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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  Love it - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By FTJUGDE - December 31 - 2:00 am

  I love it. I drives nice and the kids have a blast. It hadels like a car but seats 6 adults.

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  Its Red and I Love It! - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By psivka - December 31 - 2:00 am

  I researched and tried out all the higher-end suvs for 6 months and always came back to the Pacifica. Fun and easy to drive, great luxery seating, stereo cd/dvd system and great navigation equipment. Easy to get in and out of and the power lift AND close tailgate is the best. Its a vehicle that makes me feel special!

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  I LOVE It - 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Pauline Dugal - December 31 - 2:00 am

  Its yesterdays car with todays featuers, Its about time we get someone with a good eye desining the cars again

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  Excellent Car - 2005 Chrysler Sebring
  By Steve - December 30 - 1:16 pm

  I was reading the reviews on this car before I bought it, sloppy handling, unrefined drivetrains?? I drove 8 hours straight in this car, usually my back starts to hurt or something, but not in this car, very comfy, also at speeds upwards of 95-100 mph, I couldnt even hear the engine, a very quiet ride. Two things that I do notice are low gas mileage (but thats the same for all gasoline powered engines), and also the 2.7 V-6 is a high-speed engine (churning 200 hp and only 190 torque), but if you dont mind shifting down to get back to the top-end, then it is alright. In closing, I doubted my purchase because the other reviews say the doors are going to fall off, but not anymore!

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  its been good to me - 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By ptbubba - December 30 - 10:00 am

  So far so good the build quality has been a very pleasant expierence. In the year and a half ive had this pt, it has not had, one problem at all that it needed to go back to the dealer for any warrenty work. And is it usful little hauler the amount of stuff it can hold is surprising. Even with auto. trans. performance is okay 90% of the time. im very happy with my PT

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  excellent car - 2002 Chrysler Sebring
  By Keith - December 29 - 8:22 pm

  This is the first, and certainly not the last, Chrysler that I have purchased. I consistently get 24- 25 MPG with 2.7 V-6 and have recorded 30 on the highway. This is the only car that I have purchased new that has never had any warranty work done, period. The only complain that I have is the cheap Goodyear tires that came with the vehicle - (replaced after 32000 with Toyo tires that are much quieter and ride better). Overall, I would definitely recommend this car to anyone that is looking for a sedan.

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  Fun Car to Drive - 2002 Chrysler Sebring
  By Wade - December 29 - 6:43 pm

  I have had my Sebring for a year now and I love it. I bought it with 30k. I did have some problems with the mileage odometer not working properly, it would flash NO BUS. This happened right at 35k and was repaired by a Chrysler Dealership at no charge of course. I was just wondering if anyone else has had problems with the A/C. Sometimes the A/C will stop blowing cold air and it feels like just the vent is on. If you tap the dash, however, the A/C kicks right back on. I thought this was kinda weird and wondering if this was a problem that other Sebring owners have had. Other than that I love my car.

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  Fun Commuter or weekend car - 2004 Chrysler Crossfire
  By V Salinas - December 29 - 4:21 pm

  I love my Crossfire. I am really happy with my purchase. Stick is the way to go with this car. It has real zip around town and turns heads. I was looking for something reasonable (approx. $25,000) that was fun to drive. Sports cars today tend to amplify engine and exhaust noise but thats not the case on the Crossfire.

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  My 2003 Coupe - 2003 Chrysler Sebring
  By flyerfan - December 29 - 1:11 pm

  Great car overall. Sits low to the ground, so obviously not too easy to handle in the snow. Excellent pickup speed. Love the 4 CD changer

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  Design Flaws Kill this car for me. - 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By aut0savant - December 29 - 10:52 am

  The problems start by design. This car is not user friendly when it comes to roadside emergency. the way the engine is set up, its almost impossible to simply replace a tire under an hour. the spare tire retainer is bolted under the car that must be accessed from the trunk. If you ever wanted to replace your spare tire with a full sized tire, the retainer is far to small. The thermostat retainer is very poorly designed. Chrysler has made it in such a way that its almost necessary to remove the intake manifold rather work around/under it. When the thermostat seizes -- rather than have a high-pressure release, it will just rupture a hose (usually the smallest near the air filter.)