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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  Problem with manual transmission - 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Myers1 - June 22 - 2:40 pm

  I am very disappointed in the durability of the clutch. I had to have it replaced at the dealership at 23,000 miles. It cost around a thousand dollars and is not covered under the warranty. I was told by the dealership that I was probably "riding the clutch". I have owned four cars with manual transmissions (all Hondas) and have never had any problem other than normal clutch wear. I am curious if others have experianced the same problem?

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  Poor gas mileage - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By Dick Daniel - June 19 - 7:16 am

  While the 300C is a great vehicle, the only real complaint is the lack of gas mileage any where near that stated in the literature. Combined mileage for 6 Months averaged 16 MPG with travel being 60% highway and 40% city. Even the dealer knew what my complaint would be when I took the car in for routine service. Other than that, only minor electrical problems at delivery due to a shorted cable connector in the truck.

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  Skeptical At-First - 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Lazzara - June 12 - 2:00 am

  I didnt like the PT Cruiser when it first appeared. The Platinum Series changed my mind. The dull black bumper thats standard on most other models is replaced with matching gloss paint. Nice chrome accents, especially the grill. I added the MOPAR Chrome Kit and it looks fantastic. Leather/suede seating surfaces are a nice touch. But the biggest convincer was the Turbo: The 220 HP 4-cylider moves my relatively lightweight PT along very, very nice.

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  Great Family Car - 2001 Chrysler Sebring
  By Sowles - June 9 - 2:00 am

  This car has the 2.7 V6 (200 HP) and the Preimium Sound System. That makes for a nice ride. It was purchased as the family car, replacing a 97 Cavalier. Its bigger, but not too big. The ride is very comfy and smooth. The car is good for the cruise on the open highway, or the stop and go of city traffic. With the 2.7, its got great power to get up and go (keep in mind the Cav had a 2.2 4 banger so almost anything is an imporvement.) Very good looking car. I stay mainly with Chevrolet but this looks better and has a beeter crash test rating than the Malibu (same class car).

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  Excellent Car/Poor Assembly - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By beejaycee - June 8 - 10:00 am

  While a fun car, Chrysler suffers from assembly issues. My car will be going back for an engine oil leak, window misalignments, and a door gasket that has come loose, all covered under warranty, of course.

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  Not a bad car - 2000 Chrysler Cirrus
  By Goodie - June 7 - 2:00 am

  This car was bought for my wife. So far, it has proven to be a decent automobile. The handling is pretty good for this type of vehicle and the ride quality is not too harsh. The interior is quite comfortable for long trips. The only complaints I have are the exterior styling and the lack of power. The little 2.5 liter six has to be thrashed to get any real power, and is pretty noisy about making it. All in all a very nice car.

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  Serbing - 2000 Chrysler Sebring
  By Cole22 - June 6 - 2:00 am

  I like the car all around. It handles well and is very reliable. The previous owner had no problems with maintenance.

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  As good as ever - 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By conradb212 - June 2 - 10:00 am

  Switched from my very reliable and fun 2002 base PT Cruiser to a 2004 turbo. Car is almost identical which means great looking, extremely practical. The Cruiser must be one of the greatest examples of a cool looking car that is also fun, fairly economical, comfortable, handy in traffic and to park because it is so short, and up to whatever task I throw at it. After mediocre experiences with earlier Chryslers, my 2002 was extremely well built (never had a single problem) and the new 2004 GT seems at the same level.

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  Chrysler isnt the car for you - 2004 Chrysler 300M
  By Unhappy wayne - June 2 - 2:00 am

  My new car has dimples or dents and bondo holes in the roof quarter panels. Theirs also trash in the paint job. It looks like a $300 paint job. The factory rep said it was commercial grade and good enough. They did agree to fix the rust I found on the seams that I found when I pulled up the rubber by the quarter panels. I wish I never heard of Chrysler. Their were other problems also. I picked this car up in the rain thinking they would fix any problems I would fine later. Never again

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  what fun it is to drive!! - 2001 Chrysler Sebring
  By CABolland - June 1 - 2:00 am

  It is sporty, lots of room for back seat passengers - fun to drive. One drawback - we had to have the seals replaced around the windows as they leaked after it rained. Dealer was very cooperative!!