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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  Great American Cars - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By Warj - August 9 - 3:40 am

  Car has great acceleration. Suspension is a little stiff, but rides OK. Doors make easy egress. Great style. Rear quarter panels seem a little flimsy. May want stiffen up on next version.

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  Traded A BMW X5 for this vehicle - 2007 Chrysler Aspen
  By MSolcz - August 8 - 2:38 pm

  Traded up in the right direction. This vehicle is a far cry from the Import. Great vehicle, good performer and looks great inside and out. Little fit problems with the doors and hood, other than that its so far the best SUV I have driven.

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  2007 Pacifica Limited - 2007 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Raymond Nice - August 8 - 2:36 pm

  The Pacifica Limited is very nice looking - exterior and interior. We love all the features (it is loaded) and they all perform very well. It is very quiet with lots of power and I am sure that it will go well in the snow. We love the radio and the backup camera. If it is half the car that our Intrepid is (it has over 200,000 miles), we will be very satisfied.

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  My first American Made Car - 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Carrie - August 8 - 12:16 pm

  This is my first American Made car. I love the styling, the color and the ride. I am VERY disappointed in the gas mileage however. I was told by my dealership and by most websites that this car would get an average of 30+ mpg, its a 4-cylinder so why wouldnt it??? Mine averages 17-19 in the city and 23-25 on the highway and this is when I am actively trying to keep my mileage down...no idle, coasting when I am able, avoiding accelerating. This is unacceptable and it would have prevented me from buying this car had I been told the actual numbers. American automakers have got to get fuel economy in check if they want to compete. I will be going back to Japanese on my next car purchase.

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  07 Pacifica Torque Converter - 2007 Chrysler Pacifica
  By kragtj - August 8 - 10:02 am

  Just replaced my wifes 04 Pacifica with an 07 WD Signature Series. The bigger engines was definitely a big improvement. This one has much more zip, even with A/C on. The ride is smooth, comfortable and quiet. I could drive this thing all day. The gas mileage isnt the best...not yet close to the rated mpg. We like the style and the feeling of safety of this big vehicle. However, I just took the car back to the dealer at 3,000 miles as the transmission "shudders at about 1800 RPM while moderately accelerating thru the gears. There is a TSB indicating this is a problem with AWD 07 Pacificas and the torque converter should be replaced. I hope this solves the problem. Otherwise, we love it!

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  boring - 2002 Chrysler Sebring
  By airforce - August 8 - 10:00 am

  the thing has only 200hp and does not handle well at all. very slugish through the corners. Nissan altima is a better buy.

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  60,000, never in the shop - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Tom - August 7 - 10:52 am

  It handles excellently. It accelerates smoothly. It has minimal road noise. It has never needed a single repair.

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  fun to own - 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By karl - August 7 - 10:40 am

  i have really enjoyed my 2006 cruiser the 2nd month after i bought it i hit and killed 2 deer while going 40mph the only damage was it knocked out the black plastic in the front bumper and cracked the clearcoat on the bumper. i get around 22-23 mpg and i have an k&n airfilter in the airbox. the a/cdoes ok but when you switch it to recirculate it does very good. i do recommend a bra for this car because of the front design, bugs love to hit it. the seats inside are very firm that is a minor drawback, lots of room inside also

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  Blue Velvet - 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By MBB - August 7 - 4:10 am

  No problems at all...flawless except for lack of power in some situations.

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  No regrets - 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By kay b - August 6 - 9:30 pm

  I love everything about this car with one exception: poor visibility to the right when stopped at an angle at an intersection. But you just cannot beat the quality of construction, the smooth, quiet ride, the roomy seating, and the fantastic storage. This is one great little car.