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:

• 

  Good thing baby - 2005 Chrysler Sebring
  By tom - October 30 - 2:19 pm

  I really love this car. I have had it for a year and a half and like it more now than day 1. Car is solid and very quiet for a convertible. I have had nothing at all go wrong in the 37,000 miles of ownership

• 

  Last Chrysler I buy - 2006 Chrysler Sebring
  By Joe - October 29 - 10:18 pm

  Nice looking car, inside and out, comfortable. 2.4L engine lacks power and the fuel mileage not so great for a 4 cylinder. The engine is not built very well. It is noisy, lots of lifter and valve noises. Sounds like it is going to come apart. Trips to the dealer have proved useless I was told that they all sound like that. My next car is going to be a Toyota or a Honda. I would not recommend Chrysler vehicles to my friends

• 

  Cruising Couple - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By southerngal - October 29 - 10:00 am

  We are enjoying this convertible immensely. Bright red with a taupe top, we turn heads wherever we go. Everytime I get into this car, I just feel pure delight. We had a 1992 Mustang convertible that was also a head turner, but this car is luxurious, spacious and a joy to drive.

• 

  Chrysler Cirrus - 1997 Chrysler Cirrus
  By nelson - October 28 - 2:35 pm

  Has been awesome vehicle for ten years well worth the experience proving depenability and better than expected gas economy. Clean cut with some age spots and slight details to tenfd to mechaniclly. Solid record keeping on meticulous periodics

• 

  Only for the short and svelte - 2016 Chrysler 200
  By R Jude - October 28 - 4:59 am

  OK, Im 511" and a bit overweight. I almost broke my neck getting into the drivers seat of this car. I had to literally sit on the door sill in order to fit my head under the top of the door opening. Unbelievable! Hello Fiat-Chrysler, not everyone is 5 foot 8 inches and below 160 lbs. You are leaving out a lot of people with this design.

• 

  So far so Good - 2007 Chrysler Aspen
  By WWooten - October 27 - 7:08 pm

  This SUV is the bomb. I get compliment after compliment on it. Its loaded and I feel rich driving it. It came with a lifetime powertrain warranty, however, I purchased the extended bumper to bumper warranty which is lifetime as well. Yes, I said lifetime bumber to bumper. What can I say, I have had past problems with American made vehicles. Although, I doubt it will give me as many problems as my Chevy Trailblazer and Buick Rendezvous. That Hemi just hums. You will be noticed and you cant beat the price-period.

• 

  300 C lassic BLISSNESS - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By Mrs Chrys Smith - October 27 - 5:53 pm

  Very comfortable for extra tall people due to extra leg room. Excellent acceleration in must move situations. Interior carpet could have been of a higher quality as for the back window area the fabrick lining rear window could have been of a highter quality. Body style is to die for. Classy must be what th "C" stands for.

• 

  No CD - pretty bad! - 2017 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Johan Keet - October 27 - 3:18 pm

  I bought the Pacifica Limited edition and did not want the entertainment system since we have no children. We listen to CD and radio. All our previous Chrysler products had radio &CD /casette players. When we received it and we could not find the CD player, the dealer was quick to point out we did not buy the entertainment package...wow. sirus radio does not play the music we listen. On the open road FM radio is not always good. Now we need to purchase an external device to rip our CD too. Interesting that Honda, Toyota and all other manufacturers does have CD players as a Standard. Chrysler, you caught me on this one but unfortunately I will tell everybody about this bad move! 02/09/2017 Chrysler claims their 2017 Pacifica will give one +- 19 mpg in-town, up to 29 mpg for highway driving with an average of 22-23 mpg combined. I bought my new Limited edition Pacifica van in December 2016. The vehicle is very nice but the gas mileage sucks. In town with no stop and go traffic and with no traffic and driving slow and no hard braking or hard acceleration, I get 13 -15 miles per gallon. I took the vehicle on two road trips where only my wife and I were in the vehicle not loaded. We drive a 3-hour trip to a remote town ( no hills or wind at 70 mile/hour) and three hours back home the same way we went and the gas mileage was 21.5 miles per gallon. So far I have to fill up the Pacifica two tanks of gas / 500 milles-- a tank 18 Gallons. My average gas miles for these trips (town 10% of mileage and Highway 90%) were and is +- 15 to 16 miles/gallon. I have 1150 miles on the vehicle and Chrysler insist that only after the third oil change the vehicle gas mileage will get better ....wow...third oil change( 15000 miles). This vehicle is a gas guzzler and nearly as fuel inefficient as my 2002 V8 Dodge Durango. I cannot get Chrysler or the dealers to move and fix the van. If I listen to You Tube videos, everybody raves about the good gas mileage they get from theirs or the test Pacifica. What must I do????

• 

  Excellent Car - 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Doug in Florida - October 25 - 11:46 pm

  I cant say enough good things about the PT Cruiser. I drive an 04, and we were so happy with it we purchased my wife an 07. The car is excellent, a great tradeoff of comfort, utility and economy. The fold down seats and interior room allow us to carry just about anything we need. I purchased an 8 countertop at Home depot, folded down the seats pushed the countertop in and closed the hatch. Mileage not the greatest, but still good. My wife and I both get about 24 city and 30 - 31 highway. My 04 has 98,500 miles and has been trouble free. Daughters boyfriend just purchased an 08 PT based on what he saw with ours.

• 

  Its an OK vehicle - 2006 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Teri - October 25 - 9:34 am

  I bought this vehicle last year because I needed a vehicle with more leg room. I thought the exterior was very sharp looking considering its essentially a stationwagon/suv. I had a VW Jetta with turbo but with the two kids didnt have hardly any leg room. Initially, I really loved the vehicle but after some time Im already looking for a new vehicle. The interior is pretty and there is plenty of leg room but when you have to use the 3rd row seats you cant fit a thing in the back. Gas mileage should be better and the vehicle needs a little more oomph/pick up when you need to accelerate quickly (I feel like a grandma driving this thing sometimes).