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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  Stinky says - 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Stinky53 - November 1 - 8:33 am

  Great smooth ride. Plenty of interior room. Mileage could be better. Great classic look. Gets lots of attention. Dealership was great. No high pressure tacticts. My sister just bought herself a PT Cruiser based upon my recommendation.

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  Best car Ive ever owned - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By soraya rogozienski - October 31 - 8:16 pm

  Love the interior design and it handles very good, its fun to drive and never had any problem, I will buy a Crossfire for as long as they make it and it draws lots of attention

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  Great Engineering - 2004 Chrysler Crossfire
  By wonderbear - October 31 - 12:13 pm

  A pleasure to drive. Reasonable comfort on trips for a car this size and my golf clubs fit (barely). A little tardy off the line versus cars like Z350 and RX8 but on the highway it sings. Dropping down using auto stick I can pop your head back at 60 mph. Good mileage too. Premium gas stings a bit but that wasnt the point of buying a car like this. Only minus is visibility backing out of parking.

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  Love my new Crossfire - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By randyvs - October 29 - 10:36 am

  The cruise control makes road trips a dream. I went down a 20 mile downgrade and never had to touch the brakes once--the cc just downshifted to keep the speed where set. The only thing required of the driver is steering, the car does the rest! Perfect integration of shape, engine, transmission, tires and braking for a real fun driving experience. Fun to leave everyone behind from a dead stop at a traffic light.

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  King of its class (mid-size) - 2016 Chrysler 200
  By Zorn C. - October 28 - 7:17 am

  Had car since March 2017 .. Got it with just 11K miles. .. Have taken it from Charlotte, NC, to Michigan and back ... Milwaukee, and back ... And just completed a trip to Cincinnati. .. These (17s) are available with wonderful rebates, now ... Get the V6. Get the V6, get the V6! Not because theres anything wrong with the 2.4 liter -> Its an awesome motor .. But they {in some cars} didnt match the 9-speed automatic transmission, to the motor super well ... Also since mid-model year 2016 can get the middle-grade car, the Limited, with the V6 motor. Mines a C - Top of the 200 sedan food chain ... It is absolutely AWESOME! All wheel drive package. 300 horsepower (It isnt said, anywhere, but the AWD has a smidgen more power than any non-AWD 200 - Due to it having a different exhaust). ... Love the dash, in this .. How you can sift through all the different things, in the car, with the button on your steering wheel ... Easy to check on all systems ... Mine is jet-black, black leather inside .. Has granite grey rims; 19 inch .. The dial transmission works, just great! Some expert car review places have gone on that "Geez it has too many speeds .. Who wants to shift, nine times?" ... Well you DONT shift, nine times .. in regular driving. Speeds 8 and 9 are highway cruising gears ... and are why with my V6 I got an incredible 31 & 1/2 mpg, on my trip to Ohio. My car also has the manual shift mode with steering-mounted levers, for if I want to really fly, off of a light. 8.5 inch touch screen is the best, Ive ever seen ... Better than my friends, in his Camry (He even says this .. lol) ... I do miss a CD player. But Im getting all my albums on a couple USBs, to stick in and pull up and play. One has about 40, so far. As to the flap about the rear roof line [That Sergio, head of Fiat was waayyy to sensitive about, when he gave an interview ... He was not recognizing that Consumer Reports just doesnt like Chryslers, and has been biased, against Chrysler, for a long time] [I mean kids getting in and out of the back, is no problem ... And really how many people who drive these have (other) adults, getting in and out of the back, all week? C.R. took one item and hammered the whole car, because of it. And a lot of people are quickly influenced, by Consumer Reports. Thankfully, I wasnt] So, this car is derived from an Alpha Romeo ... I think its cool Im driving something with some Italian blood. Summing up: I love this car ... Excellent power, takes the curves with aplomb .. Seats could be slightly more comfortable, but theyre ok. ... 100K mile powertrain warranty. .. And awesome tech :) ... - Zorn

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  Rattles, Ticking, ohhh my.... - 2005 Chrysler Sebring
  By Donna - October 27 - 9:11 pm

  This was my second Sebring Convertible. I loved my 1999 so much, my next car had to be the same. BIG MISTAKE! I have had this car in to have the roof worked on over a dozen times. The roof is loud and there is a constant ticking coming from multiple locations. There are multiple "loose parts" in the door that sounds like a hanger banging back and forth and the windows rattle along with a vent on the dash that rattles. Ive had the car in the shop more than in my garage. They could simply replace the roof (theyve taken it off enough times)but insist on trying to repair it with no improvement. The car looks nice, but its cheaply built.

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  I love my PT, but - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Dawn - October 27 - 7:20 pm

  As soon as I saw the first PT, I fell in love and knew I had to have one. I do love my PT, the stylin retro body and the cool interior features make this a very fun vechicle.

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  My favorite car Ive ever owned! - 2007 Chrysler 300
  By Julie Hines - October 27 - 3:53 pm

  I love my new 300c from its classy looks to its wonderful ride. The power gives a real sense of confidence on the road when the need to accelerate quickly presents itself. The interior is so comfortable. I love all the automatic features you can set such as the headlights and the wipers. The navigation system is great. The Boston Acoustic sound system has high quality sound. After driving SUVs for 10 years, I was concerned I would feel cramped in a sedan. Not so in the 300, the interior is quite roomy and there is lots of leg room. The trunk is quite spacious as well.

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  Chrysler Quality Lacks - 2002 Chrysler Sebring
  By Larry - October 27 - 1:13 pm

  Chrysler vehicles just do not meet the quality and resale value of Chevrolet and Ford. I bought this car new and paid 28K, 4 years later and 25K miles, its only worth 10K. At 24K miles, the driver door hinge broke, and a hose above the fuel tank is defective, cost, $400.00 to repair.

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  300 Great Auto - 2007 Chrysler 300
  By mjp - October 26 - 3:30 pm

  My 300 Touring is a dream car for comfort and styling. The navigation system is a farce. I have a 250 Garmin handheld that is far superior to the $1800 for the navigation system. Alpine is not interested in working to improve or upgrade a very antiquated program disc. I have about 1900 miles on my vehicle and have been getting about 25 on the interstate. Ride is wonderful. Cruise control lever could be changed. Easy to hit it versus the turn signal. Sound system is outstanding. Styling is fantastic. Overall I am very please except for the navigation system.