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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  Bob Page - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Bob Basron - August 13 - 2:03 pm

  The 2005 model in the roadster configuration is a refined sports car delivering everything that is fun about open top cars. You can enjoy the automatic and still play with the manual mode. I own a 1965 Austin Healey 3000 and drive it only on the cooler days, the crossfire delivers hot or cold with a high degree of sophistication,that only a German engineered vehicle can do. Fuel econmomy is great,this is a fun car..

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  A real surprise! - 2017 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Floyd Sense - August 13 - 2:00 am

  I traded my 2016 Honda Odyssey EX for this second-hand 2017 Pacifica. The primary reason was the poor human factors in the Odyssey interior design. For example, if you wear polarized sunglasses and live in a sunny climate, you cant read the speedometer in the Odyssey - white numbers on a bright metallic background. And, my 52" wife could never find a comfortable driving position. The rear lift gate was difficult for a short person to open and close. The Pacifica has none of these problems and clearly Chrysler spent considerable time with the interior design and came up with a winner. The dashboard design is just about perfect - the large screen is tilted towards the driver so as to be very easy to read and all the control knobs/buttons are easily reachable by the driver. The controls are all logical and well laid out. The navigation system is the best Ive seen and is the first Ive used that is better than my stand-alone Garmin GPS. Destinations can be entered by voice and the system does a great job on interpreting what I say. In addition, you can control the radio and other systems via voice commands. The center storage bin assembly is very well thought out and provides a convenient place to store a purse or box of tissues so that it doesnt roll around when cornering. Theres even an additional USB port for charging phones, etc. The rear lift gate has a power assist that raises and lowers the gate with an accompanying beaping tone. The stow and go middle seats are fairly easy to store and when theyre raised and in place, you can use their storage compartments to store other items. The seats do not seem to be as comfortable as the second row seats were in my Odyssey, but they may be perfectly adequate - just havent tried them on a long trip yet. Shorter members of the family say theyre just fine, but they seemed a bit low to me. On the other hand, the third row seats are a bit deeper and seemed to be more comfortable than those in the Odyssey. The biggest surprise for me was the gas mileage. On the 128 mile trip home from the dealership, we got an overall 30.6 mpg average and that included the 2,000 foot climb up the mountain near home. Over the first 115 miles, we saw 33 mpg over rolling hills at 70 mph. Over the same route, the Odyssey usually averaged 26-27 mpg, never exceeding 28 mpg. The new 9 speed transmission is as smooth as a CVT, but without the noise. Braking response is more positive than that of the Odyssey, i.e., braking begins higher on the pedal with slightly more resistance. The only negative Ive seen thus far is the windshield mounted rear view mirror. It gives a somewhat closed-in view to the rear. We live in the mountains with very few straight and level roads and the Pacifica handles every bit as well as the Odyssey did. Theres very little body roll and youre never reminded of the large metal structure behind you. If youre considering an Odyssey, please go drive the Pacifica before making the decision. Hopefully, the Pacifica reliability over the long haul will be the same or better than the Honda. Addendum: Some models do not come with a spare tire, just one of the slime patch kits and a pump. You can add a donut spare (it comes un-inflated) in which case its stored in the compartment in the far rear on the left side. Without the spare, there are two smaller compartments, so when you buy the spare youll want to buy the new panel that covers the spare storage area as well. These items are not inexpensive, so its a good idea to try and get the dealer to throw in the spare and panel if the model you want doesnt come with it.

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  Im A Fan - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By The Weather Lady - August 13 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 2003 PT in August of 2002 and I have yet to have a major complaint. This car is great in the snow, I had an idea it would since it weighs 3100lbs. Up here in Buffalo, its important to have a reliable car. The PT is made solid and I feel safe when in it. The foldable/removable seats come in handy on grocery days. Overall I would recommend this car to anyone, if they were looking for convenience and safety.

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  What was I thinking? - 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By What was I thinking? - August 13 - 1:00 am

  I have a 2006 PT. The gas mileage is robbing me blind. I had only had the car for 4 months when the air condition may the car run hot. I would have to pull over for it to cool off. I was stuck out of town when it first happened. I missed 2 day of work. The steering wheel shakes. Ive had the tires rotated and aligned. I say it at least once a day that I hate this car.

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  33 Miles per gal at 60 mph highway - 2000 Chrysler Sebring
  By KEITH - August 12 - 5:29 pm

  2000 chysler sebring jxi This car was a program car. It had 17,000 miles on it when I got it. The only thing I have had to do is replace the tires,oil change (synthetic oil), brakes battery a/c and belt. No tune needed yet. I dont think that is too bad for 132,000 miles and getting 33 miles per gallon @ 60 mph / 26.3 miles per gallon @ 79.5 mph and it is running strong. Thank you Chysler

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  SEbring 1999 - 1999 Chrysler Sebring
  By John - August 12 - 12:28 pm

  Auto was ok except for rims. During the time I have owned the car I had to replace 7 rims.

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  best looker - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By george - August 11 - 8:51 pm

  it is the most fun you can have with your clothes on. It sure is a crowd pleaser. Everywhere you go people go out of their way to see what kind of car it is.Im very, very happy with the car.

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  Safety in a small car - 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Carolyn - August 11 - 7:40 pm

  This is a small car with good fuel economy. Totally fun to drive around town especially to zip into small spaces where other vehicles cannot park. The freeway I feel is a scary proposition. My concern is the size and I have not been able to find any web sites that list the PT Cruiser for a crash rating. When you are sitting behind the steering wheel of the Cruiser the dash appears to be 18" to 2 in front of you, but the hood looks like it is only extended about 8" beyond that. Kinda scary. I realize it is the optics that give that impression, but I feel I deserve to feel safe in my car. Putting this car in cruise control is awkward as is having the gas tank on the right side.

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  the best car made - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By jeff bryan - August 11 - 8:22 am

  My wife and i have really enjoyed the car it has not given us any problems and handles very good. We will be buying another sebring.... very dependable automobile.

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  Rattles and No High Beams - 2018 Chrysler 300
  By JAM - August 11 - 3:48 am

  I loved the car, but Im very disappointed after only 10 weeks of leasing the car (driving 400 miles per week), there is a rattle in the glove box, a rattle coming from the back seat area and the high beam headlights malfunction (they dont come on) in weather below 10 or 15 degrees. I brought it in for service and they were not able to resolve anything, but did see an error code. So glad this is a lease and not a purchase.