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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  read and research before buying - 2002 Chrysler Voyager
  By cross your fingers - September 15 - 10:05 pm

  I bought this van new in December 2002. I had 4 recalls and a number of other problems go wrong with this van. 1. power steering pump leaked. 2. The oil was mixing with the coolant. 3. the front right tie rod broke. 4. the a/c unit quit working. 5. The sway bar bushings wear out every 6 months due to the cheap plastic material that is used. 6. the rear windshield wiper takes five min. just to wipe once ( no lie). 7. The dash board indicator lights (park thru 1st.) gear all light up, so now you do not know what gear you are in. that is all in the first 3 years / 36000 miles and good luck getting anything fixed under warranty after that. I have bought one dodge and Chrysler, and will never buy anothere.

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  Never again - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Ernie - September 13 - 9:52 pm

  I bought my pacifica thinking I was getting the newest trend. The only thing I got was the shaft as in the drive shaft. I had to replace both within first year and both motor mounts. The transmission is terrible and is slipping. It does not handle well at all. Never again will I but one.

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  It reminds me of an older Honda Accord - 2006 Chrysler Sebring
  By jessie_harbin - September 1 - 9:11 pm

  We downgraded from a Pontiac Bonneville and just purchased our 2006 Chrysler Sebring Touring Sedan a month ago, and already its a disappointment. Dont get me wrong, for the price we got it at was a good deal but the ride quality sucks and the seats are uncomfortable. It feels like youre riding on a skate board and the transmission shifts like a standard instead of an automatic. It rides and operates like an older Honda from the 80s

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  What a Nightmare - 2001 Chrysler Concorde
  By IhateChrysler - August 25 - 1:27 pm

  I purchased a pre-owned 2001 Chrysler Concorde LXi with a 3.2 L V6 engine. While we have all heard stories about the previous owner being an old lady that babied the car, in this case, I knew the owner and knew that to be the case. The car had been maintained by a local Chrysler dealership with 3,000 mile oil changes and had 42K at the time of my purchase. At around 50,000 the transmission welded itself solid, common problem with this model. Now at 75K it has major engine failure. What a piece of junk. Chrysler should be ashamed. And this is on top of the fact that the trunk supports are weak and the trunk constantly falls on your head when retrieving items from it. My first Chrysler & my last

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  Dont Buy this piece of Junk - 2002 Chrysler Voyager
  By Kelly - August 14 - 3:29 pm

  We bought this van new, soon after the drivers window stop working for 2 yrs, then the transmission went bad had to get rebuilt one, $1500 later, now the van shack bad and makes a clicking noise when you start and stop, and the electrical box I found out is all rested inside and so are my wires, they never sealed the box to keep moisture out, then my brake light and dash light were going off and on due to electrical, brakes feel really bad, every year were replacing them, but still it dont feel right, my van only has 66,000 miles on it, and all these problems. I will never buy a Chrysler again!Oh I forgot the ac hasnt worked in 2 years.

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  Faulty Transmission - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By ecartner - August 3 - 10:53 am

  After 70k miles, car begins to have a hard time cranking. At 90k miles, transmission goes completely out from "metal shavings". This was a well maintained car & should be on the road for longer with no problems. Ive found others online that have had the same problem. I will never buy another Chrysler in my life!

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  Reason for Lemon Laws - 2001 Chrysler Concorde
  By Old guy - July 5 - 9:33 am

  I previously owned a 96 Concorde with 3.3 L engine a great car. We bought this car used, with the 2.7 L engine. The engine selfdestructed at less than 52,000 miles due to the timing chain problem. There are many web sites detailing this problem with this engine. Chrysler denies any help. Changing the headlamp bulb requires removing the front fascia!

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  The Engine is Dead - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By havetobuyanothercar - June 20 - 12:33 pm

  After several problems with this vehicle, I am giving up. The fuses tend to blow - windshield wiper fluid, windows, etc. and are "specialty" fuses that you cant replace. The transmission started sticking and now, the engine is dead - busted a rod out of the blue. Spoke to three mechanics - when I told them it was a Sebring, they all said, "Yeah, they tend to do that."

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  Watch Out! Pretty car but bad performance - 2007 Chrysler Sebring
  By Michelle - June 6 - 5:34 pm

  I bought this car with less then 100 mi. Started having problems 2 days after I took it home. Had problems with the check engine light- had to replace the PCP. Had problems with the sunroof/spoiler. The car makes noises when you start it and power steering make cluck noises when you turn corners. Took it back to the dealership for the 8th time but they say these problems were just the way the car was built. Please dont buy this car unless you want a noisy car. Looks nice from outside but the engine sounds very loud. I just recently noticed a gaping crack where the bumper meets the rest of the car. Looks to be pulling away. Back to the shop it will go!!

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  Chrysler T&C - Junk - 2003 Chrysler Voyager
  By Mark Tribbia - June 5 - 7:09 pm

  I bought this 2003 van new because I didnt want to spend time getting a used car repaired. This van has been far less dependable than my 1989 Cadillac was. Five years, three transmissions, cabin leaking A/C, front brake repair three times, (locked caliper damage only 3 months after new front brakes installed), gas line issue, broken power window, factory tires were junk, CD broken, suspension repair required. And today, some weird high pitched humming noise. Should have kept the Cadillac.