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:

• 

  Woody Wagon, Retro Classic or Hot Rod? - 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Jimmys Retro Rod - August 28 - 6:20 am

  Im very pleased with this vehicle and Im glad I purchased it. Ive had no problems with it what so ever. Its fun to drive..and I often forget that Im driving a station wagon.

• 

  Large American car better than hoped - 2017 Chrysler 300
  By Brian S. - August 28 - 4:27 am

  I bought this car after being in mid sized SUV and large pickup trucks for the past 9 years. Coming from that background, this is an amazing car. I have the Sport model and you cannot be put off by the editors review here. They reviewed a totally different car than mine in totally different circumstances. I was a little afraid of the comments of the ride and handling but I have not found any of that to be the case. The Sport is a tight, smooth, powerful car in mainstream driving situations. During normal driving it exhibits none of the floatiness or undesirable body roll described here. The seats are bolstered and firm so that one is held tightly in position during turning. They may be a little too small, as many of the Dodge/Chrysler products tend to be. Braking is firm and straight for a large car. In fact, one has to be aware of all the automatic systems in place to help you drive. I brake moderately coming to stops and I can feel the system apply more pressure as one of the safety systems thinks I am not stopping fast enough. Either that or the brakes really grab after a few seconds warm up. The engine is smooth and responsive, especially at passing speeds. And I am getting 28MPG right out of the box at moderate (65-70) highway speeds, which is incredible. Visibility does not seem to be a problem, again coming from a truck background. The quietness is also amazing as is the sound system. My wife bought a new 2016 Charger, the sister car to this and while they share platforms, there are distinct differences that are worth the $10,000 difference. I opted for the AWD system, which may be the only models available here in Minnesota. If all-weather capabilities are what you want or need, this car seems like it will provide them and be a worthy premium choice for large cars available.

• 

  Its the SRT8 and FAST - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By Tony Jones - August 27 - 10:13 pm

  I purchased the SRT8 with 425 HP, black outside and inside. The car is great to drive and I like the stiff ride. The 20" wheels are great and the brakes will stop on a dime. The orange block, headers and intake look great when you raise the hood. Replaced the front grille with the mesh one that makes the front part of the car just look great. For the price to get this kind of fast and fun with the Benz it would cost about 85k to 95k and that car will not run up to 174 miles an hour like the SRT8 will. The inside of the car is simple but gets the job done with the sub-woofer addition the stereo is great. The trunk will carry 4 golf bags but its tight and very small cooler. Love IT

• 

  Very Satisfied - 2005 Chrysler Sebring
  By Bob - August 25 - 10:43 pm

  I didnt set out to buy a Sebring, but I am glad I did. It holds the road well, and remains level on turns. Has a tight turning radius. The engine far exceeds my expectation. Road noise a bit high but not that objectionable. Have owned it for close to a year and have not had a single problem. Do wish there was an adjustment to make the trunk lid lift higher when opened remotely. Was quite surprised at size of trunk.

• 

  2003 300M Special - 2003 Chrysler 300M
  By Tom M - August 24 - 10:47 am

  I own an 1993 Eagle Vision TSI, the predecessor to the 300M which has been my best car Ive ever owned and Ive owned close to 20 cars. It now has 160K. Its been extremely reliable and fun to drive. The 300M is more fun and has additional toys (e.g. Sirius and Nav). I expect the 300M to be more reliable than the TSI. It also looks great.

• 

  used and nothing but issues - 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By nicoleo - August 24 - 10:09 am

  this is my very first car. ive had it since October for my birthday. nothing but problems the thing leaks oil like no tomorrow breaks had to be changed a week or so after I got it while changing the breaks my dad noticed that the outside tire rods where hanging on by a thread that scared me quite a bit. the acceleration sucks! in Canada gas is cheap like 90cents a L so it takes about $25 to fill it from just under half. driving to school there and back is 30 ish km and 30 to the city cant wait to get rid of it!

• 

  My Pacifica - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Greg - August 23 - 2:26 pm

  Love the car. Will buy another in the future. Its a pleasure to drive and own. I havent had it in the shop for anything else but regular maintenance. Its such a beautiful car to look at... someone tried to steal it! They were unsuccessful. The alarm system scared them off.

• 

  This is it! - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Napasonoma - August 21 - 6:16 pm

  I have owned this car for 8 months and it has been a blast to drive. It has great torque and HP. Its all you need to have to enjoy this size car. It is not a muscle car but a sports car and can it handle, it is glued to the road. The quality is German it shows everywhere the fit of pats and the even lines, look under the hood everything is well laid out and uniform.This car turns heads at every intersction.

• 

  Lots of fun. - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By denver - August 21 - 10:00 am

  I dont know what all the talk about lack of power people are talking about.I just purchased the dream cruiser for my wife and we love it! After test driving alot of different cars we found that the 215hp turbo has alot of get up and go.The ride is fun and smooth,quiet.

• 

  Loved every mile--40K and driving - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By Valarie Brown - August 20 - 10:06 pm

  After having driven both a Mitusbishi Eclipse and four wheel drive SUVs, the handling on the 300 has been a surprise and joy. I love driving on the open road and my 300 made the 150 mile daily commute comfortable. I purchased the car with all of the bells and whstles and have not regretted any of the additional expenses. I am now a life time subscriber to satellite radio and a faithful user of the integrated bluetooth phone system.