous single owner and they took great care of the car as all the records show. Second day with the car it began to shake at 50-70 mph. There were LOTS of new parts. Turns out the torque converter and timing belt need replacing. Another $3k. So much for a good deal. I want to buy American...quit making JUNK and I will.

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  1999 Chrysler cirrus - 1999 Chrysler Cirrus
  By rikkia - March 14 - 10:38 am

  I worked all summer to get a car and the 99 Chrysler cirrus was the one i bought. It has been the most reliable car anyone in my family has owned. i get between 25-30 MPG, and i have a slight oil and transmission leak but its no big deal right now. the Cirrus has wonderful handling, and it is definitely built for short people .