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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  PT Cruiser, a great little car. - 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By J Catucci - July 13 - 10:00 am

  I find the PT Cruiser a very versatile auto. I purchased a new clothes dryer and a new dishwasher and a compound miter saw and transported them home all at once plus my wife and myself. Gas milage is not the best, (around 20 to 24 mpg). The ride is a sporty ride. I recommend this car to anyone who wants to have fun while driving.

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  Love My Pacifica - 2006 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Brandi - July 12 - 10:12 am

  My husband and I are looking to start a family soon but since we both owned small, two-door cars, we knew it was time to upgrade to a more family- appropriate vehicle. The Pacific is a perfect fit for us! It is the most comfortable ride Ive ever had in a vehicle, and the price was right for all of the "bells and whistles" when you consider the power seats/locks, 2nd and 3rd row seats that fold for storage, etc. There are just too many great things about the Pacifica to list here!

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  Just plain fun and an eye catcher - 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Tink - July 12 - 9:03 am

  I LOVE my PT cruiser convertible. At first it wasnt what I wanted, but top on my list was to get a convertible and this one was the most affordable. It is purple and believe me I get lots of comments. The interior is spacious, its easy to get into, the trunk is not bad, not huge but sufficient, gas mileage is acceptable. My biggest complaint on this model is the lever that pulls the front seat foward, my 9 yr old has a rough time with it and sometimes so do I. Overall this is a terrific car! Its not as sleek and sexy as other convertibles, what it lacks in looks it makes up for in personality!

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  This car can move - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By doug powell - July 10 - 10:00 am

  I flew 500 miles away to get the cool vanilla color with the 280 watt mp3, the drive home was some good quality time bonding with the new car. This car rides quiet, is fast, and turns heads. I dont see many on the road yet but I think there will be a lot of them soon. I dont know about reliability yet but it seems solid.

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  love my pt - 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By dbbats - July 9 - 8:20 am

  love my car but when car idles and air isnt on it sounds like its going to cut out. Also after 16,000 miles had to do brake job. But I really like the look.

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  Pretty fun car - 2006 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Carlos - July 8 - 11:39 am

  This is a very nice family car but is also very sporty.....nice car

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  A great fun finally - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By FRED E. - July 7 - 4:50 pm

  This is a great new car, comfortable fast and quick manuevering, the thing that I admire the most is the fact that Im getting about 30 miles per gallon in the city and highway mileage, I get nothing but compliments when I drive my customers as I own a Limousine service in Los Angeles,Ca. Ive accumulated almost 2000 miles in my first month of ownership, hopefully I will enjoy this car much more than my Towncar the car itself in paying off in the comsumption of gasoline, I literally paying half of my cost as I did a month ago, the extended chassis makes a truly enjoyable and smooth ride.

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  Latest of 35, and Best - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By Jim - July 7 - 4:30 pm

  Excellent road car with safe feel except for the self sealing tires, which are not up to the ability of the suspension. Very agile and easy to drive. I am an ex-high performance instructor and the car responds well to all inputs. The car takes longer than most to get used to but has become a joy to drive. It is better than I expected it to be.

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  Overhyped - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By dave h - July 7 - 3:05 pm

  The Chrysler 300 is the most over hyped car in the past couple of years. Last winter it seemed to be one of the worst cars on the road for handling snow and ice. It is especially poor for the size and weight of the car. Visibility is also very poor.

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  Superior style, comfort and room - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Tampa Lou - July 7 - 11:57 am

  The Pacifica has been one of the few cars I have owned that have kept the love affair going. We loved it when we first got and still think it is the best. We plan on getting another when this lease expires with some of the extra amenities we currently dont have.