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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  Brand New 2012 Chrysler 200 S - 2012 Chrysler 200
  By 6th_mopar - February 27 - 9:50 pm

  Just picked up my 200 S this afternoon. Power from Pentastar 3.6 V-6 is very good. Slight torque steer as noted in a few other columns, but about the same as in a Honda or Toyota. Navigation and sound system is superb. Proud to have bought and am driving my 6th American Mopar product. (75 Duster, 97 Cirrus, 01 Concorde, 02 Intrepid, 06 300). More to come after I get this one broken in. Initial impression is very good. Glad I test drove it and bought it.

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  Great car the first seven years. - 1999 Chrysler Cirrus
  By moparman65 - February 25 - 1:28 am

  We bought this car in January 1999 and have had no major problems with it. Over the years it has given us dependable service with minimum cost. It has lots of spunk and pep and handles well on all roads. A pleasure to drive on the interstate at max speed. Comfortable seating for four. Could have had better cup holders.

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  Ugh I am so glad its over. - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By luvtoyota10 - February 20 - 1:42 pm

  Okay this was my fathers car. And it was such a piece of junk one day I was in the car on the highway and the steering wheel was vibrating and shaking. There were many issues with things that my father assumed were fine, but he traded it in for a Toyota Avalon. It handled like a turd and the interior was crap. But i have to admit it looked sharp in black and it rode smooth and had a quiet ride.

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  2008 chrysler 300 touring - 2008 Chrysler 300
  By billida300 - February 18 - 2:07 pm

  I have had nothing but trouble with my car and the dealers in northeast Ohio dont know what they r doing!!Leather seats cracked at 28,000 miles,crank sensor seal leaked and had to be replaced 2 x.Lumbar adjustment broke after dealer replaced the leather seat covering, dealer ordered 4 seat covers before I finally got my color.Then motor starts ticking and its the Valves so the dealer fixes and then says a new valve stuck and replaced whole top end of motor,water pump because of their poor work,take car home and it leaks oil so take back for another crank sensor seal :(Very unhappy with quality of car and dealers

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  Simply Amazing! - 2011 Chrysler 300
  By robert7200 - February 15 - 11:14 pm

  Purchased a 2011 Chrysler 300C in January and have been driving it for about 4 weeks now. Was never really a Chrysler fan in the past. However, after test driving the new 300C, it was hard to deny the great improvement in quality, fit and finish. The 300C is equipped with every possible option including the 363HP Hemi V8, all-wheel drive, adaptive cruise control, lane change warning, park assist, back-up camera, Garmin nav system, bluetooth and ipod adapter, heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel, napa leather seats, real wood trim, panoramic moon roof, and more. The ride is very stable and the cabin is extremely quiet. If you are looking for a full size luxury car, look no further!

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  One fine vehicle - 2012 Chrysler 200
  By blacky4 - February 15 - 10:31 pm

  I have been waiting for my fully loaded Chrysler 200S V6 and I received it a few days ago. I have to say it was well worth the wait. The first thing I noticed was its fit and finish is outstanding, especially the interior. Next is how smooth and quiet it is at road speed. Then I put the pedal to the metal and unleashed those 283 horses, and boy, this baby flies! I read many reviews on this car, and it seems like for every positive review there was some character ripping it apart, calling it a warmed over Sebring, etc. Well, if you are in the market for one of these, the only advice I can give is take one for a drive and judge it for yourself. You may be pleasantly surprised.

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  2000 Chrysler Voyager 4-cyl, automatic - 2000 Chrysler Voyager
  By elurael - February 15 - 1:46 pm

  This is the basic model (Base), and I bought it new in February 2000. It has a large 4-cylinder engine, which allows for pleasantly surprising acceleration, yet 22 miles-per-gallon performance over all. However, I did have to pay to add cruise control and a roof rack. It does have an automatic transmission, which I also prefer.Everything else is manual (windows, door locks, etc.), but that is what I prefer. Aside from what I mentioned in suggested improvements, performance and function have been reliable and pleasing. At 70k miles, the brake pads have had to be replaced once and as well as the battery (at 10 years). I do try to keep it serviced regularly with 5 quarts of synthetic oil.

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  Chrysler Got It Right! - 2012 Chrysler 200
  By tonys13 - February 14 - 9:11 am

  Great first impression! Seats are great ride is sporty and comfortable throttle is responsive sound system is great Controls in touch screen are a breeze to use SAT, NAV, MC is great. This car feels like a high end euro model!

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  Great Value - 2007 Chrysler Sebring
  By dimealik - February 9 - 10:26 pm

  I am seeing a lot of negative reviews and it all sounds pretty bad. I bought my 2007 Sebring with 48k miles and it has been great. I drove to Atlanta from Michigan and back with no problems. The engine stalls when it rains every now and then but Chrysler is going to fix that for free. If youre going to buy this car I would make sure the dealer has taken care of said recalls and that the engine is in good shape, from there just maintain it well and it will be a great value!

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  Problems! - 2012 Chrysler 300
  By rodrechcali - February 4 - 9:34 am

  Ill admit when I first picked mine up, I was pretty impressed. It looked nice, drives fast, and was a great take an an american sedan, and who doesnt like the design!!. Sadly, after just a week of driving the car to work, the quality of many components broke down. this car is not worth the trouble. I suggest to anyone who wants this car, go with something else