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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  My black beauty - 2011 Chrysler 200
  By haydenbe - October 12 - 3:25 pm

  I just bought a used 2011 200 just over a week ago. So far i like it it quite a bit. Im coming from an S10 so im not used to driving a car. So far i really like it. The interior is vastly improved over the old Sebring. I only have the 2.4lt but at least it has the six speed auto. While it wont win any drag races its perfectly adequate most people. The exterior is really nice also.

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  One of the Best I Have Every Owned - 2010 Chrysler Sebring
  By limited2010 - October 9 - 8:42 am

  I have to say the 2010 Limited Convertible is a great car. The performance is great, the 6 speed is great, all the bells and whistles are great. Have 65K on it so far. Had to replace brakes and tires. Everything else is working just fine. Mechanic that did brakes, after looking underneath, told me I will probably never have a issue with this car. Was impressed. Told me you can really see how Mercedes influenced this vehicle. Beyond that most people are amazed its a Sebring. They are impressed with the folding hardtop, and the remaining trunk space. The perfomance, the looks, and the toys. This morning I checked the onboard and it was showing 30MPG. Getting better than expected.

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  The looks you get.... Loving it so far - 1999 Chrysler Sebring
  By iamnatman - October 3 - 7:58 pm

  I picked up my Jxi a few months ago for a mere $1400. The engine had 165k miles on it, but I was baffled at how well it was taken care of. This is now a 15 year old car, and Im amazed at how many looks and compliments you get in it. I drive quite a lot, and have put a good amount of mileage on it already as its currently @ 176k. Havent had any major issues with it so far. As others have said, theres odd little electrical problems that pop up, but nothing too serious. The dash lights work when they want to, as do the mirror/dome light. Blower motor works on high speed only (this is an easy fix, though). The trunk lid hydraulic lifters also fail, so watch your head when you open it.

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  Not to shabby - 2014 Chrysler 300
  By vakmere1 - October 3 - 10:02 am

  Traded in a pristine 2011 Buick Lacrosse without batting an eye. Finally, a big car that rides with the comfort I have not had in years. The fact that it rear wheel drive lets the front suspension do its job by handling road imperfections very well. Not much wind or road noise in the cabin either. Some feedback from the road can be felt in the steering wheel however it doesnt have that annoying torque steer like front wheel drive cars. Garmin nav system is better than Onstar hands down and without the monthly fee. Very little clutter on the dash which makes for a cleaner look. Go for the loaded version if you can because with the base model you will be missing out.

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  Disappointing - 2015 Chrysler 200
  By jerimiah - October 1 - 3:36 am

  I have owned my Chrysler 200c for 7 weeks. In this time it has been in the shop for 3 weeks. Has had a rear diff replaced, a sensor replaced and has misfired while in motion. Since it has made clicking sounds in the cv joint and the rear diff. Also it has been shifting hard. They wont let me have a new vehicle and the car keeps breaking down. They are supposed to give me a rental everytime it is in the shop but I end up having to pay 15$ a day for a "underage" fee and have a limit of 100km a day. My job is 40km away so I go over if I make my daily commute. They have a policy to not give out courtesy vehicle to person under 25. Poor customer service, poor reliability, and just a badexperianc

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  232k miles and running - Great car - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By tigers4 - September 16 - 10:34 am

  Amazing quality and reliability for me. No real issues until about 225k miles except replaced tie rods a couple times (partially due to crappy roads) and had one issue with it being stuck in park. Never even replaced battery but I drive a lot of hwy miles. Since 225 k, I had the brake and rotors replaced (2nd time for rotor) and since then, the ABS and EAS lights have been on and as result lost cruse control. Passenger door open from inside issues. Power steering is a little stiff on occasion. Engine light is on. Still drives fine though. Body is in Great condition, one tiny spot of rust that just surfaced (live in Michigan) and a few scratches. I got my moneys worth in this car!

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  2002 Chrysler Sebring LXI Sedan - 2002 Chrysler Sebring
  By natelxi - September 11 - 10:43 pm

  This car is worth more than the $3,000 I paid for it, especially if you consider the negative experiences that are reported. My Sebring was purchased with 140,000 miles on it, and from what I noticed, the previous owner took GOOD CARE OF IT. Obviously if you neglect your car, run it to the ground, and forget to change the oil on time, sludge will become a harsh reality. Timing belt or chain? No issues here. This car is very underrated, and I think more people need to report the positives on this car, such as, the sharp style of the body, the actual quality of the 2.7 liter engine, and the interior build quality. I use Mobile 1 extended performance synthetic motor oil. I love my Sebring.

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  Major Issues - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By gl2238 - September 1 - 11:39 am

  First problem was Stalling on left turns after tank fill up. Problem was deteriorating valve in fuel tank letting raw fuel enter intake manifold. Tank had to be replaced. (Recall, I believe is not official as yet) Park to Neutral lockout mechanism broke so car could not be driven. This also was taken care of by Chrysler as a courtesy. Recall is imminent. Hood and trunk lifting struts have been replaced three times. They only last 6 months in the Las Vegas Area (high temp environment). Monroes seem to last the longest. I have had the hood come down on me a couple of times so now I use a stick. My wife had to go to the emergency room when the trunk came down on her head.

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  Not bad - details could be better - 2014 Chrysler 300
  By vakmere1 - August 22 - 2:13 pm

  Got this in June. Gladly traded a 2011 Buick Lacrappe for this car. This 300C has a great ride, good accelleration, very little road noise, coushy heated and cooled seats, and handles road imperfections especially around Philly very very well. Gas milage is excellent as long as you dont pound the pedal. Mine has all the bells and whistles. On the down side there were interior trim detail items that should not have been there. Moulding doesnt line up in some spots along the dash, some dashboard noise going over some bumps. Cowl over the speedometer was loose. Shifter needs practice to get used to. Other than that this is a very good purchase. Too soon to tell if it has mechanical issues.

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  1997 chrysler sebring JXI 2.5l convertible 202,000 km (126,000 miles) - 1997 Chrysler Sebring
  By lanalee - August 12 - 4:29 pm

  I recently purchased this car in june. I made a quick purchase with out researching it, but when I test drove it it felt solid, no rust, and the motor sounded good and I needed car fast.. First week, it broke down, and it was a trasmision scensor. It was a big job, but doing so, we knowticed the spark plugs and wires were original since 1997, seems its just as big a job to change those. very dificult car to work on. even the battery is not accessible. Next problem was the throttle cable. it started to unravel, and the peddle would not come back. BY luck I called chrysler, and they told me it was a recall for that problem, and another recall was fixed on ths 17y old car :-)