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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  Like if more than I thought I would - 2008 Chrysler Sebring
  By Roger - July 4 - 7:07 am

  I made the switch to the Sebring Touring from a 2002 Jaguar X-Type. I was purely looking for reliability and economy. So far I have both. In mixed driving the car is getting an average of 28 miles per gallon and over 30 mpg on the highway. I couldnt be happier with that. The car has nice features, but not the luxury I was used to. Even so, for about 21,000 sticker price it is a good value. The engine has plenty of power, although the transmission is not very smooth. Overall, if youre looking for an economical midsize car, I recommend at least test driving a Sebring.

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  07 Pacifica - Good Value - 2007 Chrysler Pacifica
  By K Powell - July 1 - 6:44 pm

  We bought the Pacifica based on seating & ride comfort for my wife (bad back) & she picked the Pacifica from among many others. The exterior fit & finish are good but has one minor door mis- alignment. Paint finish is excellent. The interior is most comfortable. We get 26+ MPG on the highway and in-town mileage at 19+ MPG. Were very pleased with the fuel mileage. Ours is FWD with the 4.0 L engine & had only 14K miles when we bought it. I love the 6 speed tranny with the "Power-Shift" feature but I am concerned about its reliability as I read there have been problems with the TQ. Time will tell!

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  Oil Issues - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Chrysler Oil Problem - July 1 - 10:33 am

  I loved the car when we first bought it, but have had the oil consumption problems that others have talked about. At 3000 miles, the oil is completely gone. The dealer replaced the top half of the engine, but the problem is still there. Chrysler said it is normal to have oil consumption like that. They said there has been issues, but have no idea where the oil is going. I had a 96 Jeep Cherokee that had 380,000 miles and never burned an ounce of oil. Seems to me Chrysler should deal with this problem. At 3,000 miles the engine clicks. I loved Chrysler vehicles, but will never buy another one.

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  Cool Pacifica 2006 - 2006 Chrysler Pacifica
  By AKA - June 30 - 3:36 pm

  This has been couple of weeks for my new 2006 Pacifica Touring. 1) Looks good both in and out 2) Cloth interior seats are comfy 3) Controls are easy 4) Some features are like luxury car 5) Second row seat center console is no value. 6) Engine is very noisy and sluggish 7) Something must be done for the driver side blind spot 8) The controls on the steering are not visible during the night i.e., no background light.

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  Surprise Surprise - 2001 Chrysler Sebring
  By michael c - June 28 - 11:08 am

  The circumstances I got my Sebring in is another story, but it wasnt my initial choice. I was skeptical of Chryslers having owned a Neon that was a turd. But it turns out its just a Mitsubishi Eclipse in a Sebring body! It has been a great car. I do regular maintenance myself, and have used premium fuel and synthetic oil since the first change. It runs as strong with 7 yrs and 83,000 miles as it did with 10 days and 100.

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  Interiors - 2008 Chrysler 300
  By JAY - June 22 - 7:16 pm

  To me the car is flawless except for some parts to the interior. Why there is only an off-White headliner is beyond me. Cream or light tan would add so much more class. The total black dash with tortoise-shell accents is great, but the headliner should either match or be contrasted with something softer. The two-toned dash looks off somehow. Also, a body style like this craves darker colors, like maroon metal flake, to show off the lines. Color selection is so limited. Right now, only black looks good enough to buy. The dash could be more 3- dimensional, and not so flat, but the blue glow should stay. You guys are close, though.

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  So far, so good. - 2008 Chrysler Pacifica
  By cstrait37 - June 20 - 9:33 pm

  Got out of a lease on a 2005 Grand Cherokee (HEMI) and moved to more space, better MPG. Got 0% 60 months and a GREAT deal because of edmunds.com Wife loves the 6 sp tranny and the 4.0 L combined with the AWD. Signature Series a MUST! GREAT CAR! Downside: Anyone in the CT area should NEVER deal with Action Motors of Danbury, CT. Not enough space to explain all. For instance got out of the Jeep (gave it to the dealer), 2 months later we get calls from a collection agency asking for the balance of $$$ owed on the Jeep. Dealership never paid it off. 3 weeks and a LOT of phone calls later, it was taken care of. They are a MEAT MARKET. You are just a number at Action Motors. Go elsewhere.

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  Oh my... - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By jbjtkbw00 - June 17 - 5:20 am

  While not my first two seater (Ive had to very fun to drive Honda CRXs), this is definitely the most fun and quickest that Ive ever owned. Yes, Im a new owner, but Ive put a few hundred miles on it in just over 24 hours because I just had to drive it all over Orlando. This car turns heads and gets me the looks. The lines are so smooth on this car and anyone that appreciates the classics should love the trim on this baby. The engine has a low lions growl to it. Not as storng as a Viper, but its right there. Tight on corners and quick from the stoplight. I hope to return to update this review in a few months. Dont miss out on this car!!!

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  Thunk Problems - 2007 Chrysler 300
  By jspencer - June 16 - 12:19 pm

  The only major complaint I would have with the Chrysler 300 is the "thunk" you feel when you slowly take off from a light and you hear a hard thunk (as though someone has hit you from the rear). The "thunk" sound also occurs when you are trying to reverse the vehicle. The Salesman along with Chrysler repair man says that Chrysler is aware of the "thunk" sound and that is has something to do with the "Tranny" and since the car has 3 computerized components, each components has different functions and they are playing catch up to each other when you hear that slight thunk.

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  Looks can be deceiving - 2002 Chrysler Sebring
  By Joe R. - June 15 - 9:10 pm

  I am an ASE Certified Auto Tech who owns one, so knowing these vehicles is helpful in writing this review. The 2.4L DOHC 4-Cylinder has more than enough pep for running around town and on the highway without the A/C, but you can feel a big loss of power with the A/C on. The exterior styling has to be one of the nicest I have seen. The interior styling is also very nice, good layout of all the controls. The sound system is superb! This car seems to go through rotors from warpage quite often, it also seems to wear out outer tie rod ends quickly, and the auto trans in these cars go bad just looking at them, without proper care and feeding. Overall, I would recommend this car to a friend.