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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  Loved it but it was a lemon - 2001 Chrysler Sebring
  By VirginiaD - October 17 - 4:28 pm

  My first convertible, and a great one at that. Power top was perfect and never had problems with it working. Replaced top seal when I purchased it ($800), replaced rotors (on all my Chryslers) every 20k miles. Brakes were not strong. Engine began to smoke at about 45k, and mechanics said it was a goner. NOT a good investment. Engine is a bad one (2.7L V6). Loved the car and top down driving and very comfortable, with all the nice options. Peppy to drive and smooth on hwy. Cant recommend because of engines and overall long-term quality issues.

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  Crossfire - 2004 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Rainman52591 - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Best car I have driven! Pick up is unbelievable for a six. Styling is great.

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  A Work in Progress - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Gary Roberti - October 16 - 10:00 am

  UNDERPOWERED, HORRIBLE MILEAGE (14.2mpg @2500 miles so far)we live in FLAT southern NJ...17-22mpg on the sticker!!!! The quality of the interior items...carpet (very thin), switches, console doors...very cheap. Been back three times in 1 1/2 months for problems that dealers are aware of. Looks very nice and the kids love it though. Parents..think twice!!!!

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  My Pacifica - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By JEH1 - October 16 - 10:00 am

  I love everything about this vehicle. The Nav System is easy to use and read. Other exciting components are the DVD/CD, six CD holder, seperate radio controls for the rear pass., load leveling system, automatic tire pressure reading and automatic rear gate opener. It also has easy touch seat controls and memorizes the positions. 4 of the 6 seats have two level of heat control, and the rear passengers have seperate heat controls. I sound like a dealer, but Im not (Im a police officer in Maryland). My Pacifica is just fun to drive and it turns heads. I just love driving it and its extremely comfortable.

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  What a Car - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Proud Pacifica Mom - October 16 - 10:00 am

  This car is everything. I feel so in control of everything. Being short (52)the adjustable pedal control plus the driver seat settings allow me to easily find my comfort zone. I drive approximately 50-100 miles daily and dont experience any discomfort. My daughter wanted the DVD option and now rides in the back seat and watches a movie where ever we go. We also love the fantastic sound system. I went to purchase a Town & Country and left with the Pacifica. What a great deal.

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  Outstanding vehicle - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Art Luttrell - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Granted,we have only had our Pacifica for 37 days, but weve had it long enough to say that it is the finest driving, finest riding vehicle we have ever been in-bar none. It is everything we wanted, and more. One interesting side note-it really seems to cause a lot of staring. If we pull up next to another vehicle at a street corner, more often than not, we notice people checking out the car.

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  Poor on Gas Economy - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By SalemGuy - October 16 - 10:00 am

  I do like the PT cruiser very much the fit and finish is very good. I do like the ability to remove the back seats with ease. I am a kayaker so I do like that extra room to carry extre gear. However, for a 4 banger I only receive 24 miles per gallon (that is an average local and highway mileage). I do think that they should put some more effort into engine design to improve fuel economy.

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  Top Down - 2004 Chrysler Sebring
  By Charles Troeger - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Makes me feel young again. Gets lots of compliments

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  Outstanding - 2015 Chrysler 300
  By Scott G. - October 16 - 9:41 am

  I think this is an exceptional Sedan. Thick wrapped leather steering wheel, large leather seats and plenty of cargo room in the trunk. I look forward to driving this car everyday with its crisp handling, supple ride and near perfect engine/transmission combo. The base stereo in our Limited has more features and better bass response than any other vehicle we have ever owned. The rotary shifter does take a little getting used to, but is a non-issue and actually makes the center stack feel a little more spacious. This car certainly has its limits in the corners, but is far more nimble then given credit. Yes the transmission is programmed for fuel economy, yet it responds quickly to downshifts and will hold a gear when summoned to. If you do any mixed driving like me expect 27-29 MPG, if you drive strictly around town like my wife you will be in the 22-24 MPG range. If you drive hard, all bets are off and fuel economy should not matter to you. I am extremely impressed with the fuel economy for a car this big and heavy. Chrysler dealers are willing to negotiate on these vehicles, especially the RWD V6 models like ours and that just sweetens the pot even more. I was also impressed with its winter handling here in Michigan, it felt planted and traction was decent on really bad roads with the stock Michelins. I had Discount Tire put 4 Hankook iPike winter tires on my wifes car and we could practically conquer the world in this thing. Test drive one and you will be impressed.

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  Its awesome but not that awesome - 2015 Chrysler 200
  By Java-Dprix - October 16 - 1:41 am

  This car looks classy and powerful, but it isnt as my expect. I have had some American models but through this Chrysler 200 LX 2.4L is just a low type of vehicle I ever had. I do like the interior, lights systems, and instrumentals. However, the engine handles not really good on the highway especially on the high speed (70mph+). I thought it is heavy type of sedan it should of handle pretty good, but nope it cant even beat 2.0L Ford Focus SE. Well, it is Ford so it might sound worse about how the appearance looks, but Ford now is a lot better and changed to the way the world supposed to. This 200 does give a hesitate during idling basically on the service road speeds, while you are stuck in the traffic, then when you try to idling to maintain speed, its just immediately, woof out of no where that almost hit the car in front of it. Overall, I dont really like the car that much.