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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  Never Again - 2008 Chrysler Aspen
  By me - June 7 - 1:58 pm

  We traded in a Jeep Liberty for this Aspen and it is great as long as you do not hit any bumps. It has been in the shop 4 times for the same issue. It totally loses control going over bumps in the road. Barely missed a person on the sidewalk due to the vehicle bouncing so badly after hitting a manhole cover in the road. Going to have all the shocks replaced tomorrow (AGAIN) to see if it resolves the issue.

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  This car is worth it - 2001 Chrysler Concorde
  By Big Daddy - June 7 - 12:56 pm

  I must admit that I initially thought this car was for a senior citizen when I first looked at, when my father wouldnt take it, I kept it and boy am I glad I did. Fuel efficiency is great, it takes 87 gas unlike my Cadillac and the acceleration with the 6 cyl engine rivals that of a sports car. The ride is soft and roomy. I really have no complaints. Nothing has broken down ever, and Ive put about 80,000 miles on this car in 2 years and it already had a 100,000 on it when I bought it.

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  Fun Vehicle - 2006 Chrysler Sebring
  By Petey - June 6 - 3:50 pm

  I have owned 11 cars before this Sebring Touring Convertible, and I by far enjoy this the most. My last vehicle was a 2000 Sebring JXi, that ran perfectly, but was a tad under- powered. The 2.7 liter engine corrects that issue, and returns better mileage (22-27 mpg for me). The car does nothing perfectly, but also nothing horribly. This is why rental fleets had so many. The car is easy to drive, feels solid, and controls are easy to reach and intuitive. There are abundant standard features, like lighted visor mirrors, ample storage, power everything, roomy trunk, steering wheel controls, suede leather seats, etc. The cabin is tight and quiet closed, and the top and windows drop in 9 seconds flat.

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  Love my Convertable - 2008 Chrysler Sebring
  By Wayne Kopp - June 4 - 8:00 pm

  This is my first Chrysler product and I love it. Before I bought my convertible, I read the reviews and they were bad. I loved the styling and ride and room and was sold. The ride is smooth, the trunk is roomy and the back and front seats are very comfortable. Im impressed with the gas mileage and just plain love driving it. Now that I have read the reviews of the owners, they agree with me. What do these professionals look at, I dont know?

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  Great Sport Sedan - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By tmike3 - June 4 - 2:18 pm

  Purchased with 56k miles. First car purchased in 22 years. Previously had SUVs and a pickup. This car is fantastic! Commute 60 miles per day and have had zero problems. The AWD is great! Had more snow than usual this winter and it handled great. The HEMI has more than enough power for this heavy car. Mileage is not bad on the highway. (20-22 mpg) Tons of room inside and in the truck.

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  Car is great to drive - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By Tom - June 4 - 12:05 pm

  Bought 300C with 32,000 miles. Silver with updated grill and some chrome. Looks great, handles well. Suspension allows rapid cruising, does extremely well on windy roads for a car this size. Power is always there when you need it, tranny shifts smooth, geared ok for when you jump on it.Boston stereo ok but I will upgrade rear speakers soon. I like the large sunroof, lets in alot of air and light. I have always owned big cars with V8s and this one has not let me down, overall its a great package for the price.

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  Great little car, for what it is - 2008 Chrysler Sebring
  By Perfesser - June 2 - 1:03 am

  Its a 4-door, 4-cylinder commuter car. I live and commute through the flat cornfields of southern MN. Boring roads, straight lines, long distances. This car is perfect for commuting here. Its roomy, comfortable, reliable. Okay, so I cant add powerful, but Im past that. Once you get to 65, what do you do with all that power anyway? This is my second Sebring. I love the styling, and I still have people come up to me in parking lots to comment on how beautiful the color is (glacier blue). I bought it well, had a few visits back to the dealer to get it sorted out, only one warranty problem since then (power steering went out.) Im totally satisfied with this car.

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  Another fine Chrysler vehicle - 2006 Chrysler Pacifica
  By John S. - June 1 - 9:18 pm

  Mine has about 56,000 miles, mostly highway usage and has never (never) had any service issues! It looks good, has decent seat comfort, adequate adult performance and good gas mileage (almost EXACTLY what the car is rated for).Still running on original tires with lots of tread left. What is not to like? I have now had 5 Chrysler cars. They have given me better service from the previous GM and Fords I had and also the horrible Saturn Vue I foolishly bought (ugh). I have considered buying a slightly used Mercedes (for the snob appeal), but I just cant abandon Chrysler given the great results Ive had.

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  A more than decent car - 1998 Chrysler Concorde
  By nursecrd - June 1 - 12:29 pm

  We bought this car to replace my wifes 1989 Eagle Premier. The Concorde chassis is based on the Eagle. Car is a very comfortable and eats freeway miles without a problem. Engine power is more than adequate and drive train noise is minimal although coarse road surface noise is transmitted to the interior. Handling with good performance tires (HR or VR) is very good. Stock rubber, Goodyears were beyond terrible. Mechanically the car has been sound. Had one software failure, had the brakes redone, and the oil pan gasket replaced. The 2.7 L V-6 is a good yet sophisticated engine and you should use a good synthetic oil in this engine to prevent any issues.

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  Dangerous In Winter! - 2002 Chrysler Sebring
  By mrs.fonz - June 1 - 12:28 pm

  Have very cold winters here. Bought with less than 20,000 miles on it. Resistor in blower motor broke, REPEATEDLY! Had persistent front axle problems! Once original brakes needed replacement, they were never right. Wiper motor died. Transmission troubles. ALL window motors quit working! Once the extended service warranty ran out, all these were VERY expensive to fix! Brake pedal FROZEN at cold temps! Apparently Im the only one who had this problem? We dont have a garage. Took it back to the dealer over & over. They couldnt fix it! This car was supposed to go with my daughter when she went away to a school farther north. She ended up with the "new" car as I didnt trust this one!