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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  Handles Great - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Kedrinscott - April 15 - 4:10 pm

  We live in Palm Beach County, Florida and as evryone who lives here it can ran pretty heavy and This Car can handle driving threw the worst of down pours, You can drive threw a puttle doing 45mph and the car will not hydro- plane. The only problem is that sometime the car stalls for no reason and the paint chips easy and the roof rack makes noise when driving. Other that that we love it..

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  Great car for small family - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By tmlhump - April 13 - 9:20 am

  We have had our Pacifica for over a year and have a few minor issues but overall the car has fit our needs perfectly and I recommend this car for a small family situation. The Pacifica is very versatile. Long trips are a joy. Carrying our two dogs around is easy. City driving is ok with the higher point of view and quick acceleration. Great combination of style, comfort, and performance. We also had the cutting off problem. That was scary. If you have experienced this problem, IT CAN BE FIXED! Tell the dealer that the TSB# is 18-039-05. The condition only effects 2004s and half of the 2005s. Go the NHTSA website, reference ODI# 10159114 for more info.

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  great 07 cruiser convertible - 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By vwcamperman - April 8 - 6:23 pm

  My wife and I bought this car slightly used 4 years ago with 23k on it..It is fun to drive,and one of the most dependable cars ever owned.The vehicle has 70k miles now and minimal maint issues.Brake pads at 50k(Approx 40.00 bucks) and cam sensor at 63k miles..( 39.00 dollar fix)Thats parts only..I do my own maint.Thats it other than a set of tires.We live in a climate with lots of snow and found this car to be unstoppable with studded snow tires on front..Yeah I know.You might be a redneck driving a convertible with studded tires in the winter.LOL.We chose this over the Beetle convertible because it has much better interior room,especially in the back seat where adults can sit comfortably

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  Great Car but needs a bit more polish - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By Gord T - March 27 - 12:10 pm

  In keeping with Chryslers market meme - more for less - this car represents exceptional value. I got mine on a 3 yr lease for $100 cdn/month LESS than a loaded Accord. This car has it all - big engine, AWD, near-lux interior, fantastic stereo, tremendous physical presence. But corners were cut to get to the low price. Fit and finish is poor in spots. The leather isnt high quality. The carpet and interior door trim is less than lux. Tires are awful. Fuel econ is sobering - MDS seems to stop above 70 mph. I find myself wishing that DC had offered a SE option for $2,000 more that improved trim issues, offered adj. susp and MDS, etc. Having said that, this is a great-near epic car.

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  Perils of Age - 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Toms Mom - March 25 - 1:50 pm

  Ive had my PT (Tom––Tom Cruiser) since the get go and cant say enough good things about it. Although its been an accident magnet, it has survived several minor crashes and a major clash with wildlife and has done very well. My only complaint is that I keep my cars a long time (10 to 12 years, over 150,000 miles) and my little PT isnt holding up to age like Id hoped. The wheels are a chronic problem for mine and several others I know. They corrode from the inside out and lead to slow leaks in the tires. The chrome peels away if the wheel is fixed. Radiators also seem to be a common problem. Body trim is popping off. So while I love my PT, Tom just isnt aging as well as Id hoped.

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  SUV + MINIVAN = PACIFICA - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By onelexave - March 24 - 2:00 am

  A good, practical car with nice interior details. My wife and I decided that it was a nice compromise between a Minivan (too pedestrian and lacking in style, no 4 wheel drive on the Honda available) and an SUV (too large, difficult to get into 3rd row for our 3rd young child, and poor mileage). It has meet our expectations in almost every respect (the exceptation being that gas mileage is well below the official City and Hwy ratings) and I would recommend the car provided you can get it in the low 30s for a fully loaded version. (FYI we got about 6K off the sticker)

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  I love mine! - 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Peggy - March 15 - 11:03 am

  I personally have not had any problems with my cruiser. It has plenty of room for a 4 cyl and plenty of storage and space if needed. We have 5 people in our family and can all take long trips in comfort and style. We have owned numerous vehicles with no such luck. Gas is really good in mine and it still drives like a new car. No problems what-so-ever. I would definitely recommend this car to others. My mother in law has had one for the last 7 years and has never had a problem with hers. She just loves it. She recently traded hers in for a 2008. Good luck to everyone and hopefully you will enjoy yours as much as we do ours!

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  Its great car, - 2015 Chrysler 300
  By Fisher cook - March 14 - 6:13 am

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  2005 GT/2006 Limited Owner Reviews - 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Brad - March 12 - 5:06 am

  Have two - a 2005 GT and a 2006 Limited. The 2005 GT is truly an amazing car for the money with great build quality. Visually, the design integrates some of the best styling cues of the 30s and 40s, but the design and engineering is cutting-edge. I havent had this much fun and performance since my 1964 GTO! The 2006 Limited gets over 25 MPG, is comfortable and a great value. Both have lots of room and a solid, quality feel.

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  lovin the vanilla - 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By doubleshotback - March 7 - 10:26 pm

  I just bought my 06 touring conv. a few weeks ago and have to say luuuuv this car. Its fun peppy and sharp looking. never thought i would own a white car but that cool vanilla color totally got my attention. gas mileage was a little lower than expected but ya know i can live with it and do a few minor improvements under the hood to squeeze out a few more mpgs