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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  Concorde Great Buy - 1999 Chrysler Concorde
  By janelle711 - June 25 - 12:12 pm

  No major or minor problems with mechanical or body integrity. Fun to drive, great gas mileage for a car this size without compromising on pick up. Tons of rear leg room and comfy seating for three. I would buy it again if I had the choice. I chose this over Camry, Avalon, and Accord and am happy with my choice after two years.

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  2002 PT Cruiser std eng./ 5 spd manual - 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Dave - June 24 - 5:56 pm

  I bought the car used with 24,000 miles. I have replaced 2 batteries ( I drive short distances) I get 22 mpg (city) and 35(hwy) The car has cruise control. I have added a custom air intake and conical filter, which helps mileage and greatly improves access to the battery!

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  05 Pacifica - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Brian - June 23 - 3:43 am

  Confident drive and handling on all road conditions, including snow and ice. Comfortable, without being plush. A cross between Euro/Japanese feel to the ride and drive. The only downfall is fuel economy somwhere between 13-16 mpg.

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  Couldnt be Happier! - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By golfergal - June 22 - 5:53 am

  Just got my Crossfire. I found one used and traded in my Sebring for it. I love this car, and yea, it has no trunk space, but thats not its purpose. The purpose is for driving and having a blast while doing that. For space, Ill drive the Jeep Cherokee! The color is the cobalt blue with the two tone interior. Its pristine and just about perfect. The cup holder is not great, but for $5.00, I can buy one at Schucks that will work just fine. I love this car. I couldnt be happier! It handles like a dream, has enough zip, and the style is out of this world.

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  Rear view restriction - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By david - June 21 - 12:36 am

  The design of the rear window and or either back side window is limited because of their narrowness. When making a left turn the driver has to reach back over his shoulder and strain for a clearance view of on coming traffic. Also in parking lots the visual is greatly restricted and one must be careful in backing up.

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  Not very dependable - 1995 Chrysler Cirrus
  By David Ulvestad - June 20 - 2:14 pm

  I bought a Cirrus when I came back from a year in England and at first was very excited about it. I was stepping up to a V-6 for the first time and the car had decent features. However I soon quickly learned that it was more than I bargained for. Even though it was Motor Trends Car of the Year in 95 (I still have the sticker in my window) it has had repeated problems. Transmission, lower ball joint, poor winter traction (w/new tires), A/C never works ($900 to fix), collant pump problems, dashboard lights burn out, etc. If the car is running properly, it is a great ride and fun to drive w/ the suspension it has but I to have had it behind a tow truck too many times.

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  This is the third sebring we have owned, - 1999 Chrysler Sebring
  By ben plexico - June 20 - 9:51 am

  This car has been very reliable and a great car . We just purchased a Toyota and like it too. But the sebring has not had any expensive repairs and runs very well. It has 72,000 miles and still gets 29 mph on the road. V-6 performance is good, but I would not purchase one for a teenager.

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  A Decent Sports Car - 2004 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Zach Westover - June 20 - 2:00 am

  Why didnt the people who designed this car put in dual overhead cams it would greatly improve the horse power and if possible turbocharged it to make it a truly fast ride.

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  The Pig - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By mongostraight - June 20 - 2:00 am

  After losing our beloved Grand Caravan AWD in an accident 3 days before Xmas, we scrambled to find another AWD to take advantage of the year-end rebates. We ended up with a Pacifica. Its beautiful, its luxurious, it feels very safe, but its a pig. It carries fewer people and less stuff, but is wider and heavier than the GC it replaced. It gets terrible gas mileage and has so many blind spots, backing up at night is a crap shoot. My wife refuses to drive it unless she absolutely has no other choice. Thank God its a 3 year lease.

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  Best American car made in 2000 - 2000 Chrysler LHS
  By Joe C. - June 20 - 1:03 am

  I never imagined that a car this large would show between 27-30 MPG consistently on the road and 21 in the city. Chrysler has a winning formula in the LHS. Sadly I must part ways with it as it is time to move to something new for my business. If you can find one like mine, buy it with your eyes closed! These cars are excellent - few mechanical problems, high reliability.