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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  2006 Crossfire - 2006 Chrysler Crossfire
  By shypoke - May 16 - 11:04 pm

  Excellent car for a two seater. Get a seat cushion for long trips if your back end is bony like mine. Use high-heel gel pads for your elbows (at the obvious places). I looked at lots of this type of car... wouldnt have anything else.

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  Kims dream realized - 2006 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Kims dream - May 16 - 7:12 pm

  I began my quest for a sports car in the fall of 07 and was sold and ready to buy a Saturn Sky when a friend suggested that I give the Crossfire a try Thank God for suggestions, the car is such a great ride. Driving this car is like becoming part of the vehicle, you become one with the seat and thus the car itself. I am so glad I found this vehicle. The car is a brand new 2006 with 13 miles on it and I have only had it for 2 weeks but the car is sexy, curvy,sleek and so retro in design. I love this car and I absolutely love driving it. It is a true head turner. Thanks for the dream come true.

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  Ive said this before... - 2008 Chrysler Pacifica
  By OhNOO! - May 16 - 7:01 pm

  But this time I promise never to buy another piece of c**p from Chrysler ever again! Antiquated engine and transmission. Lumber wagon ride and handling, really poor mileage from the very old design PUSHROD engine that has been around since 1989! And talk about quality, it is not anywhere to be found! Misfitting dashboard, poor assembly, mismatched colors, really bad leather that appears fake in the way it wears and fades. We bought it new and the depreciation really hit hard. Sold it for pennys on the dollar! Avoid at all costs, it does not even belong in a rental car fleet!

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  Would not recommend - 2008 Chrysler Sebring
  By MyJohnny - May 16 - 5:25 pm

  I purchased my vehicle in June 2007. 2 weeks after purchasing the automatic top got stuck in the up position. Could not be driven. Had to put it on a flatbed and have it towed. Ugh! 2 months later, the exact same thing happened. Had to get it towed again, in the rain! Since then, I have had two recalls on the relay switch for the same problem. While I love the way the car looks, I would NEVER recommend anyone to purchase. During this past year while having the car, I have never been able to really enjoy the vehicle, since every time I put the top down, I close my eyes and have to pray that it doesnt get stuck again. Also, does a lot of sputtering. Never could find the problem.

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  My chrysler - 2007 Chrysler 300
  By Jeanette - May 16 - 10:18 am

  It is a really nice car I have enjoyed driving it but I need better gas mileage because I drive 82 miles a day to work and cannot afford the gas prices.

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  Awesome vehicle - 2008 Chrysler 300
  By Dan - May 16 - 9:04 am

  Leased this beauty 2 months and 3000 miles ago-compared it to many foreign and domestic sedans before making my choice-have not regretted it for 1 minute. Car is simply amazing to drive, and to look at. Hemi power is as advertised-IMO, much better than the GM 4.6l northstar, or any of the high output V6s. Size is perfect for me and my family of 3 kids. Ride around town, or all day drives are incredibly comfortable. Luxury items like bluetooth, nav, incredible stereo (the 370 watt stereo w/ mygig is just nuts!) Ive owned a lot of vehicles over the years-nothing Ive ever compares to this. OK, Im running out of adjectives!

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  Psyched about my new 300! - 2008 Chrysler 300
  By jcarroll82 - May 15 - 8:36 pm

  This car is styling, profiling - so lets size it up. If you trust the pro reviews, the 2.7 is just too wimpy to swing this bad boy around. Not enough power, they whine. Sure, Id love to have the Hemi SRT8. But I cant even imagine how powerful that car must be. But theres NOTHING wimpy about the 2.7. It zips and zooms, handles like a dream. So for around 20k, I get a stylish, luxurious head-turner, with Mercedes E Class underpinnings. Sure, everyone THINKS the car is way faster than it is. And maybe thats why the pros dig on the 2.7. Its just not worthy. But I LOVE this car. It saved me from boring large, boring sedanville. Definitely the coolest big boy sedan under 25K!

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  Nice Car - 2008 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Steve - May 14 - 10:07 am

  What a nice vehicle. Powerful comfortable. Just a treat to drive until you pass a gas station. I thought with the 6 speed transmission it would get halfway descent gas mileage. About 16 in the city, 27 or so on the road. (Im sure I can do better on the highway). My 96 Grand Caravan did better in City driving. Overall this is a very nice car. I really like it!

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  Great Car - 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Jeff - May 14 - 2:10 am

  Ive put 85,000 miles on this vehicle and it still drives well. Its been serviced for brake shoes, new tires, and the drivers side power window. I had to replace the radio at about 50,000. Thats all. Not bad. Feels bigger than it is. Cruises well on the freeway at 80 mph. Still feels solid. Handles well for a FWD car. The build quality is more like a Honda than a US maker. Still no rattles.

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  LOVE this car! - 2007 Chrysler 300
  By dhoolwerf - May 13 - 8:44 pm

  Ive been admiring the 300C since its debut in 2005, and finally went out and bought one a 2007 300C SRT Design model. The SRT Design shares some of the appearance cues of the SRT8, such as 20" wheels, trunk-mounted spoiler, suede seat inserts and leather-wrapped steering wheel, but has the smaller 5.7 liter hemi. My fuel economy fluctuates between 18 and 20 mpg with mixed highway/city driving, which is better than the V6-powered Isuzu SUV that this car replaced, so I have no complaints about the fuel consumption. The car is comfortable, quiet, stylish, fast, and is very well equipped, plus has a lifetime powertrain warranty a lot of car for the money. I highly recommend this car!