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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  Not A Minivan - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By A. Moore - October 19 - 2:00 am

  I was hesitant to purchase the Pacifica because of the minivan references in every review I read, but after test driving several other cars including the Toyota Highlander, Mitsubishi Endevor and the Chevy Trailblazer, I realized I was ready to make the upgrade to the Pacifica. There is no comparison to those other SUVs. The comfort, handling and reliability are closer to the Lexsus 330 and the Infinity FX35 without the higher price. You definetly get more bang for your buck.

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  loven it - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By blondknight - October 19 - 2:00 am

  Very fast for a 4 door. Great on fuel if you keep your foot out of the pedal. price to fun ratio is high as well.

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  Cheated - 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Ron - October 13 - 8:53 am

  Oil leaking unreliable crappie car and will never be a sucker to anything made by Chrysler. Bought new and now have a 5 year history of problems. 7 year 70,000 mile warranty. I have 72,000 miles on it now and the camshaft seal blows pouring out oil. At 3700 miles just 2 months old engine pulled for oil leaks. Chrysler wont help with warranty just 2000 miles over and history of this lemon even under the 7 years. The engine needs taken completely out and apart to find the problem. I feel cheated and wont waste any more money on it. Gonna go back to Ford. The most reliable vehicle I ever owned was a 1993 Ford tempo.

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  First Chrysler - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By angel3 - October 8 - 10:00 am

  Yes, this is our first Chrysler product. We were almost frightened out of buying it by relatives, but overall I am pleased with our Pacifica. We will have owned it one year in November. It has been easier to drive than I expected; it just takes a little getting used to the blindspots and being more aware of your surroundings. Its a fun car -- got lots of attention last year when there werent too many others around! I would definitely buy another one if Chrysler changed the 2nd row seating to accomodate 3 passengers.

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  1993 Chrysler Concorde Review - 1993 Chrysler Concorde
  By zither - October 5 - 2:00 am

  The car is awesome to drive and accelerates very quickly for only 153 horses and for the size. The only problem I had with it that it was consistently needing some part replaced.

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  LOVED it...til it started to fall apart - 2000 Chrysler 300M
  By markra - October 3 - 2:00 am

  This car has broken my heart recently. Its been a joy when its working right, but now (87K), its turning into a HUGE money-eater. Every little problem turns out to be a big, expensive one. So far, my 300M has needed a head gasket(!), front control arms & struts, an A/C evaporator core, and now it needs a new computer (due to a failed purge sensor). Nearly $5,000 in recent repairs...will be complaining LOUDLY to Chrysler. Damn shame, cause I otherwise have loved it.

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  My Green Baby - 1994 Chrysler Concorde
  By mitchell1205 - October 2 - 2:00 am

  My mother has a car just like it so I went out and bought one too. Dont regret it one bit. They are very comfortable cars and they have power if thats what you want. Mine has all the options so I really enjoy driving my car, even on long drives. The only down side is the large engine is not very good on economy.

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  Car with pep - 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By 1Daddeo - September 29 - 11:06 am

  We test drove a regular PT and found it to be sluggish. We just about gave up on the PT, when I found out that the GT version has 230 HP (I chirped tire in 2nd gear on the automatic) as opposed to the standard 150 HP. The car is not only stylish, but has tons of energy. The suspension and steering are tight and responsive. The new interior fits well the exterior. I only wished they did a few things extra like a glove box light, a light near the door handle and a little more chrome on a retro looking auto would help, but they make tons of aftermarket parts so you can customize to your taste.

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  LHS Review - 1996 Chrysler LHS
  By Jim IN MD - September 29 - 2:00 am

  For the most part a good car with some reliability problems. Smooth ride with a cavernous interior and trunk. Decent handling at speed and in the parking lot. Small rear window can make backing up a challenge. Reliability problems started at 60K miles. Have had to replace water pump, air conditioner, steering rack, undercarriage bushings, cruise control and tie rods. Performance and mileage seem to be keeping up. Still getting 22-24 MPG around town, and 27-30 on the road.

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  just plain fun. - 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By wayne gerlipp - September 24 - 9:13 pm

  being an old muscle car jock the styling appealed to me the day they came out. since I was already partial to chrysler products(going back to the real hemi days- 425 underrated horsepower)the purchase of the p/t was a no brainer. it has plenty of pep with the turbo and is just plain fun to drive. the interior versatility is also a major plus.