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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  Fun and rare, but buyer beware. - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By boeroboy - March 23 - 10:59 am

  Basically an affordable variation on the Mercedes SLK. Fun to drive with top down on a nice summer day. Six speed manual is smooth, but could be geared a little better for fuel (gear 6 in the manual is actually lower than gear 5 in the auto for some sad reason). Fuel economy in my experience is 28-34 mpg. Just beware that most "Chrysler" parts in this vehicle are just Mercedes parts with a Chrysler sticker and a massive markup. Remember the Crossfire was a lovechild of Daimler/Chrysler and is no longer made. If you buy one, be sure to join the Crossfire owner club/forum for help since most dealers dont remember what to do for Crossfire service besides take your money.

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  Great used buy...if youre a grease monkey - 2007 Chrysler Pacifica
  By werx - March 22 - 5:18 pm

  Lets first all agree that cars are built to break. Every car is going to have problems and failures...its how much you enjoy driving the car and how practical it is for your particular needs that makes a car worth it. That being said...I love driving the pacifica. It rides great. Its quiet. Its loaded with features. Its safe. Its big enough to haul to 2 kids also. Ive had to replace the usual Chrysler culprits like suspension bushings and motor mounts. The regular maintenance of the car (oil,brakes,transmission fluid) are all on par if not above par with every other car Ive owned.

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  Make sure you check Chrysler recalls before paying for repair - 2007 Chrysler Sebring
  By gigigilari - March 18 - 8:12 am

  I got my Chrysler in June2010 with 68k....not even 2 weeks and it needed new alternator...later on during the summer i had to take my daughter to the hospital and on the way out it didnt want to shift from Park. Now its shaking when slowing down and its doing horrible on gas. I did tune up, regular oil changes, changed brakes and rotors and still shaking. I see a lot of people are having the shift from Park problem!!!! DO NOT pay for fixing it- go to chrysler dealership and they will fix it for free- thats a recall, also this same model has a recall for the stalling.....so if you have a problem check first because it could be a recall so u wonat have to pay or worry about expired warranty!!

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  Good car, good investment - 2006 Chrysler Pacifica
  By kerryg3 - March 7 - 4:09 pm

  I bought my Pacifica in 2006 with 17,000 miles on it. 5 years later, now with 107,000 miles on it, I have had limited trouble. The rocker arm went out, but the dealership covered it under the extended warranty. I have noticed a huge usage in oil, so its just a matter of checking it more often than normal. I also had the motor mount replaced which I am being told is common in these cars. Other than the few minor repairs, the car runs great, is very reliable and fun to drive!

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  Way too many problems-time to recall!! - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By kelly021480 - March 3 - 8:38 pm

  Within 3 months of buying our 2005 Chrysler Pacifica Touring we started having problems. First the rear brake sensors went out. This caused the cars brake pedal to grind when pushed, and sometimes, not stopping like it should. those were replaced at $200 each. Two weeks later, front sensors went out. Car has stalled 2 times while making a sharp left hand turn. Currently, front sway bar is bad, and causing a loud roaring sound while driving. I am not the only one having these problems, Ive read HUNDREDS of reviews with the same problems. When is Chrylser going to do something about this?? What a waste of money buying this car!

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  Cirrusly - 1998 Chrysler Cirrus
  By earzy - February 21 - 5:47 pm

  Car handles well, and seems to hold the road greatly. I never feel like I"m going to go out of control. The gas mileage isnt great considering its such a small V6. The airy cabin provides a lot of sunlight which can make the a/c work harder in the summer, but helps warm the car in the winter. Plenty of headroom for 6+ footers, and the large bottom seat cushion provides good thigh support not found on most imports. A lot of standard features make you feel like youre in the top of the line Chrysler model, and not the lesser equipped Dodge Stratus/Plymouth Breeze. The engine wants to rev to make its best power, but doesnt require everything its got to pass people.

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  This car is better than the reviews - 2010 Chrysler Sebring
  By itguy55 - February 19 - 8:50 am

  I recently purchased a 2010 Sebring Limited with the 2.7L V-6 engine. At first sight I liked the Sebrings European styling cues...It seems these days that every American mid-size car on the road wants to look like a Camry--even the venerable Taurus, and I am just tired of that look. My Sebrings lines seem to me much closer to an E-Class Mercedes. When Im sitting in the cockpit, theres also something very Benz-like about a tilt/telescope steering wheel that pushes almost flat against the dash, which at 62" / 260, I appreciate while getting in and out of the car--I can actually turn in the seat to get out, instead of sliding out sideways, which is what I have to do in most cars .

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  First Convertible - 2003 Chrysler Sebring
  By kketchum - February 7 - 6:20 pm

  I bought this car from my dad, who luckily for me, kept it very clean and up to date on all of its scheduled maintenance. Its been a great first convertible to own. I plan on driving it until it doesnt run anymore, which will probably quite some time from now. The leather interior, heated seats, 6 disc changer make it hard for me to find another convertible with the same features for the value that Ive gotten with this car. Plus, I get lots of attention in it when the top is down - someone always needs directions! :)

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  Our Family Truckster - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By abartel - January 27 - 6:16 pm

  Based on the looks compared to mini-van and suv options, my wife chose a red Pacifica Touring with 3.5L engine for our family car purchase in Spring 2005. We have owned the vehicle since new (now has 76000 mi), experiencing a few problems including 1) tie rod end replacement, 2) motor mounts twice, 3) blower motor (under warranty), 4) egr valve cleanout at 70,000 (relatively normal for many cars). Cant say Im happy about making ANY repairs on a vehicle this new ... but in retrospect ... total repair over 6 years ownership is less than $2500. Yes, I too have experience the oil consumption issue. Using Shell Rotella-T 5W40 oil (1 qt consumed/3000 is ok for me).

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  Cool looking car, nothing but problems - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By sdrolz - December 24 - 9:29 am

  my 2006 300 Touring has been great and horrible at the same time. unfortunately the horrible is starting to out weigh the good. I bought it for it looks and power. At purchase time, 79,000 miles, it was a friends corp fleet vehicle.You cant deny it is one of the coolest looking cars on the road today. The V6 power is great, but the transmission is a pain, shifting is horrible (automatic). ESP works very well, sort of clunky in its responsiveness. Mechanical issues: front end rattling that nobody can seem to fix or id, broken tie rod, brakes:caliper malf replacd evry 20k. worst of all electrical: entire heat/air controls work sporatically, and headlights flicker off at worst time.