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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  Stylish and Functional - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By HenryS - June 12 - 2:00 am

  The Pacifica is comfortable with practical features like a van but has a sense of safety with a wide stance, a low center of gravity and a solid ride like a sedan.

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  Attention Getter - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Bags2003 - June 12 - 2:00 am

  We recently purchased the Pacifica after experiencing a roll-over accident in a GMC Envoy. We targeted this vehicle because of a lower center of gravity, thus less likely to rollover. Just returned from a 2100 mile roadtrip and was very pleased with the ride and performance. MPG was higher than expected. Many looks from curious people seeing it for the first time. Very impressed so far.

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  great wagon - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By jrb - June 12 - 2:00 am

  drives like a car, firm and quiet ride. great body panel fit. big tires and wide track makes the car very stable. With the side curtin airbags it makes you feel safer with grandkids in the back. And it looks great!!

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  Early Impressions - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Towbar - June 12 - 2:00 am

  I have driven this car approximately two thousand miles. I am very impressed with its performance, although torque steer is more noticable than what I expected.

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  Fast and Fun X Fire - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Tom Ciccone - June 11 - 4:36 pm

  Great car! Fun to drive with top down and enjoy the ride. Car is very fast and has a nice tight feel to the road. I get stopped wherever I go and people ask to take a closer look. Always look forward to by next journey with my Crossfire.

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  Pretty Good! - 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Pretty good! - June 11 - 2:43 pm

  I absolutely LOVED my PT Cruiser until I had a little accident. Apparently, they are very hard to work on due to the arrangement of everything inside. I hit a fire hydrant on the front right side and my insurance company wants to total the car even though it is fixable. The problem is the cost of the labor since its so hard to work on. Other than that, I love the car! Its great for hauling large items since its got removable back seats and its always been really reliable. It was even pretty good on the ice in the winter time out here in Colorado! I would rather have my PT Cruiser fixed than have to try and find a car as good as this one!

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  Contented owner - with issues - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Judi Becker - June 5 - 1:43 pm

  This vehicle is gorgeous! However, there are blind spots I cannot overcome no matter how long I drive it. Ive literally gotten out of my car to see whats behind it before backing out of a tight space. There are super creature comforts, but there is no place for a trash container. I purchased this to replace a Suburban, hoping to upgrade my fuel economy. Have yet to exceed 15 mpg. That is a disappointment. Im a careful driver and dont hot-rod. Am unclear why the discrepancy of mileage vs. that stated on the window sticker.

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  The best car I ever got - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Fred - June 5 - 3:56 am

  My dad gave me my grandmothers Pt, and since I owned it, that thing has been a blast. I have only had to change the timing belts only about twice and thats it, That lil car saved my life I could Have died the day i got into a wreck but the air bags went off, and the safety cage and the firewall held up. That car was a troop and I loved it for what it was. And if you have anything to say about Pts i will knock it down. That was my first car And i beat my car up and ran it through rouge traines and it took it. P.T. guy forever

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  Nice SUV but buyers beware... - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By TMy - June 5 - 2:00 am

  My new Chrysler Pacifica is a fun, smooth driving and good handling suv. However, when I purchased my vehicle I didnt notice that the Vehicle Information Center was either not functional or not there when it was supposed to be there. After looking through the manual and verifying that I was supposed to have a VIC, the dealership had to replace the entire center console within two days of owning the automobile.

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  <3mycrossfire - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By <3mycrossfire - June 4 - 8:40 am

  I honestly love my crossfire, I owned a Jetta before this, so I am used to the German drive, but was wanting something different without sacrificing quality, and this is it... I also own an Escalade, and love the American handling, this is the perfect fusion of both. One of the most comfortable interiors as well...