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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  Mommas new hemi !!!! - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By PITRDRACER - June 7 - 5:53 am

  I didnt like this car at 1st sight but after driving it and being around it (i had 3 of them in my rental car fleet in the last year but all were base 300s with 6 cylinders) it has more than impressed me. I owned a 1999 and a 2002 300m both of which my wife and i loved. This car is just so different that it took some time to get used to. We really like the interior and gage design they are very easy to see and read. Also chrysler finally lit up the cruise control and radio controls on the steering wheel. That was one thing i didnt like about the 300ms they was hard to use them at night.

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  2003 Electric Blue PT - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By lyman stockman - June 3 - 2:00 am

  This is my second PT. We also have a 2002 model. The 2003 with folding front seat is great. More fun to drive then the 2002.

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  300C - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By Warren - June 1 - 4:00 am

  Great performance. Great car. Vast improvement over Chryslers of the past. The only problem that I have (a minor one) is that when you stomp on the gas pedal, the engine almost red lines before the transmission shifts.

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  Most Fun Car Ever - 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Sherry Nuijten - May 31 - 2:06 am

  Wife loves this car. Traded in Saab Turbo Convertable for this Loaded PT Cruiser. Great riding car on the highway. 28 mpg on highway and 19 in town.

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  Great car - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Mike - May 28 - 4:03 am

  Great riding car however it feels slightly underpowered even though it has a 250hp engine. Fuel economy is not great but not that bad for the size engine. With the addition of the auto-on headlights and memory seats the car would be perfect.

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  fun, fun, fun - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By ed - May 27 - 11:23 am

  Going thru second childhood could not be more fun thanks to my crossfire. Every time I stop at the supermarket, gas station etc.. I get people coming up and talking to me about my car and that is very enjoyable for a retired guy.

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  Bill & Marlie - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By Bill Garlati - May 26 - 5:30 am

  We have owned to Mercedes 500 SEL and this is as good a car at 1/3 of the price.

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  Best car I ever had! - 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Tillman Cringe - May 25 - 6:23 pm

  Ive owned a hardtop Cruiser since 2002 and enjoyed thoroughly. This is the first convertible in my life, and Im ecstatic! One of the best things is the people who shout "Great car!" as I drive along with the top down. Theres something about the retro look in a convertible that gets everyone jazzed. The car is easy and comfortable to drive (even standard transmission, like mine, which makes it feel sporty); and is as reliable as all the Chrysler products Ive ever had--which is to say, totally reliable. Get in, turn key, no worries.

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  Great car - 2016 Chrysler 200
  By Brian - May 24 - 12:21 pm

  I really hesitated buying this car given the reviews of the 2015 and the transmission issues people reported; even with over $10,000 in discounts and incentives. Eventually I had enough of my Elantra and figured Id go for it. I am VERY glad I did. There really is a lot to like in this car. It rides great, its very comfortable, and the gas mileage is remarkable. Im getting 33 mpg in mixed driving. Some of the drawbacks are there. You have to duck a bit to get in because of the styling, but my Elantra had similar styling so Im used to that. The rear seat has a little less leg room than the rest of the class, but the only person I regularly put back there is my 9 year old daughter and shes comfortable so thats not a problem for me. If you have a couple of 6 ft. plus people you regular carry back there make sure you bring them on the test drive. Also, the A pillar is a little bulky, but it was so big on the Elantra that I could have lot an elephant in it, so again, Im used to it. The only picky issue I would change is that each time you drive it you have to turn the cruise control on. It would be nice if it stayed on. It seems that Chrysler has mostly solved the transmission issues or I was lucky enough to get a good one as mine shifts smoothly and most shifts are imperceptible. Shifting from first to second at low speeds can be a little bigger of an ordeal than necessary, but not so much as to go online and complain about it. Chryslers issue as I see it, is that theyre always in a hurry. Back in the 80s they NEEDED the minivan to keep the company afloat. Then in the mid 2000s they NEEDED the 300 to keep going, and a couple years ago it seems they felt they NEEDED the 200. Because of that rush there were some regular mechanical issues with the 2015 that could have been solved by waiting 6 months to launch the vehicle. Now it would seem that either I have a good one, or those problems are mostly behind it. From my experience with my 2016 I wouldnt hesitate to recommend it to anyone from a quality standpoint.....but ask me again in 50,000 miles, and again 50,000 miles after that. Its not a perfect car but it is a pretty good one and it fits me and my family just fine. Especially given the ENORMOUS rebates available now you owe it to yourself to go drive one if you are considering a mid size car. Just remember with huge rebates comes huge depreciation. Get gap insurance and plan to keep it for the long haul. UPDATE 8/20/16: I have about 4500 miles on the car and I wanted to update my review. Everything is still going great with my 200. Some of the drawbacks are still there; the rear seat didnt get any roomier, but my daughter didnt get much bigger either. I still have to dip down a bit when i get in, but its still not a big deal to me. The cruise control switch still doesnt stay on when you turn the car off, but Ive mostly gotten used to it. Overall its still doing great. I had mentioned that some shifts could be rough and indeed they still can be. The switch from park to drive can be a bit rough. Generally however I have gotten used to how to apply the throttle to mitigate most of the rough shifts. Its a quirk but one that is generally manageable. Thats something Id like to expand upon. The 200 may not have the best test results at the track and because of that it doesnt get great reviews by the experts, but for day to day, go to the grocery store, go to the golf course, drive to work needs, its perfectly fine. Some of the quirks are noticeable on a test drive, but are something Ive gotten used to and not something I would even consider a problem at all. I dare say that if I gave you my keys for a week you would notice some quirks immediately, but after the week is over most would not be a huge issue. Some things may be, if you regularly shuttle around tall folks in the back it may not be the car for you, but overall I think 90% of people will find that it meets 90% of their needs. No maintenance issues except Im going in for my 5K service shortly. And gas mileage is still great; generally around 32-33 combined and easily pushing if not exceeding 40 on the highway. Overall still going great especially for getting such a great deal; over 10K off the sticker price. Ill try to keep updating this review, maybe at 10K intervals or so.

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  Like A Drive To The Beach - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By jazzbo - May 24 - 10:00 am

  I love this vehicle! I drive about 3 hours each day and the Sebring is a great way to have some fun and relax while driving. The 2004 model has some great features and the engine provides some pep to get you out on the highway.