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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  2004 Crossfire lights my fire - 2004 Chrysler Crossfire
  By wmichaels - July 11 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my Crossfire for 3 1/2 months and I still cant get over all the attention the car gets. At vertually every light Im getting a "thumbs up" from someone. Or a "nice car". Its rated @ 215 horse power, but it feels, and acts, like much more. I dont think theres a person alive that could drive this car without a grin from ear to ear!

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  First Year Woes - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By 01wht35 - July 10 - 2:10 pm

  My 05 300 Sig Series is a good value overall. It has enough power to put a smile on my face and it is confident in the turns. I have had to make several trips to my local dealer for repair work. A part of the interior of the sunroof broke and I have had a strange idle/near stall problem. The idle problem took 3 trips to resolve. Eventually a electronic module was replace on the 2nd trip and the computer was reprogrammed (dealer forgot to do so) on the 3rd trip. I just noticed that, like others, my rear driver side window only works when it feels like it. Since this is the first year of this car, I can overlook a few bugs (similar problems w/ previous Caddy and Aurora)

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  Topless - 2002 Chrysler Sebring
  By Marie - July 10 - 12:02 pm

  Love to drive my Sebring convertible. Great performance for 70,000 miles on it. Had to have transmisson solenoid replaced because my dog put the gear shift in reverse when we were in the carp pool lane going 80mph. Nothing happened immediately, however 2 years later we noticed leaks under the engine. My husband thought it was master cylinder fluid leaking. The transmission was covered under warranty. Excellent highway gas mileage on long trips and exceptional comfort.

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  Love My Aspen - 2009 Chrysler Aspen
  By aspen_j - July 8 - 12:56 pm

  Had a 2005 Durango and this Aspen drives more like a car when compared to it. What really sold me on the Aspen was the heavy discounts, Sirius Backseat TV, remote start, alarm, chrome wheels, power liftgate, and 3 rows. All other brands didnt fit my budget with those same features.

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  one of the greats - 1994 Chrysler Concorde
  By moman - July 7 - 11:36 pm

  I bought a 1994 concorde in 2000 and had 130,000 miles on it. Now in 09 its at 312,387 miles and the trans shifts smooth as can be. only problem I ever had with this car was the tires. it has not failed me once. I am a firm dodge/chrysler man. Ive fixed more cars then most. the 3.5 is a great motor along with the 3.3. Every dodge Ive owned has given me my moneys worth. have a 1977 dodge powerwagon with a 360 that has 796,342 miles on it. Best truck I will ever had owned. just like this concorde is shaping up to be the best car i ever owned. you treat her right shell treat you like a king. Plus it doesnt have pointless parts which go out that need replacing like chevy and ford.

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  GREAT CAR! - 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By dfdfddf - July 7 - 2:50 am

  The Pt Cruiser is a great car. I get 30-31 mpg and it has good acceleration. I hit 0-60 mph in 8.2 with stick and in my wifes with auto i got to 60 mph in 10.2. and get 24-27 mpg in hers.

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  Love my Pacifica - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By carparts - July 6 - 10:00 am

  It has been ten years since I had bought a car, so I was ready to get into something new. Believe me, I took my time in evaluating different vehicles, since I knew it may be awhile when I would buy another one. After taking the car back to work, my son saw it and immediately liked it. In fact, everyone liked it, and the more I showed it to people, the more I enjoyed it myself. By the end of my 24 hour test drive, I was completely sold that this was the vehicle for me.

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  Even Better the 2nd time around - 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Doug Halby - July 5 - 8:06 pm

  This is my 2nd buy of a PT Cruiser. My first one I loved (2002 Silver Ltd with Manual Transmission). I traded it in after 53,000 miles. After one test drive of the 2004 GT (Auto Stick/Turbo) I was sold on it. The Horse Power boost is incredible & a usable range for everyday driving. Autostick feature allows almost complete clutchless control on wet or snow surfaces or is fun to use when you really want to drive.

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  From Honda to Chrysler - 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Scott In Buffalo - July 4 - 7:20 pm

  When I traded my 02 Accord SE for this vehcile, I was very apprehensive about my first "American" car in over 10 years. Overall, I have had the cruiser for about a month and am satisfied with my buying decision. It seems at this point the imports are not willing to deal. I was even told by a local Honda dealer "We dont really negotiate on our Accords anymore, they sell themselves". Well, not to this consumer. The cruiser is an excellent vehicle on a long trip. Everyone is comfortable, including rear seat passengers. It takes a while for gas mileage to improve but I am finally getting about 22 MPG in a city/hwy mix after about 4 weeks.

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  Best Car I have Owned! - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By Andy - July 2 - 8:06 am

  I purchased my 300 Limited just 2 weeks ago and LOVE this car! The stylish exterior to the wonderful smooth ride you cant ask for a better car in the low to mid $30s. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for a large sedan.