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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  Love the look, the windows...not sure - 2006 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Nicole Larrabee - January 13 - 10:39 am

  I bought my car for the look I wont lie. It is a gorgeous car! I only wish that I would have noticed that the back window is very small. From the outside it looks deceiving. I personally have a very hard time seeing out of the back window while trying to back up. I feel that the car has too many blind spots and needs larger back windows. I did regret buying this car since I have two small babies and purchased it for its safety feature. Although like I said at the time I was so excited I overlooked the obvious. Also the tint is too dark for night driving. I feel the Town and Country would have been a better choice for me. But for looks the Pacifica wins.

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  I should have known better... - 1999 Chrysler 300M
  By TW - January 12 - 5:57 pm

  Ive been hesitant at buying a Chrysler ever since the transmission problems of the 80s. This car caught my eye and made me forget about the way Chrysler didnt stand behind their product in the past. My two 7 inch long cracks in the dash around the airbag knocked me back to reality. Chrysler doesnt care and says that its "environmental". Since I cant trade the car like this and it will cost over $1000 to fix it, this car has now become my official beater. Unfortunately, the internal dash lights are now starting to flicker and the transmission is sporadically jerking, so I dont think my beater is going to last much longer.

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  Crysler voyager - 2001 Chrysler Voyager
  By Patti - January 12 - 3:25 pm

  I never thought of myself as a mini-van kind of person. However with the birth of our third child it seemed inevitable. It fits them comfortably and allows room for more people or groceries. The space is great. My only complaints are as follows, I dont like the spaces for the seat tracks because when kneeling to buckle a seatbelt for my son they can really hurt my knees.The other problem Ive had with it is electrical. Everytime I use the air conditioning the van starts to shake. The dealership has not fixed it after several trips to them.

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  Excellent car! - 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Charley - January 12 - 1:15 pm

  I bought mine when it was 9 months old and had 7900 miles. My most expensive repair was $350 for a sensor. It was also my only repair in my ownership of the car other than routine maintenance (battery, tires, oil change). Ive owned it over 7 years. Couldnt be more pleased with it.

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  mounding problems - 1999 Chrysler 300M
  By vegastyle - January 11 - 2:37 pm

  one month after purchasing the car - the gas pedal fell to the floor with no movement so i just sat there finally towed it was covered under warranty. computer malfunctions covered warranty. 63,000... 3000 passed the warranty transmission goes, two windows stop working then a short time later rack pinion needed replaced some other rod needed replacing... another short time later two rims needed replacing two fans went so car over heated...windshield cracked from having the heat on... battery connectors corroded.. alternator went... i used all 700 words allowed to complain about this car... every time i get into it i wonder what will be next... as soon as i can a new car is next.

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  christine is her name - 2006 Chrysler Sebring
  By rick flanagan - January 11 - 12:25 am

  I bought the 2.7 litre v6.i absolutely love it.i named her christine.i bought it off a lot in 2013.paid 5.,000.had 89,000 miles.i noticed a small issue that a full tune up would fix.i was right, new coils and plugs did the trick.what people havent figured out is that the engine is designed by mercedes.from a dead stop, it produces massive torque.very fast.i upgraded the exhaust to flowmaster, now she rumbles.I love this car so much that now it has a bluetooth cd player with a awesome sound system.im very pleased.its a smooth ride, everything is reaching distance when driving and plenty of power when i need it.from my research i have found that the v6 touring sebring is basically a sports car with four doors.

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  96 Sebring Review - 1996 Chrysler Sebring
  By Raheen - January 10 - 7:54 pm

  Ive own the 96 for about 7yrs. Great car, however they are expensive. The car was bought in 2000 with 16K and now I have 178K. Just got the transmission rebuilt at 178K, ball joints around 160K and timing belt and water pump at 90K. A few other repairs but overall this car has held up pretty well. Currently considering the convertible, but Ill just keep driving the coupe for now. Great car.

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  No Blah Blah Here - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Neal - January 10 - 5:16 am

  The Crossfire is one beautiful car. I think the design is one of the best ever. I had narrowed by search down to a Crossfire, Thunderbird, or Corvette, but after driving the Thunderbird and pricing the Corvette, the Crossfire was the best choice for driving experience and price. I am happy with my decision. The Crossfire is well built, comfortable, and has a Mercedes feel. No Blah Blah here!

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  Its Beautiful, BUT - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By Theresa - January 9 - 11:36 pm

  I love the way the car looks but if I had realized it was underpowered I would have gotten the 3.5. The salesman didnt offer for me to test drive the 3.5. Im worried about the transmission on a car that almosts weighs 4,000 lbs. My 98 Ford Taurus had a better performance. Oh, well. Live and Learn. Ill probably try to trade it in before the warranty gives out.

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  Chrysler is miserable - 2003 Chrysler Sebring
  By Matt Snyder - January 8 - 8:04 pm

  The worst car that Ive ever known. At 26,000 I had my THIRD transmission installed original, at 22,000 rebuilt tranny, 26,000 brand new one installed. Its been in the shop over 8 times for the transmission slipping especially in cold weather. Chrysler customer service does not stand behind their product. I will never buy a Chrysler product again. This all could have been fixed if they stood behind their product.