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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  A Real Famliy Tourer - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By ms_mayor - December 29 - 10:00 am

  Extremely comfortable ride for my family of four who does all our traveling by car. Higher stance than a traditional wagon yet you never get the feeling youre driving a truck or van. Easily accessible third row seat gives each of our kids the chance to bring a friend along to movies or outings, and makes arranging carpools much easier. For a mom who spends a lot of time taxiing her kids around, Im thrilled to have a comfortable and stylish vehicle to do it in!

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  Its got Giddyup - 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By VMP - December 29 - 4:53 am

  Although the gas mileage is low, this snappy wagon has kick. It rapidly accelerates from a dead stop, something that is crucial in L.A. traffic. I have actually beaten a Porche in accelerating from a dead stop...my car was first to overtake the other..but then, of course, the Porche overtook me pretty soon thereafer, even though we both started at the same time. No joke or embellishment. I was astonished...and proud of my bulbous wagon: The Vanilla Bomber.

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  Just Love my 300s - 2015 Chrysler 300
  By Ms.Vanessa - December 26 - 10:38 pm

  This is my first Chrysler 300s! I previously drove a 200 (Limited). This car is a "BEAST!" I live in NC, and recently drove it to NY State. Exceptional on gas! I was at 35 miles per gallon by the time I got to where I was going. Smooth ride, very comfortable, and a bunch of bells and whistles. My car came with the panoramic sunroof, luxury package that includes, but not limited to: hot/cold drink holders, blind spot detection, park assist, adaptive speed control, forward collision warning, rain sensitive wipers, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, 20 inch aluminum black rims ect. Listen people....dont sleep on the 300s, It is all of that and a bag of chips.

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  Good car for the money - 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By PTsilver - December 26 - 3:10 pm

  I am not sure how people are getting less than 20 mpg. I have the standard engine, automatic transmission, and am getting 22 city and 25 highway MPG. You cannot drive this car like its a Corvette. Revving the engine up to 4.5K rpm routinely isnt your friend. I bought the car used with approximately 50k miles, and am really enjoying it. No issues to date so far, and its a joy to drive. Styling is retro, which is a huge change from my prior car (Lincoln Continental). The engine is a bit sluggish, but it is not a blemish on the enjoyment factor. I have experienced a bit of engine vibration at higher RPMs, but its not too noticeable. Fit/finish is fine...no issues.

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  gas guzler - 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Yolanda Johnson - December 25 - 8:00 am

  My biggest problem is gas. This car eats up gas.Under the hood is too compacted. Cant see anything or if anything is leaking

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  srt8 performance - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By sassy1 - December 24 - 11:26 am

  This car has been a bargain . All of that horsepower and great looks. The car handles and performs well as I use it as my daily commuter. Having three other german cars this has been a nice experience except for having to deal with a chrysler service department.

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  Simply Magnificant! - 2004 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Rambler358 - December 23 - 10:00 am

  Im 61" and manage to fit in this car nicely. I had headroom problems with the 350Z and RX-8, which were the other cars I was considering. I thought Id have even more of a headroom problem with this car, but not so. This car turns heads where ever it goes, and performance is great for a V6. Only 215hp but the 229 torque really gets it moving quickly. Couldnt find a red model, but the graphite metallic I got is stunning. I havent seen this car on the road yet, only at dealerships. I paid MSRP but thats to be expected for a 04 model right now with the car is still in limited quantity.

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  Excellent Car - 2004 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Baba LaMuch - December 23 - 10:00 am

  Well done German-American car

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  Fabulous Value - Great Car - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By spdyfngrzzz - December 23 - 10:00 am

  I love this car! Fun to drive and very very comfortable. Fabulous value for the price.

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  This is IT! - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Chrysler Terrifica - December 23 - 10:00 am

  Never thought Id want to trade my Expedition until I saw this ride. Took 6 months, but I finally test drove and never stepped back into my SUV. Didnt settle for anything less than ALL the extras and so glad we didnt, well have this one til it dies. We drove through a couple other "top end" dealerships looking for a car for the in-laws and at both places salesmen came out and looked it over inside and out and told us how great it is... like we didnt know!