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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  Decent Car. Quit Nitpicking. - 2006 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Cole - March 2 - 12:13 am

  Not the most fuel efficient car (18/25) it certainly is a car that depends on driving style to get the most out of the mileage. Decent power, went through the rockies without problem. Build quality is much better than its non-Daimler predecessors. Is great for our 2 kids. Reverse facing car seats in the 2nd row do not affect the front seat passengers (didnt get that from our old Windstar) Great stereo (love the mp3 player), nice and comfortable for long trips. Cant beat it for the price.

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  basic transportation - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By vittorio - March 1 - 10:07 pm

  If you have to drive why not do it with class.I think this is a better looking car. .....not to mention the ladies love it.... the car demands attention! It looks so nice in my driveway.

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  Great Alternative to the minivan! - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Mike - March 1 - 3:30 pm

  This is a great car. Its quite a step up from a 92 Toyota Tercel. I love the crash test ratings on this vehicle. Makes me feel very safe transporting my family. The base model had most of the features I wanted, since I really didnt need all the extra bells & whistles. The all wheel drive has come in very handy in the Michigan winter. It is a very nice alternative to the minivan. I dont feel like a robot driving the same thing everyone else is. The fuel mileage is not that great, but what do you expect with a 4000+ lb. vehicle. Overall, I would definitely buy another one in a heartbeat.

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  300 CRD - 2007 Chrysler 300
  By Kev - March 1 - 12:02 pm

  Mines the Diesel but its not available in the drop down. However, excellent bit of kit, dealer is also very good. Just bought it 2 months ago, got 36 MPG on a long run - never had a 3 liter car return this sort of consumption. Massive A pillars take some getting used to as does the length. a rear view camera would be very useful as the parking sensors dont seem to take much notice of anything not dead in line. Nice to be back in a car that other drivers respect (i.e. they move over when you come up behind them). Power to spare, still running in but will do a ton at less than 3000 revs (on a private track of course).

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  One test drive and I was ready! - 2017 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Amy - February 28 - 1:33 pm

  I cant review on reliability or maintenance yet, since I just bought this van on Saturday, but so far I love it. My kids and I agree that a mom must have designed this van. Every single feature on the vehicle seems to be so nicely thought out and planned. There is lots of storage room in the whole van and lots of cupholders! My almost 16 year old son was unimpressed with the cool factor of going back to a minivan after mom driving SUVs for years but after he rode in and drove the Pacifica, he changed his opinion. The safety features, including adaptive cruise control are awesome as well as the auto high beam headlights. The theater system in the van is great and keeps the kids occupied and happy with games, music and movies. The 2nd row heated seats are also wonderful. I have owned both Honda and Toyota vans and this one is my favorite by far! As a matter of fact, my plan was to test drive all three, but I stopped after I fell in love with the new Pacifica!

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  Excellent Adult Transportation - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Mark - February 28 - 9:38 am

  After 53,000 miles Im still very pleased with my Pacifica. The only maintenance issue was loose spline bolts at 47,000 miles. It cost $100 to have the dealer tighten the bolts. My family of 4 took the vehicle on a 3,500 mile vacation that covered much of the eastern USA and Canada. The vehicle is one of the best road cars Ive owned in the last 30 years. A 510" 200 lb adult can drive the car for 12 hours and not be sore. The middle row seats are just as comfortable as the front seats. The power is good out of the 3.5 liter FWD drive train as long as you use at least 89 octane fuel. That is what the owners manual recommends too. Fuel economy observed is 19 city/23 highway

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  Strong performance for a big car - 2004 Chrysler Concorde
  By JLP - February 28 - 8:45 am

  Very comfortable on long trips, reliable except for an air bag light that comes on intermittently and 3 tries under warranty came up "no problem", but it will come on again, Im sure. Getting 24 mpg combination city and highway, better than I expected. Feels like a heavy car, which it is.

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  Great Car for 10 years - 1997 Chrysler Concorde
  By Penna - February 27 - 8:27 pm

  Very little maintenance required other than oil/lube. Did replace belts including timing at 120,000. Good looking car and fuel efficient.

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  Great reliable car - 2000 Chrysler Cirrus
  By steve Sherm - February 25 - 8:54 am

  I have had this car since 2001, my son had it for 2 years and now my daughter has it. 110,000 miles and no problems. I maintain it properly, I changed the timing belt at 90,000 for safety reason, Ive had no problems with it. I think i could easily get 200k miles out of it.

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  Bills Pacifica - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Bill/Carolyn - February 25 - 2:00 am

  Great ride - quiet. Excellent handling. My wife loves the comfortable interior - seats etc. Hard to see when backing.