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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  Damn good car - 1999 Chrysler Cirrus
  By Lancaster PA - May 11 - 7:28 am

  This car is great. Very roomy. Lots of leg room front or back. I have taken many long trips. And I never feel fatiged when I get where Im going like I do with my other cars.

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  Good but need a few improvements - 2006 Chrysler Pacifica
  By idoc - May 11 - 12:43 am

  Good car all around. Does not seem as large when driven. Nice ride and very spacious. The navigation screen is poorly placed. Wife almost got into an accident when trying to adjust it. Very poor fuel economy. Much of this car resembles a down scaled version of the MB R class. The nice features in the MB is not in the Pacifica (stability control and large moon-roof), that I wished is availible in the Pacifica.

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  19 Months and Still in Love - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By SpitShine - May 10 - 7:37 pm

  I ordered the car because they couldnt keep them on the lot back in the day. It was well worth the wait. I make one or two roundtrips per week from San Diego to L.A. and I always look forward to the drive. Smooth and fast, sleek and responsive. This car is such a dream. Ive had no issues except the AC quit working a couple of time. I stopped the car, restarted, and it came back to life. Dealership had no answers.

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  I Will Never Buy One Again! - 1999 Chrysler 300M
  By Haley - May 10 - 5:36 pm

  This car has been nothing but trouble since we bought it. It has been in and out of the shop for breaking down on the freeway. The dealership quit charging us when we brought it in because they dont know what is wrong with it. To add to it, the electric windows stopped working. As soon as we can get rid of it we will. I will never buy another Chrysler.

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  PT Cruiser- Great Car - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Janet Keyes - May 9 - 10:33 pm

  Our three-year-old PT Cruiser is fun to drive locally, and comfortable on a trip. We get up to 29 MPG on trips, and about 20+ locally. It has plenty of giddyup for city on-ramps, and good head room in both front and back seats for people up to 64. Friends are always pleasantly surprised when riding in this car. Its one of the best cars we ever had.

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  a good car - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By pat - May 9 - 8:58 pm

  only probelm I found with this car is that it has blind spots when turning at some junctions especially crossing traffic. Otherwise it is a very nice car to drive

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  Great Car - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By touring limited - May 9 - 8:31 pm

  This is a great car. Ive never owned a car that has attracted more attention. Its hard to get gas without someone asking me about the car and telling me how great it looks. I even had a man follow me to a motel to ask me how I like the car because he was planning to trade his cadillac in on a 300!

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  Fun car to drive - 2002 Chrysler Sebring
  By Timothy Stokes - May 9 - 11:53 am

  This is my first convertible. I primarily bought it for my wife but I love it too. The car has great pickup and gas mileage for a large car is good, about 22-25 miles per gallon. My one complaint would be the tires leaking air. My tire place claims that it was the chrome wheels. However, I recently purchased new tires and they have not loss any so far. My other complaint would be the brakes had to be replaced at 30,000 miles which seems too quick.

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  this car rules - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By dave-L - May 8 - 11:39 am

  The car has met every expectation in the 2 years Ive owned it. Fit and finish have been superb, as well as the performance and mileage. Im getting 18 mpg in town and 26 on the highway with mid-grade gas. The cylinder deactivation system is virtually invisible to the driver. The car has had absolutely no problems (after an initial front end alignment ajustment).

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  Very reliable - 2001 Chrysler Concorde
  By Don - May 7 - 9:46 pm

  I do all types of driving. This car is very comfortable and rides the best of any car I have owned. I have had no problems with the car----Zero. I had front brakes installed at 72,000 miles. This is about normal for any car. Gas mileage on an interstate trip tops out at 30.6 to 30.8 any time on a trip.This is cruising at 65-72mph.