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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  Engineers should resign - 2008 Chrysler Sebring
  By vixvix - February 5 - 1:56 pm

  2008 Chrysler Sebring Touring Convertible is my third Chrysler Convertible. All three purchased used. The first-engine was destroyed when timing belt broke-had to replace the engine the 2nd-ran hot and melted the engine replaced the car the third (and final) purchased from CarMax in 2012- needs struts, replaced the brakes twice windshield wipers are sporadic design of the body-rear is so high -cant see vehicles behind me trunk is so heavy -have difficulty closing it rear interior so tight, grade-school children have to curl up - adults are in disbelief. The console (between front seats) is un-reachable sun visors are cheap w/no light oil change needed is always on. No more!

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  Lemon - 2013 Chrysler 300
  By dbeck5629 - May 9 - 2:43 pm

  I purchased a 2013 Chrysler 300 on February 23, 2013 and as of May 9, 2013 I have taken it to the dealer on 4 separate occasions because the air conditioning does not work. They have been working with Chrysler to correct the problem and as of May 7th Chrysler told me that the car should be fixed and ready for pick up on the 8th. I still have not heard from the dealer and they will not return my calls. I have never been treated so unprofessionally anywhere. I was even told one time that it really isnt hot enough yet for the air conditioner, and once they even wrote on the repair slip that I didnt know how to use it and they did not even attempt to look at it that time.

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  Garbage - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By alexander88 - October 30 - 11:41 am

  I bought this car 3 years ago with 160000 km on it it now has 195000 and is ready for the junkyard. Pretty much every part that could fail did, also significant rust issues muffler was completely rusted through, skirts and other parts are rusted from the inside out. Automatic transition doesnt work probably. Driving performance is poor, it is almost impossible to keep the car on the road at higher speeds around 160 km/h. All in all the worst car i have ever driven !!

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  Epic Fail om Customer Satisfaction - 2007 Chrysler Aspen
  By chryslersuks - September 28 - 10:57 am

  Long story short, We paid Cash for a new 2007 Aspen and had issues from the first year with the air cond. "freezing up" on us when we drove over 2 hours. We use this vehicle for business travel. After several ( more than 3) attempts to correct the issue we filed under FL lemon law and sent letter in to Chrysler Corp. and they argued that the timeline was an issue. I fought and fought with over 5 "case mgrs." and 3 supervisors about the issues we have with the car for over the past six months in 2012. I only asked for a permanent solution, but after over 6 mechanics and 3 different dealerships, they just want us to keep going back to the dealer to try to fig. it out. To no solution, we are...

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  Disappointed - 2011 Chrysler 200
  By selfstarter - September 15 - 10:21 am

  I have had this car for 5 months and there have been several issues that have me wanting to get rid of it. Since the test drive the windshield has made me feel like I am looking through glasses and contacts at the same time. It is terrible uncomfortable. I actually went back to the dealership after purchase and test drove another only to have the same discomfort. Night time driving is impossible due to the headlights not lighting up the road unless I have my brights on. The dealership tested the angle of the headlights and found no adjustments to be needed. Also when raining, dont dare open the window or door unless you want to be soaked.

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  A real stinker - 1997 Chrysler Concorde
  By leftatdunkirk - September 18 - 2:00 am

  The Concord smelled like gas from day one. Although there was a recall listed regarding this, the local Chrysler dealership refused to fix it and suggested we pay them $90 for a diagnostic test. Lucky for us, we sold it literally the day before the head gasket blew. Unlucky for the poor buyer, he is in that piece of junk for another $1,500 in repairs. If this car is indicative of other Chrysler products, I would NEVER own one. The entitlement mentality of our local dealership doesnt surprise me either, seeing how the parent company has been a corporate welfare mooch for decades. I would highly recommend this car to my enemies.

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  USD 10,000+ in repair and counting - 2002 Chrysler Sebring
  By old timer - August 5 - 8:14 pm

  46,000 Miles, 1 owner. I have replaced: front end (2X, no grease fittings), 2 rear struts, cat converter, both passenger & driver front door panels, air bag electronics, AC compressor (2X), power door locks (2X), trunk pneumatic, wiper motors, headlamps (4X). I repainted to cover skin cancer (Chrysler admitted paint issue). Engine lite comes on and engine stalls intermittently w/o cause. Foam in pass compartment deteriorates and blows black plastic over everything. Plastic trim around doors brittle, cracking. Total out-of-pocket cost for these repairs to date: $10,700 [$4000 this year so far]. Chrysler admits all of these are their fault but none are part of any recall.

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  Too Many Electrical Problems - 1999 Chrysler Sebring
  By Erin - November 11 - 11:16 am

  143K on my sebring Top and windows no longer go down. Gauges go in and out. Sometimes I will start the car and none of the electrical will go on-lights, radio, heat, headlights. ( Which is usually fixed by turning the car off and turning it back on) The only benefits of the Sebring are that they are cheap larger convertibles that are good for local driving or high school and college students. Not many problem with the engine and they get decent gas mileage about 20 MPG. Power steering makes noises even though fluid is not needed. If you are buying one I suggest getting the lowest mileage as possible because they really start going down hill around 120K.

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  Not designed for tall drivers? - 2017 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Mike - August 10 - 11:29 am

  What were the designers thinking? I went to try out the Pacifica based on reviews. Adjusted seat and steering wheel but could not get into the van without undue difficulty as too low and cramped. Could not fit comfortably in front seat, roof too low, controls not placed correctly. Rear vision impeded by pillars and obstructions. Vehicle ground clearance is too low and long overhang beyond front wheels (not good for places that have a lot of rain/runoff.) Immediately tried out Dodge Grand Caravan. No problems with ingress or egress. Could adjust controls perfectly. Had several inches headroom. With rear seat/ headrests folded, had no problems with rear visibility. Conclusion - The Pacifica designers were all short people or maybe they only feel short people would buy one? . My sister-in-laws husband had the exact same experience in another city/dealer and he is shorter/larger than I am (I am 62.) Why design a minivan only for shorter people????

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  Chrysler 200 not good if you want to drive - 2016 Chrysler 200
  By Richard - August 2 - 7:29 pm

  This is a great car if you like having a car that will at random not want to start because it thinks something is wrong with the brakes. It is also a good find if you like taking the car to the dealer 4 times in 4 months and them having the car for 3 weeks of the 4 months you had it.