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:

• 

  My 99 LHS - 1999 Chrysler LHS
  By HLGreen2 - July 7 - 2:00 am

  Reliability is quite an issue. Anything that goes wrong has to be bought at dealership at an outrageous price. Will never have another one.

• 

  Great Van, Great Value - 2003 Chrysler Voyager
  By avusblue - July 6 - 2:00 am

  We had a 1993 Voyager that was totally troublefree for 10 years. The new one is vastly improved in the areas of quietness, smooth ride, good power, and ease of access. Very comfortable highway cruiser and city commuter. Perfect compact size -- yet ample space inside. Overall, a great balance -- very comfortable, easy to live with, enjoyable to drive. Get past the "minivan image" and just enjoy what a great vehicle these are. Paid a shade under $20K for a fully equipped 3.3 "Popular Package" LX with ABS and CD/cassette as the only options.

• 

  Satisfied New Owner! - 2003 Chrysler Voyager
  By cakakic - July 6 - 2:00 am

  Smooth ride on the freeway, very minimal wind and road-seam noise. The frame absorbs most of the bang and potholes from city driving (here in Tulsa we have some of the worst roads). Acceleration can seem a bit slugish at certain ranges but always has sufficient power to get you up to traffic flow in minimal time. Corners very well.

• 

  Never Again! - 2000 Chrysler 300M
  By JoeBob - July 6 - 2:00 am

  To all those w/front end wheel play,shimmy or noise & excessive tire wear: be aware the Chrysler dealerships tolerance for "alignment" vs that of independent hi-quality front-end alignments is considerable. We went thru original 4 Michelins 60K tires lasted 30Kmi. Check bushings.Also, rack&pinion replaced after experiencing excessive play in steering. Three power- locks replace @ different times window tubing shrunk & replaced several times. During recent recall to fix seat mounts, dealership broke the power seat motors

• 

  Great car so far - 2014 Chrysler 300
  By Sean - July 5 - 4:01 pm

  A true American touring sedan. It does its job effortlessly.

• 

  Great car so far - 2014 Chrysler 300
  By Sean - July 5 - 4:01 pm

  A true American touring sedan. It does its job effortlessly.

• 

  Chrysler 300 C Hemi - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By Debbie - July 5 - 12:10 am

  The Chrysler 300 C with Hemi drives and handles so well. I drove the Chrysler 300 6 cylinder and the 300C Hemi drives so much better. The vehicle is awesome!

• 

  Class Act - 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By joplav - July 3 - 4:00 pm

  Reliable, fun, safe, its mechanically reliable until the 1st timing belt change,at 128k miles, and then the upgraded belt was installed, the door locks malfunction. Otherwise, the car is the best Ive had since my driving experience. I started driving in 1971 and have owned many a Dodge,Ford,& Chevy, and one foreign, Suzuki. Especially, in the snow. It handles better than most SUVs of todays times,and most 4 X 4s. Im looking forward to my next PT, in a year or so, a 5 or 6 speed, 250hp. My finances will hopefully get better and I wont have to finance, this is whats holding me back. Economically the best overall drive Ive ever experienced. Im sold.

• 

  Two Summers and still great - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Matt from Mass - July 3 - 8:13 am

  Purchased the crossfire in November and stored it for the winter. I have been enjoying the car for two summers now and wouldnt part with it. Milage is better than estimated with the automatic 24-26 city and 32-34 highway and thats at 70+ top up. Corners unbelievably tight. Complaints are the cup holder(why even bother)and the 2 way adjustable passenger seat. (why not make them the same?) The car is still an eye catcher.

• 

  Looks Good But High Repairs - 1996 Chrysler Concorde
  By JerryS - July 3 - 2:00 am

  Weve had significant repair issues over the years and I would not recommend this car. (and I wouldnt recommend another Chrysler product unless I was convinced theyve improved mechanical reliability) The dealers have generally been good to work with but its gotten a little ridiculous. Weve replaced the entire cooling system, alternator, fuel and power steering pumps, the sun roof leaked, new exhaust, head gasket, and assorted smaller items in addition to normal wear and tear items. Not good. Why dont we sell it? Everytime we fixed an item we figured, "What else could go wrong?"