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 Concorde - 2003 Chrysler Concorde
  By Jared Carrara - March 21 - 2:00 am

  Very stylish and comfortable vehicle. I chose this car for the size and comfort.It gave me luxury with out the high price, Its close but not quite a Lincoln, but it doesnt have to be at half the price.

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  Retirement Cruiser - 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Robs PT - March 19 - 4:23 pm

  Always loved this model, but the early models were costly. My 07 4 speed auto was a real bargain. I got the silver base model which i think goes best with the interior colors. Rented one for a few days, while my van was in the shop and fell for this baby!

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  Pretty good for the price - 2004 Chrysler Concorde
  By Enrique - March 19 - 2:00 am

  For the price I paid, the vehicle is up to par. It is not a high priced European car, nor will it perform like one. Yet it does perform to a higher standard than what I expected from Chrysler. I am happy with the car in all aspects except power. I dont think the car should come with anything less than the 3.5 liter engine. It is a bit sluggish when fully loaded on the hills. Other than that, I would recommend the car to anyone who enjoys driving.

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  Great Car - 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By sccoast - March 17 - 8:20 pm

  I bought this car with 32000 miles, now has over 98000. Many long trips, no problems. Hwy miles=25mpg. Problems,rear window seal came loose. Runing light indicator stays on. Fun to drive and good looking. Have towed boat and had car loaded with camping gear. Very versatile and roomy.

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  Nice Car---but - 1996 Chrysler Concorde
  By Bandy - March 16 - 2:00 am

  Design is great. Confort and convience is very good. You get a lot of extras at a resonable price. However, if you keep this car more that five years, the repairs will eat you up and if you want to sell, the resale value is nil. Either way, you lose.

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  Very Pleased - 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Andrea G - March 9 - 7:20 pm

  My husband and I purchased our PT Cruiser used with almost 60,000 miles on it in 2004.We have driven it a total of 29 months. It sat for about 9 months after being hit by a mid size SUV on the passengers side while riding in town. My three kids were in the car and everyone was safe.Today the car has almost 108,000 miles on it and drives great. We have had to replace the following items: rotors, brakes, calipers, tie rods and the radiator. The repairs were not as expensive as I had expected. I am often recieving compliments on the vehicle. I drive anywhere from 40-60 miles daily for work and couldnt have been happy this past summer with the price of gas being what it was

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  Sweet Car - 1998 Chrysler Cirrus
  By Tjh - March 8 - 2:00 am

  At first getting a four dour car was not exciting, especially coming from a sporty two-door car(Pontiac Sunfire) But once I got in and realized and the comfort and quality of the ride, my perception changed. The V-6 in great, many people may think it is a slow car, but the 0-60 time is the same as a 00 Mercury Couger. My friends love riding in it with the leather too.

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  Value for what you get! - 2003 Chrysler Concorde
  By TaurusNC - March 8 - 2:00 am

  If you are looking for a luxury vehicle with LOTS of room, HUGE trunk, great comfort and a more than reasonable price (especially used), this is the vehicle. Very solid. Enough bells, whisltes and comfort to pass off as a true luxury vehicle.

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  great but can be better - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By vtwinnie - March 8 - 2:00 am

  A very good vehicle in need of a few improvements to make it a leader. Great room, fit & finish, all bells and buttons are great, good sound, auto adjust seats good, load level; tire pressure,push button rear hatch good.

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  Pacifica 2004 - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Art Johnson - March 8 - 2:00 am

  I found the vehicle quite responsive and causing a great deal of questions and attention. The mignight blue color shows every piece of dirt or smear. Do not recommend. The interior leather is a beautiful piece of design and work. Small thing, but I love the analog clock. In former cars, I had great difficulty reading the digital types. I have only driven 1100 miles so take my critique with a grain of salt,