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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  Lots of problems - 2001 Chrysler Sebring
  By Jim Graff - February 5 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car in the shop more than I can count! Lots of issues with windows not working, computer not working, no heat, several bad cam sensors. One time I was driving down the hiway and the gas pedal stopped working. Lots of problems.

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  Squeaky Brake Problem Solved - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Frisco Pete - February 4 - 3:36 pm

  Wife and I owned car for 7 years. A good driver on city street and very stable on highway with solid handling and ride. Engine has very good passing power on country roads even with four passengers. Front and rear seats are very comfortable for long drives [+200 mile]. Many passengers have commented on roominess and comfort when riding in car. I have performed all maintenance since purchased and found it easy to perform oil/filter; spark plug, battery and brake maintenance [see suggestion below]. We found PT Cruiser safe, reliable and a fun car to drive with a design that still turns a head or two after all these years. I think it will become one of the design classics down the road.

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  Can you like anything of this car? - 2000 Chrysler Voyager
  By WolfgangKastenmeier - February 4 - 2:00 am

  We bought the car as an emergency purchase - we simply wanted the cheapest minivan out there and traded in our beloved 1999 Audi A6 station wagon. I wish we never would have done that. Sure, it was cheap, and perfectly served the needs we had at that time. Get us from A to B. This is what this car does, nothing more. Lousy 4- cylinder, shoddy build quality, outrageous gas-mileage, terrible back seats, horrible steering and the list goes on. I am not sure what we thought when we bought this car almost 4 years ago. Loses value quicker than anything else.

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  Fast car - 2003 Chrysler 300M
  By Russell Drygalski - February 4 - 2:00 am

  This car handles great and also accelerates awsome espically when it is Put into Manual transmition. This car is fun to drive anywhere.

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  A Really Great Value - 1998 Chrysler Cirrus
  By Swimjax - February 3 - 2:00 am

  I love this car! Its 5 years old now with over 97,000 miles on it and it still running fine. Only minor things have been happening recently...headlights going out, lamp in control area replaced, and just fixed a trans leak. Not bad for all those miles! Have had lots of complements on the car. Very roomy and fun to drive, and very reliable.

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  Great Car - 2001 Chrysler Sebring
  By rj456789 - February 3 - 2:00 am

  Best car I ever owned

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  Luxury for very little - 1996 Chrysler Cirrus
  By ms a - February 2 - 2:00 am

  The leather interior feels luxurious as do the comfortable seats. Mine is black ext. tan int. and it looks great! I love how it looks ageless. Its 8 yrs old and still fits in with the new crowd. I enjoy having a V6 and would never consider getting anything but. Ive had a good time with the car, except for the AC problems. In 03, I had to replace the whole unit for $1200, and now its broken again. I have had electrical problems also.

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  Disappointed - 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Soccer Mom - February 1 - 8:13 pm

  I have had this vehicle for a little less than 2 years and I am seriously worried that it will not last another 3 years. I downsized from an SUV to save on gas only to find out that I average 23.5 mpg in this 4 cyl car. My SUV got 20-21 avg. I am very disappointed with the overall structure and mechanical performance. My 6 year old broke the glove box latch by trying to open it. Wont buy another Chrysler.

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  Absolutely loved this car? - 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By itsjuanaa - February 1 - 5:31 am

  I had a 2002 Pt Cruiser Limited addition automatic. It was my first car after turning 16. It wasnt my first choice, but I fell in love with it. We purchased it from a dealership in 2013 from where I live. Gas mileage was ok. dashboard did crack in several places. The only other problem I had was my timing belt went out. Its durability is amazing. I ended up having a few accidents in it before I totaled it when a deer hit me. It drove so smoothly. I totaled it with 119,000 miles on it. It was great while I had it.

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  300M Chrysler - 2004 Chrysler 300M
  By theresarienzi - February 1 - 2:00 am

  A great car. The performance and handling of this car is awesome. The style is great .