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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  Dependable - 1999 Chrysler Cirrus
  By ernie28 - December 29 - 1:03 am

  I bought this car in 2003 with 86,000 miles and drove it to 204,000 very little repairs. I traded it on a 2015 200C and it was still running strong. The best car I have ever owned.

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  Just bought a 2002 300M with only 52,000 miles on it. - 2002 Chrysler 300M
  By hjmswm1 - December 26 - 4:14 pm

  Did a lot of research on this car and this was the model year I zeroed in on. I always loved the look of this version of the 300. I got a really great deal on it and with only 52k on it I couldnt have found a more comfortable sports car. Ive read around the web to stay away from using the Autostick function and Ill follow their advice. Car runs and rides like its brand new.

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  2014 300s RWD v-6 - 2014 Chrysler 300
  By shaclan5 - December 12 - 7:20 am

  Purchased 9/25/2014. Drive roughly 5,000 interstate miles a month in FL. Currently 13k in the first 2.5 months of ownership. Bought based on customer reviews and not disappointed. Beats audio amazing, elegant looking S model, interior better than Lexus. Comperable to MB yet ten of thousands cheaper. Average 27.6 per tank, 29 on hwy running 80. Turns just over 1600 rpm at 80. 8 speed ZF smooth as silk. Mileage data can be seen on fulley.com under 2014 300 named v-6. Logged 205k on a 2009 Genesis Sedan (my daughter will drive this car the next 5 years in college) and fully expect 300k + from this car. given the low RPMs. Interior fit and finish second to none.

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  200C AWD - 2015 Chrysler 200
  By 200cawd - December 6 - 6:03 pm

  Purchased a 200C AWD with every option available at the end of July. To date, have 7000 miles. I am very impressed with the performance, comfort, and features of this car. This one has the Pentastar V6 and has consistently returned 30+mpg overall fuel economy. Im blown away by this combination of efficiency and V8-like power. The car accelerates very strongly. Its been in for one warranty repair to fix a locked up media player. A software update set all right again and the car has been flawlessly reliable since. A recent snowstorm gave the AWD system a good test and the car performed exceptionally well. It feels very safe. A worthy contender for a spot in anyones driveway.

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  Well built - 2000 Chrysler Concorde
  By aweyea2000 - December 3 - 7:37 pm

  Had two of these cars with the 3.2 never had a serious issue with either one of them. Interior is very curvy, handles like a sports car and loves to be redlined.Even after 400,000 miles was still a darling until someone ran a light and killed her. Awesome car and the only Chrysler i ever loved. And at 32 mpg highway no complaints.

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  1000 mile comments - 2015 Chrysler 200
  By dburchardt - November 9 - 6:54 pm

  I picked up my new 200 Limited less than a month ago and love it so far. The styling, in and out, is above all the other mid size sedans out there. I love the rotary shift and the 9 speed works well. The car feels like a quality auto. The doors and hood close with a quality sounding thunk. Much better than my wifes Rav 4 in terms of quality build. Chrysler has made a quantum leap from the previous 200. THe ride is quiet and comfortable without being floaty. The engine is smoother than Rav or Altima. I am excited to drive this car to work every day. I am getting about 34 mpg in everyday mixed driving. I drove Camry, Accord, Altima, Fusion, Sonata with the 200 coming out on top. Try it.

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  Safety, build quality, uConnect all awesome - 2015 Chrysler 200
  By awb3 - November 1 - 1:47 pm

  When I began shopping, I wasnt considering the 200. Ive owned it now for 6 weeks and 1700 miles, and I couldnt be happier. I love the uConnect system. So much better than anything else Ive used. The rotary shift and eParking brake are conveniently placed and add a bunch of storage under the center console. The SafetyTec package includes all sorts of tech that still amazes me. The ride is super quiet, its obvious they thought a lot about reducing road noise. It has a high-quality feel. The wood accents are nice, but I pay more attention to how tightly everything fits together, and Chrysler did a great job with this.

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  2005 Crossfire Coupe Limited is AWESOME - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By mycrossie - October 25 - 9:47 pm

  I have owned my car since last year. I take it to a German auto shop since all the parts are Mercedes Benz. It has only needed oil changes. Mine has only 34,000km, not miles, on it...so about 20,000 miles. Not only is it fun to drive but I get compliments on it wherever I go. People want to know what it is! I think Chrysler/Daimler made a big mistake when they quit making these cars, but on the other hand, mine is or will be a collector car. It is in excellent condition and it is better looking and faster than anything on the road. It was made in Germany and can do the autobahn with speed and agility. Id buy two of these cute cars if I could afford to. They are great cars! Good on gas too.

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  Loving my 200C - 2015 Chrysler 200
  By tck5810 - October 16 - 1:05 pm

  I purchased my 2015 200C at the end of June and have already put over 7000 miles on it with only one problem that was fixed within the first week. The rear shelf over the back seats was not fastened properly, causing it to vibrate uncomfortably to any bass coming out of the speakers. Once it was fixed, the premium sound system sounded great! I love to drive my car on the back roads around where I live and on the interstates, I feel like its at home in both environments. It gets lots of stares from people in Mercedes cars, as well as other luxury brands as the go by, or I pass them.

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  SRT6 - poor mans supercar =) - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By crossfire2004 - October 13 - 1:39 am

  I originally owned a standard 2004 crossfire & was impressed with it so much that I traded it in to get not 1 but 2 srt-6s. One ragtop one coupe. The crossfire is an amazing car. Its very solid & drives incredibly. Its also better looking & faster than 95% of the cars on the road. Fit & finish need attention! Rust issues MUST be dealt with. Troubled areas are bottom of the doors (because the weather stripping holds water in, instead of letting it drain) & under the wing mounts. BARE METAL...Really? Daimler???? Other than that the car is awesome! Im a Chrysler man & although this isnt really a Mopar, it was a complete Chrysler design & concept. Unfortunately, Daimler never advertised it,