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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  Turns on a dime! - 1996 Chrysler Concorde
  By Plumbing Drummer - May 7 - 10:37 am

  Love the way this car handles. I live in a mountainous area w/ lots for sharp curves & steep hills & this car handles them very well. I love the 7 speaker bose & creature comforts in general. I had to replace a fuel pump (really easy thanks to an access panel in trunk), wheel bearing 2 years ago & have the steering fixed last year, but considering the car has over 175,000 miles on it thatÂ’s not too bad. The air conditioning stopped working 4 years ago but considering everything else the car has to offer thatÂ’s a minor inconvienence.

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  Fun Drive: Great Road Trip Vehicle - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By Doc - May 5 - 3:03 pm

  First road trip was a blast from the city to the country. Vehicle handled the interstate with ease, providing a comfortable drive over the hills and winding roads. Very capable for passing and handles well. Vehicle cabin was roomy and made for a comfortable driver and passenger ride. Full economy did not fully meet expectations. However, did drive the recommended speed limit. Overall average was 18mpg. Never noticed when or if the engine went from 8 to 4 cylinder operation. The trunk proved to be roomy enough to handle all the luggage for three people. Over the course of a 500 trip, grew to love the performance and handling of the vehicle. Missed the upscale luxury interiors.

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  Chrysler Pacifica 2004 - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By djmattox - May 4 - 10:00 am

  Good drive, good ride, comfortible. Poor rear vision, inside rear too narrow (golf clubs & bag will not fit lying side to side) steering wheel sometime obscures speedometer. Window buttons difficult to touch to raise window up.

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  A little scared - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By 2muchluv - May 4 - 10:00 am

  Overall I have to admit the quality and build are much better then I was expecting. However, I have noticed some small details (Imperfections) you would not find in a foreign built automobile (I.E. doors and hood slightly out of line). Just small visual details. There has been some electronic problems that have me more worried. Nav system stopped working and mysteriously came back on after 30 minutes, memory #2 doesnt want to hold its presets, and the power-tilt/telescope steering wheel has been getting louder and louder each day gettin gin/out of the car.

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  Great fun, but some cheapies - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By drrad - May 4 - 10:00 am

  ONLY HAD THE HEMI FOR ONE WEEK AND LOVE THE CAR. THE AUTO-MANUAL SHIFT IS A REAL TREAT. A SLEEPER OFF THE LINE OR PASSING. NOT TRASHING THE CAR, BUT WHAT DUMMY WOULD PUT PALE WHITE FLOOR MATS ON THIS OR ANY CAR? THE FIRST DAY THEY WERE SOILED. I THEN ORDERED DARK MATS THAT MATCHED THE INTERIOR TRIM. THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD HAVE TAKEN BACK THE OLD/NEW MATS AND TRADED THE NEW/NEW ONES OUT AND NOT NICKEL/DIMED ME FOR THE $65.00. HUGE GRIPE: THE "CHROME-CLAD" ALUMINUM WHEELS. SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE ALUMINUM WHEELS THAT ARE CHROMED. NOT SO. THESE LOOK GREAT BUT ARE LITERALLY CHROME COLORED PLASTIC COVERINGS OVER ALUMINUM WHEELS--CHEAP!

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  Race Car - 2002 Chrysler 300M
  By Tom - April 30 - 11:28 am

  I bought this car out of frustation because I had looked at so many. I bought the wrong car. Pretty expensive, lousy milage, and not the highway car that I needed. Having said that, it is a very good car. Handles great, fast (too fast?), roomy, room for 2 + golf bags in the trunk but noisey from road noise. OEM tires lasted 20,000 at $300/each. All in all next time Id buy somethink else. Mopar fans probably love it, I dont.

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  Ok car for the price. - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By jaosn60050 - April 28 - 10:00 am

  I am not so sure about the build quality of Chrysler/Dodge vehicles. This is a nice car with nice touches, but the transmission is very querky. The first week I had it it started leaking oil all over my driveway. Thats the only problem I have come in contact with so far.

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  Fantastic car for money - 2015 Chrysler 200
  By Stingraybike - April 19 - 2:43 pm

  I have owned this car since buying it new in August of 2014. I was replacing a tired 17 year old car. I had looked at many brands and i just would find myself back at the Chrysler website. I had a set price point and I knew what features I wanted and ones that i didnt. As i would look at many different brands they just could not hit the price point i wanted, especially when it came to a fully loaded car. I also love the design they really hit it out of the park. I bought her fully loaded with the tigershark engine in the mid 20s, nobody was willing to touch that price point. I was a little hesitant to buy a four cylinder since i was used to driving a six. I will admit after testing it, it was a little underwhelming but I was willing to give it a shot. From time to time I wish I would have looked more at the V6, but now after owning it as long as I have I am used to the power and know when and how to give it the juice to get the right pickup that I need. I have had no engine or powertrain problems it has been flawless. the trans is can be rough from time to time and may hunt a little and when stopping and starting from a stop it is a little rough as it does not kick down to 1st quick enough in my eyes but if you are making a proper stop by the rules of driving than it is fine. I love the interior features and options. Seats are comfortable, the rear seating can be a little cramped for a taller person but I bought it for myself and it is great for me. The size of the 8.4 screen is perfect. I like that most of the features are accessed through the screen and are well laid out and labeled. I have had a few hiccups at the beginning with the Uconnect infotainment system but nothing that didnt fix itself within a few min but overall it is fantastic. It will also read and write text messages for you which is great. I like the digital gauge cluster, it gives you all of the info you need along with turn buy turn info to help you navigate. The buttons and switches are well laid out, I like the rotary gear shifter, a lot of people dont like it but from moving from a manual transmission car all the automatic gear shifters are toys and a waste of space. The headlights and fog lights provide perfect visibility and turn on when needed due to the auto light feature. In terms of driving, It took me a little time getting used to visibility but i have 0 problems now. If i had any bones to pick it would be the lack of a CD player, but i am just old school. I have the panoramic sunroof and I love that feature on this car. The premium sound system is great. I love the remote start on this car as the heated seats will kick on if the temp outside is below 40 deg and the A/C will kick on if it is hot out. As for the exterior i opted for the 19" wheels, I love how she looks with the 19"s, I did also buy a set of winter wheels and tires as I wanted better winter traction and I didnt want all the salt from the Chicago winters to corrode those nice wheels. To me the AWD would be nice but for me it is not needed as I have been driving in chicago winters all my life. I have only had two warranty issues , one was a turn signal that was collecting water, and the sunroof cover would pop off track, both were replaced without a problem. Other than a few small things this car has been fantastic. I have seen some reviews with people experiencing some pretty bad problems with them but luckily I have not experienced any. I would not let those few problematic reviews keeping you from considering this car. I feel they did their homework and the design is fantastic. I love driving this car and always have to give it the lookback when you are walking away from it.

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  i was a sucker - 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By sucker - April 17 - 4:46 am

  this car looks nice drives nice, BUT it is so unreliable and the suspension is clunky thats only when I can keep air in the tires and replacing the front wheel bearings every year

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  Undercover Rocket Ship Car - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Darth Car Master - April 15 - 5:54 pm

  My 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT has 215 horsepower. It can go 120-130 Kilometres per hour without struggling like some cars do on the highways. It can take on a Ford Mustang sports car while looking like a crossover wagon/minivan. I have not floored the gas peddle to the maximum yet, because it scares me a little to have the Cruiser go all out. I fear unleashing its full power so I hold back. The GT version is not a sleeper of a car like the base model is.