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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  Good Move on My Part - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By johnmac - September 16 - 2:00 am

  Pacifica owner since June, I drive 500 to 800 miles per week in city and highway traffic. High marks all the way! A few more miles per gallon would be nice but averaging 18 mpg isnt bad for a 4700 lb car. Bottom line: Would I buy it again?... Yes, without hesitation!

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  Excellent! - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Michelle OBrien - September 16 - 2:00 am

  I have owned my Pacifica for 3 months, and I LOVE IT!! I traded in a 1999 Land Rover and the difference in the two vehicles is phenominal, the Pacifica is so much better, in many ways! I even had my husband clean out our whole garage just so my Pacifica can have a "clean" place to sleep! Thanks, Michelle OBrien

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  Its fun, its cheap, whats not to like - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By marty_d - September 16 - 2:00 am

  Had the car for about 2 weeks and I love it. Its not as fast or plush as most other convertibles but for the price it cant be beat.

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  Fun to Drive - 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Mike R. - September 14 - 10:00 am

  The car drives and handles very well. All controls are where they should be (except power window switches). Very quiet interior and solid feel to the car. Good build quality. Gas mileage could be better!. Overall a very pleasing car to own.

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  Vintage look & Luxury-all in one - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By Silvia Merjil-Fritz - September 13 - 1:50 pm

  I absolutely fell in love with the "vintage" look of this vehicle but when I actually had a test drive, I knew this was to be my next vehicle. This car has all expected in a comfortable, luxurios ride. The extras like satellite radio, navigation system, mp3, (6) CD player, heated leather seats, dual air/heat temperature controls, rear seat air/heat, automatic rearview mirror dimmer and extra large trunk are absolutely exceptional. I would only warn perspective buyers of one thing, the small front side windows for the driver and passenger can at times make it difficult to get a clear side view, badly needed views necessary for entering freeways or exiting curbside parking.

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  RETRO FUN - 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By mecca - September 12 - 10:00 am

  I used Edmunds to research my new car. I read all the reviews for the cruiser. Everyone agrees that the cruiser is fun to drive,the ride is smooth and lots of room. I get lots of smiles. I love this car!

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  very nice ride - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By bustergen - September 12 - 10:00 am

  could use more power with awd price goes up fast with options

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  sweet ride - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By tcp - September 12 - 10:00 am

  This is my fourth Chrysler. I have also had a Toyota, a Chevy, and a Lincoln, but the Chryslers have been the most reliable vehicles I have owned.

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  BEST CAR EVER! - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By SWOL250 - September 12 - 10:00 am

  This is by far the best vehicle I have ever owned. This is my 6th vehicle and I absolutley love it! I highly reccomend this car to anyone who wants luxury, and insane power, with good old American craftsmanship. Every where I go people ask me about it, and all ofthem think the car is anywhere from $60k to $80k, some people think its a Bentley. This car is pure luxury, and performance combined. Get this car!

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  Paid a lot, got a lot - 2017 Chrysler Pacifica
  By K-anon - September 7 - 11:04 am

  My wife and I spent months researching and test driving almost all minivans on the market. The clear winner was the Pacifica. We purchased a brand new blue Touring L-Plus in September 2016. Weve been driving it for nine months and have had a fender bender (rear ended) and had the van repaired. Weve been on three big road trips and have over 9,000 miles on the van. Weve been averaging around 17-18 mpg in the city and about 27 mpg on the highway, so pretty darn close to the manufacturer specs. One annoyance is that the transmissions has to really kick into a much lower gear when you want to accelerate on the highway. Say you are cruising at 60mph, the transmission will be in top gear, but say you want to accelerate to 70 mph, itll hesitate for a second, then shift anywhere from 1-3 gears lower to provide power to accelerate. It doesnt feel smooth or sound smooth, but if thats what it takes to get me better mileage, Ill sacrifice the smoothness. The storage space is just wonderful; the van is quiet, handles great, and has so far been very reliable. We learned that the rear hatch is made of partly magnesium alloys, so in our fender bender, they had to order a whole new rear hatch (it was expensive, but our insurance covered it). The Blueray/DVD entertainment system is super popular with our kids. Be aware though, they young kids (under 5) have no hope of figuring out how to listen to their movies on the headphones. We just use the listen in feature and have to listen to their movies/shows wherever we drive. I recommend the van; we have no regrets about our purchase to date.