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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  Perils of Age - 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Toms Mom - March 25 - 1:50 pm

  Ive had my PT (Tom––Tom Cruiser) since the get go and cant say enough good things about it. Although its been an accident magnet, it has survived several minor crashes and a major clash with wildlife and has done very well. My only complaint is that I keep my cars a long time (10 to 12 years, over 150,000 miles) and my little PT isnt holding up to age like Id hoped. The wheels are a chronic problem for mine and several others I know. They corrode from the inside out and lead to slow leaks in the tires. The chrome peels away if the wheel is fixed. Radiators also seem to be a common problem. Body trim is popping off. So while I love my PT, Tom just isnt aging as well as Id hoped.

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  great car - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By nshomo - March 25 - 3:33 am

  this is by far the best auto ive ever owned - more than comfortable - more than safe - great look - all round great car

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  I take the Long way home - 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By mostly - March 24 - 3:00 am

  Nothing better than a drive down country roads with the top down. The turbo engine gives pickup that never disappoints.

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  SUV + MINIVAN = PACIFICA - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By onelexave - March 24 - 2:00 am

  A good, practical car with nice interior details. My wife and I decided that it was a nice compromise between a Minivan (too pedestrian and lacking in style, no 4 wheel drive on the Honda available) and an SUV (too large, difficult to get into 3rd row for our 3rd young child, and poor mileage). It has meet our expectations in almost every respect (the exceptation being that gas mileage is well below the official City and Hwy ratings) and I would recommend the car provided you can get it in the low 30s for a fully loaded version. (FYI we got about 6K off the sticker)

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  Exactly What We Were Looking For - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By jaxstephens - March 24 - 2:00 am

  We have just loved this fun little vehicle. It is like a small car with a bigger cars heart. By that I mean that, while its footprint is small, it still feels like youre higher up on the road than many others. Not quite like an SUV, but close. Get a PT Cruiser; I promise youll love it!

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  a real looker - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By mgm - March 24 - 2:00 am

  overall quite pleased.Has nice ride nice sound system roomy trunk. Nice dash layout.

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  Daily drivers can be fun - 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Cobra953 - March 23 - 9:40 pm

  I have been driving this car everyday for the last 11 months. Its fun, fast, and reliable. I find it can corner with the best of them, and although it is not a HP giant, it will run the interstates and two lanes with power to spare. I have had it back to the dealer twice, for oil changes. Thats it. Not a squeak or rattle.

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  My First 4 Months With the Cruiser! - 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By dvdirv - March 22 - 10:00 am

  The PT Cruiser is a vehicle that is hard to describe: part car, part SUV, part truck. It performs well on many levels including comfort, smoothness and quiet inside the cabin. Its shortcomings are primarily the low MPG for such a size vehicle (21- 29).

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  Great car! - 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Mikekoz13 - March 21 - 2:40 pm

  What a great car. After totaling my Aztek, I looked at a lot of car models. They all looked very generic to me with the exception of a couple of Hondas & Toyotas.... and the Cruiser. I dont pay extra for the "privilege" of owning a Japanese car so I looked at the Cruiser at my salesmans suggestion. I couldnt believe I could get a car this nice for an on the road price of less than $14000. I was a little worried about gas mileage after reading some reviews but Im averaging 27MPG combined and almost 31MPG highway. WOW! Im only sorry that I didnt buy a Cruiser the last time I purchased a vehicle two years ago.

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  sure beats a van - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By cla1125 - March 18 - 10:00 am

  We moved to the Pacifica from a grand caravan. This rides much better, goes anywhere (we live in the country,and is much more pratical for our family.(5 total). our kids think the seats are confortable and i feel safer driving this w/ the additional air bags in the backseats.