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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  AOK except? - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By Florida300man - April 28 - 11:10 am

  Great car for the money! Performance all aroud is a 10! Only problem is Visibility . . . . side windows, and rear is the worst visibility. I have had first accident in my life as a result after 40+ yrs. of driving, not serious, but was due to poor visibility....also high profile tires will only last 15k miles tops.

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  great car - 2007 Chrysler Sebring
  By luke54 - April 26 - 8:23 pm

  I had a lot of cars,some of the the best american mfgs on the road. Im driveing the 2.7 eng. and getting great fuel economy 22/33. I,ve worked in the truck and auto industry for 40 yrs. and this vech. is a good one, no its not a Lincoln Marc VIII, Izusu Axiom,Ford LTD, Mustang Gt5spd,but its a darn good american made auto. My wife and I are very happy with ours.

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  After almost 2 years still excited - 2007 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Old Dude - April 26 - 4:32 pm

  I love: 1. That I can smoke those little Mitsubishis and VWs at redlights, 2. that I can consistantly get 26-27MPG when driving 80-90 on the highway, 3. that I can put the top down without getting out of the car, 4. that I can take corners at 80 that my Jeep can only take at 50-60, 5. that my wife cant pack 400lbs of clothes when we go on a trip & she is OK with that. Most Importantly, I love that after almost 2 years, I still get excited just looking at it. I my wife and I had to choose between each other or the car, wed both take the car and I love my wife of 28 years.

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  Good Car but not great - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By Thomas - April 24 - 6:26 pm

  My 2006 Chrysler 300 Touring AWD is a very good car the ride is smooth and comfortable the steering is tight and handles well the engine really loves to guzzle up the fuel with this AWD and the rear seat is not as roomy as you might expect and i really like the exterior design nice and sleek except in my opinion the car doesnt look long enough it looks like it they chopped off the trunk but i wished i had looked around a bit more i would have got one of the more modern cars in this class like the Mercury Grand Marquis or Montego and Ford Five Hundred but i am fairly happy with my 300 its a good car

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  What Happened? - 2000 Chrysler Voyager
  By NJGal - April 11 - 4:04 pm

  Have you ever driven on a hot day and see other Chrysler vans with their windows opened? I do all the time. My A/C broke and I was told was unrepairable. The kids in the back are so hot and with the windows open creates pressure on the eardrums of the driver and passengers. I think its a flaw in the design. I used to love this car, I have 108K on it and the inside is still beautiful, the body and paint is great but the overall engine quality is shoddy. I have a leak of transmission fluid and the repair would cost so much the mechanic told me to just keep replacing fluid its cheaper. Bummer, I didnt want to get rid of it yet but I WONT ever by Chrysler AGAIN!

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  Love my PT - 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Scalhoun - April 11 - 12:40 pm

  My PT has been a great car. No mechanical problems at all. My only suggestion would be to make the headrest more comfortable. It tilts forward or isnt the right height for my height. Its to tall. This makes me lean forward the whole time Im driving. Its the only complaint I have about this vehicle at all.

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  Dead and Gone. - 2006 Chrysler Pacifica
  By OyVay - April 5 - 6:50 pm

  Test driving many mid-sized SUVs and crossovers I fell in love with the Pacifica.I was pretty pleased with the vehicle: beautiful styling, quiet cabin, smooth ride, ample space - definitely a passenger conscious vehicle. Just before 50K the transmission went out. The amount of torque on the trans coupled with the weight of the Pacifica is Not a good combo. A part shot through transmission case causing a hole about the size of a quarter and all the fluid leaked out. The transmission began seizing one day while on the highway and nearly caused an accident. It was in the shop for nearly a month and fortunately I bought a 100k warranty on the thing. Afraid of further part issues, I traded out.

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  my Pacifica - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By B06robert - April 5 - 10:00 am

  I have only been driving the cat for a month I have put 2000 miles in it, It drives exellent not much more that I can say at this time than very satisfied

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  hopinfg for the best - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By xena - April 5 - 10:00 am

  Excellent look to car. Had issue with car pulling to the right/ returned 2nd time -better but no fix/ 3rd time. tire issue- fixed still pulls to right. I could be very satisfied if this issue could be resolved, but at this time no know fix is in the works per CHrysler

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  Investment - 2008 Chrysler Pacifica
  By hmg - March 30 - 9:25 am

  Traded up from a GM product. This vehicle is fun to drive and the interior is great in the touring signature series. Chrysler cant fail with more cars at a good investment price and this stand behind bumper to bumper warranty coverage. No more pacificas, too bad. At least I got mine! Cant wait for a summer road trip.