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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  Fun but underpowered - 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By curler1 - September 12 - 10:00 am

  I think they really engineered the interior space well. Plenty of roo both in the front and back. Like therear cargo area although cant get golf clubs tolie flat. The engine is a dog but I knew that going in. Abit noisy with road noise.

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  Oh Yeah Baby!!!!!!!! - 1998 Chrysler Cirrus
  By P. T. - September 12 - 3:06 am

  My parents bought it for me used and I have not had any problems. The looks good, drives good, and rides good.

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  A good deal, but nothing to brag about - 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Italian Capricorn - September 12 - 1:50 am

  It is not an economy car. I purchased it for my son, who just got his drivers license. The back seats can be removed, which is a plus when a teenager is driving the car. Studies show that the collisions occurs when a number of teenagers are in the same car. Reducing that number to only a driver and a passenger reduces the risk.

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  Bought it and Got rid of it - 2015 Chrysler 200
  By Tyler - September 11 - 9:26 am

  The car looks Great. Chrysler did a great job on the looks of this car. The transmission and electronics on the other hand need a lot of work. I had this car for a month and had to have it towed due to transmission failure. It was fixed under warranty but customer service was terrible. I called multiple times and was put on hold every time for so long that the sales department kept answering and retransfering me to the service department. It was winter time when i had the vehicle and the traction was terrible in the snow. The antilock brakes failed, visibility is terrible and there was front end problems. The transmission after being serviced shifted very hard in the cold weather. Fuel economy was not good at all. I was getting about 20mpg city and 29mpg highway with this car. I will never buy a Chrysler product again. I got rid of it and got a Subaru Crosstrek instead and I am glad I did because its a great vehicle. I cant imagine how much it will cost to fix the chrysler after warranty. Dont get this vehicle and save yourself the headache.

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  Cant get much better - 1996 Chrysler Concorde
  By hjohnb - September 10 - 1:34 am

  You would have to dig pretty deep to find fault with this car. It really does get 27 mpg highway - 19.6 city - Rock solid - quiet (except for some time noise on concrete highways) and very reliable. The spacious interior - comforttable seating and superb interior design make this one a fun car to own.

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  04 Pacifica - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By MHCARGUY - September 8 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Pacifica for less than two months now and so far Ive had it in the shop 5 times and going for #6. The concept behind the Pacifica is very good however the build quality on this vehicle is horrible. The drivers side floor board is always wet due to a leak that they cant seem to find. Ive also had a computer system go bad and it just went out again yesterday and now there is a clunk in the rear when you go over bumps. I couldnt pass up the lease special on this car, thats why I bought it. I cant wait until my lease is up. It fits my familys needs very well however It should be parked in my driveway all the time and not the dealership.

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  5.7 Hemi - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By fresh - September 8 - 10:00 am

  Great car buy it and enjoy. Lots of features can be programed into the car. side mirrors drop upon placing in revearse. seat and steering column "open" when you shut off the car. Smart back-up features help avoid accidents!!! FAST in low gears anbd seamlessly drops from 8 cylinders down to 4 cylinders to save gas on the hwy. Also, transmission is the same as the "E-series". Buy it now before the prices rise!!!!!

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  97 concorde best car ever owned..... - 1997 Chrysler Concorde
  By Juergen Muthmann - September 7 - 6:11 pm

  I have owned almost 50 cars since 1956. I looked for the best car for my retirement. Among Ford, GM, Honda the 97 Concorde has been so far the best quality and driving fun, safety. of course, maintenance is a must on any car. Just changed oil at 87000 miles. oil was clean and used about 1/3 quart over 3000 miles.

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  A Future Classic - 2000 Chrysler Concorde
  By johnG - September 6 - 12:43 pm

  This vehicle has had no motor or drivetrain problems. Two electric window problems and twice the front transmission cooler lines had to be replaced. Car still looks great with regular washing and annual polishing. Mobil 1 used since bought -7500 mile oil and filter changes. Hope to get 200,000 miles from car.

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  Reliability Cruises down Highway - 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By doug koman - September 6 - 6:50 am

  gas gauge sticks at "full" then drops to below empty. Dealer says dirt in gas. First American car in 25 years; funny all those imports used same variety of gas without this problem. Clutch goes right to floor without resistance. Stranded on interstate vehicle trucked to dealer. Slave valve worked loose & dropped into transmission. First time dealer ever saw this. 25 years of imports with manual transmissions; never even had a clutch adjustment. Will not buy an American car again. This was a mistake, but thought US quality had improved. Now I cant even trade it as Chrsyler has cut the cost of 05s. Do not buy a PT cruiser.