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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  goodtimes with the top down - 1998 Chrysler Sebring
  By sean - November 19 - 3:27 am

  i bought this car used with 58,000 miles. i have the limited edition with the 2 tone leather. its been a blast to drive and it looks great ! had to put in a new ac unit last month for $1000.00 , but hey, its seven years old and sill looks brand new. i would buy another.

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  Excelent Car but the brakes - 2000 Chrysler Cirrus
  By Chris - November 16 - 6:02 pm

  Good car overall, lots of power but needs to be improved in areas like braking, front tie-rod ends, transmission leaks and sturdyness. It looks great, the design is still very modern.

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  A Timeless Treasure - 1995 Chrysler Concorde
  By Ken Peltier - November 16 - 4:26 pm

  I bought this car used with uner 18,000 miles and never looked back. I was struck by the sporty design, power and handling. While many styles come and go, it seems the sleak, sporty design holds its own. Of all the cars I have been driven, it is still the most comfortable to drive. I cant seem to let it go. It just seems to have that timeless appeal and durability you cant walk away from. I have kept up the repairs and the paint looks new. My biggest expense has been maintianing the A/C. A few bad placed leaks have been expensive. Also,the A/C has a difficult time keeping up with black dash, dark leather interior and the 95 degree Charlotte NC heat. At 170,000 miles, it runs great!

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  Happiness is ... - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By John F. Patton - November 15 - 1:40 pm

  We are so pleased with our car; its maneuverability; its sleek lines and its overall comfort.

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  Great car - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By John - November 14 - 5:26 pm

  This car has it all for one low price. The power is insane and the ride is so smooth its just unbelievable. You need to drive one to see what Im talking about.

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  2004 Crossfire Automatic - 2004 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Pirateheart - November 14 - 10:00 am

  The Automatic complements this car more than the 6 speed. The car handles well with traveling over the road on a long trip. The comfort is there.The passing power is unbelieveable. This is a must drive sports car. The viewing out the back of the car could be better but this car is so fun to drive.This car captures the eyes of other very fast as it did ours. I would recomend this car.

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  OK Car - 1996 Chrysler Sebring
  By Jordon - November 13 - 6:44 pm

  I bought the car with 140,000 miles on it at the end of 2004. Now it has 156,000 miles on it. It is hard to tell the mpg that it gets because the Odometer goes out for long periods of times (like 2 to 6 weeks at a time), though it does keep accurate mileage. My front passenger side wheels lug nuts came one day and the wheel came off when I pulled in my drive way. The Engine has begun to shake violently and consistently and I dont know why. The ride is OK, but could be better. The convertible top is tearing along the seams, and will be very costly to fix, approximately $1200.

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  Comfy Ride - 2012 Chrysler 200
  By AnnMarie Hayes - November 12 - 12:46 am

  This Car has a great interior. Great Sound System and navigation. Some door handles poor quality. Weird transmission, Im still not used to it. Only take car to dealer to get work done. It needs Mopar parts. Most other places do not understand how to repair this car. The resale value isnt great. I believe it would be a good car to lease. But not keep long term. Overall I would give it a 3.5/5. Thanks I hope this helps.

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  Pacifica Touring Review - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By PJ - November 11 - 1:33 am

  This is the vehicle for anyone not wanting a minivan or the truck-like ride of an SUV. I absolutely love this car / SUV (Crossover).

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  nothing but problems - 2002 Chrysler Sebring
  By Andy - November 10 - 9:35 pm

  Although the car is fun to drive when everything is right, it has rarely been right for any extended period of time. The first three years we had 3 starter changes, one computer change, and various other engine problems. It died on us 3 times. After that a series of repairs were needed because various parts of the undercarriage support kept breaking. It felt like an old clunker. Even the new struts we bought were defective. Would strongly recommend that anyone buying a Sebring plan on also buying an extended warranty.