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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  Oh Yeah Baby!!!!!!!! - 1998 Chrysler Cirrus
  By P. T. - September 12 - 3:06 am

  My parents bought it for me used and I have not had any problems. The looks good, drives good, and rides good.

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  Cant get much better - 1996 Chrysler Concorde
  By hjohnb - September 10 - 1:34 am

  You would have to dig pretty deep to find fault with this car. It really does get 27 mpg highway - 19.6 city - Rock solid - quiet (except for some time noise on concrete highways) and very reliable. The spacious interior - comforttable seating and superb interior design make this one a fun car to own.

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  5.7 Hemi - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By fresh - September 8 - 10:00 am

  Great car buy it and enjoy. Lots of features can be programed into the car. side mirrors drop upon placing in revearse. seat and steering column "open" when you shut off the car. Smart back-up features help avoid accidents!!! FAST in low gears anbd seamlessly drops from 8 cylinders down to 4 cylinders to save gas on the hwy. Also, transmission is the same as the "E-series". Buy it now before the prices rise!!!!!

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  97 concorde best car ever owned..... - 1997 Chrysler Concorde
  By Juergen Muthmann - September 7 - 6:11 pm

  I have owned almost 50 cars since 1956. I looked for the best car for my retirement. Among Ford, GM, Honda the 97 Concorde has been so far the best quality and driving fun, safety. of course, maintenance is a must on any car. Just changed oil at 87000 miles. oil was clean and used about 1/3 quart over 3000 miles.

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  Family and College - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Popewifey - September 3 - 10:00 am

  We JUST bought our Pacifica and we LOVE it. This is our second Chrylser product that we have purchased and I have to say that they do good work. My husband actually flattened one of the tires on his car so that he could drive it to work! If you are thinking of getting this car and you are kindof on the fence about it, GO DRIVE IT! Dealerships are more than happy to let you take it for like an hour or two so just that you can see what all the car can do.

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  my 300c - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By macdebi112 - September 3 - 10:00 am

  Beautiful inside and out

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  My Red Velvet Van - 2017 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Ames - September 2 - 6:24 pm

  I purchased the LIMITED version of the Pacifica because it has the bells & whistles that I wanted. I have had it now for 4 months. Everyday I find something new to learn about this vehicle and I am amazed at the improvement in engineering and design. I had an 05 Chrysler T & C Limited for 12 years with all the bells & whistles available at that time. This Pacifica is so different. I looked at the Honda Odessey, Toyota Sienna and the Kia Sedona and decided on the Pacifica hands down.

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  excellent - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Lee I - August 31 - 2:00 am

  Excellent car! Nothing I would change about the turbo! What a rocket! Real zoomer (not like the bogus Mazda!)

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  I love this car! - 2004 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Elizabeth Klotzer - August 30 - 7:32 pm

  My fiance and I purchased a 2004 Chrysler Crossfire in July, 2005. It was essentially a new car, only 19 miles on it. This car replaced my old Chrysler Cirrus. I LOVE the Crossfire! My two dogs, a Collie and a Corgi, fit comfortably in the hatchback and enjoy looking out the window. The hatchback has more room than it appears: we fit the dogs and two large hiking backpacks in there. Incredibly zippy and turn heads everywhere, this car drives like a very expensive sportscar. You can really tell that 3/4 of the Crossfire is Mercedes components. I might regret my decision in winter, but boy this car is something to drive! No real complaints, although the rear is difficult to see out of

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  Great styling and standard features - 2000 Chrysler Cirrus
  By Katrina Michaels - August 28 - 12:03 pm

  For the past three years the only thing paid for other than my car note were oil changes. Great performance and low maintenance costs. Fun to drive. Easy to accelerate when passing other vehicles. Fast off the line.