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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  Great car - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By labay - March 8 - 2:00 am

  This is the best vehicle I have ever owned and the best bang for my buck.

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  Love my sebring convertible - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By Manyhatwoman - March 8 - 2:00 am

  I love my convertible. There has only been one issue since I purchased it and that was an air bag light that has come on. I wish that there was a little bit more compartment space. The back seat is very spacious. We drove with a 6 ft man in the back seat for 3+ hrs. It would be nice to have a little more power under the wheel and have both seats be electronic adjustment instead of just the drivers side. Otherwise, besides these few picky things, I am in love with my car.

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  Our Family Car - 2000 Chrysler LHS
  By zahnmann - March 6 - 2:00 am

  This is a good solid family car. I have not noticed the road noise compared to other cars we have owned. The one problem we keep having is that the computerized climate control malfunctions repeatedly and there is NO heat. We call it the ice car. It happens to be white too. We keep having to take it back to the dealership to have the computer reprogrammed at $60 plus tax. What an annoyance for an otherwise great car.

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  My 300M - 1999 Chrysler 300M
  By cfrank - March 6 - 2:00 am

  Fun car to own. No major problems, normal wear items only replaced.

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  300 Reason why i like it - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By JERRY GLUCKSMAN - March 4 - 9:46 pm

  Its fast, its flashy, its a bargain for the price. My wife drives an lexus ls430 it has a couple of minor toys the 300 does not, but it uses high test and has less horse power (290)the 300 uses mid grade and has (340)hp. Dont get me wrong the lexus 430 is a fine car. But at $25,000 less fully loaded the 300 is a steal. Iv had mine since oct. And it been perfect in every way. Jerry glucksman

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  My Great 300c! - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By nA - March 4 - 5:26 am

  This is by far the best car we have owned. The handling is great, comfort wonderful. It sure draws attention. We are proud to own this Chrysler.

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  Chrysler commentary - 1997 Chrysler LHS
  By Boisebanker - March 3 - 2:00 am

  We owned this car for slightly over one year. Bought it used with 60k miles. It ran fine until a relay failed on the cooling fan, which led to a cascade of overheating issues, ultimately causing head warping. The car was in the repair stall more that in our garage for 3 month, at which time we sold it and bought another Oldsmobile.

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  Great Value! - 2001 Chrysler LHS
  By EC ACE - March 3 - 2:00 am

  I truly believe there could be no better value in a luxury car. Everything from style, comfort and performance cannot be beat at this cars price. My wife and I have driven this car 55000 miles and have yet to put a single dollar toward anything other than routine maintenance. It is a pleasure to own and drive, and we get daily compliments on its appearance and style.

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  Love it, has few probs,saved me in wreck - 2003 Chrysler Sebring
  By Lindsey - March 3 - 2:00 am

  I have only had the Sebring GTC convertible for half a year but I love the car. It was so much fun in summer. I recently got in a really bad car accident. The police told me that I was lucky to walk away. Im not saying that the Sebring is safe, because convertibles are definitely not the safest cars to drive, but the crumple zones worked and the airbags deployed. So despite a few bruises, I walked away fine. Overall, I love it and it is so much fun. In my first wreck I get hit from behind and the guy’s car was smashed pretty badly and all I got was a small dent in the bumper. But in my head on crash, the whole engine and transmission got destroyed.

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  Its OK! - 2000 Chrysler Concorde
  By Adrenix - March 2 - 2:00 am

  Bought the car from my grandfather, who had bought it new. The car is nice but I have a few complaints. First the steering wheel does not return to center after releasing while turning. Also lots of road noise.