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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  PT01 - 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By cruzin 01 - March 23 - 2:03 pm

  I like the car but i eats too much gas. Its just the right size for me and my fiance for now till we starting having a family then we will have to upgrade to something bigger. It also is a fun to drive.

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  starting to leak!! - 2008 Chrysler Sebring
  By Nancy B. - March 20 - 3:52 pm

  I have had my sebring for less then a week and it is already starting to leak around the "convertible" parts to the back windows. The dealership is going to look into this. Other then that I love the car!

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  What a minivan!!!! - 2017 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Tony T - March 19 - 5:53 am

  I currently own a 2008 Sienna XLE and always loved it. I just returned from a 6-day family trip. We rented a Pacifica and drove it (I think it was a Touring-L model) for about 600 miles. I got to say Chrysler did a very good job on this van. The ride was very comfortable and so is the drivers seat. The handling felt like a sedan rather than a minivan. The UConnect system was very easy to use. I figured it out in minutes after getting the minivan. The interior was very quiet. After we came back from the trip and drove our Sienna home from the airport, my wife immediately complained about the road noise in the Sienna. Overall, I really enjoyed driving the Pacifica. I would only consider buying and Odyssey or Sienna before, but this van will definitely be on my shopping list when I am ready to buy a new minivan. Anyone is in the market for a minivan should at least take a test drive in the Pacifica.

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  2006 Pacific Experience - 2006 Chrysler Pacifica
  By DCB - March 17 - 7:59 pm

  I very much enjoyed this vehicle. Comfort, Style, Reliability, Performance, Road handling have exceeded my expectations from an American made auto product. However, I have just exceeded 36,000 miles and seem to be burning oil. I know this was/is a problem for the 2004 and 2005 model years. Wondering if any other 2006 PAC owners have same experience with burning oil between changes?

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  concord - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By concord - March 16 - 4:00 pm

  the car is very nice and nice to drive has plenty of room does fair on gas could be much better.

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  A Piece of the 50 - 2002 Chrysler Sebring
  By renewedamericanbuyer - March 15 - 1:06 am

  Formerly a Jaguar owner going through a mid-life crisis, I decided to bite the proverbial bullet purchasing a Bright Silver Sebring GTC. Though not a Jaguar by far, it is an absolute joy to drive, except for the constant, rough transmission shifting in and out of 1st gear (auto), rain dropping in with a window open (a simple rain drip molding at the windshield would solve this issue), cheap interior trim that even Hyundai surpasses in quality, lack of what we currently deem necessary standard equipment absent, unavailable, or non-equipped from the factory, and an enhanced ownership program would be nice, after all, isnt that what the merger with Mercedes was meant to do? Wheres the substance?!

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  Wondering about reliability - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Craig - March 12 - 12:40 am

  We got the full featured model with DVD changer, etc. Its an excellent balance between SUV solidity and the handling of a car. Weve had some mechanical problems though. The brake rotors were warped, and when the rear windows are open an obnoxious ear-deafening vibrating sound can be heard. Visibility is really bad with the small rear view window. Our driver side mirror makes clicking noise and has limited mobility; this was reported to dealer mechanic, but they didnt do anything. The tire sensors continuously go off--its very hard to keep the air balanced accordingly. Avoid dealer mechanics at all costs-- boy do they rip you off! I only get 19 MPG--which is much lower than sticker

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  2004 Chrysler Sebring Touring - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By sauceco - March 11 - 10:00 am

  With the exception of brake rotor replacement early on (4,000 mi.)The car has been great so far. A nice mid-sized car that has very good road manors, in all weather conditions. Chrysler service has been quick and curteous, A great buy from a great company

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  Wonderful fun car - 1996 Chrysler Sebring
  By flygirl - March 7 - 1:03 pm

  This car was a great find at $5.5K. As long as you keep an eye on & prevent/repair the usual Chrysler stuff (timing at 100k, belts, on time maintenance, regularly clean trans) youll find it lasts forever. I have no garage, the car is 13 w/158k and is just starting to show rust speckles, but few. Front end has been a challenge, but overall this car hasnt cost much more than normal maintenance. Love the pep and sleekness of the car. I even tow packaged it and tow my canoe/trailer.

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  04 AWD Pacifica - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Brian - March 5 - 9:24 pm

  Needing a vehicle that seats 6, but not wanting a minivan or an SUV necessarily the Pacifica caught my eye. I love the clean lines and the luxurious ammenities in this car. It provides a very comfortable ride and is fairly responsive. The number of options for the price are amazing. Particularly love the DVD player, sound system, memory seats and heated seats. The only negative is that the engine is average at best for this year. It probably would have been OK if I hadnt drove an 07 with the 4.0L. With a budget in mind, we went with the options over the more powerful engine. This vehicle was a steal for the price!