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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  Worried - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By Worried - August 23 - 1:24 pm

  I have had this car since December and find myself when sitting at a light or a stop sign it feels like my car is going to stall. It downshifts and feels like its going to stall - Or it feels like someone has rearended me sometimes - the first few times that happened I thought the car behind me did hit me. It has been happening more and more lately - and has also stalled out on me a few times while just waiting to turn - I took it to the dealership and they said nothing is wrong - however, something is wrong - I also had a recall on my transmission with something - which they say has nothing to do with it but hmmm? Im not sure what to think at this point. I just want to make sure I

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  Love it, but way too many problems - 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By Sharon - August 19 - 12:06 pm

  Have had my cruiser for 3 years. It has had a rebuilt transmission at 40,000 mi. fog lamp defect wich caused my battery to die. Electrical fire somewhere (not yet been able to be dectected by mechanic). This cracked the top of dash console as well as various lights work and then dont work inside on pannels. Recall for this yr. on power steering pump. And is currenlty in shop as I speak for severe rotor/berrings/central allignment problems. No such thing as front or back problems they are all connected in the middle. Was told by mechanic that this is only the halfway mark to the repairs for this car....Be careful. I will not be buying another cruiser ever. Trading in really soon.

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  what i think - 2004 Chrysler Pacifica
  By _chip_ - August 17 - 10:00 am

  So far so good had 1 small problem car had a leak from the sun roof dealer fixed picked up dealer items on e-bay (cargo net). I dont like the feel of the breaks.

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  My Chrysler - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By homer - August 16 - 12:07 pm

  Look me Over but please dont touch is how i feel about my Chrysler. And thats what I get. A lot of lookers and nice car. What is it ? I drove the 300 in the sixties and now in the 21 century. What a car. Nice to drive and I feel very safe with all air bags the electronic steering system and the AWD.I drove big brother the Mercs and yes a little softer ride but thew 300 is great. If I have one comeback it is the navagation system, for $1400 it could be a lot more and the car arrived with a data disc three years old in development. The tires are not wearing as they should I am getting 1/2 tread todate and only 15000 miles no help from the dealer or the tire manufactor "Contintal.

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  Fantastic - 2005 Chrysler 300
  By Hemi - August 16 - 10:55 am

  Who would have thought this former Cadillac driver would have bought the car of the year! I just love it. It sits high and the front windshield blocks the sun. People stop me and ask about the car. Of course I rave. I love the ad that said, "Let engine cool before kissing!"

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  2nd 300M - 2003 Chrysler 300M
  By Jean Pierre - August 15 - 11:35 pm

  Traded my 1999, 300M for a 2003,300M. The reliabilty of this car makes Consumer Report lies, it is still excellent after almost 2 years and 40K. Considering the size and power of this car the gas mileage is good. Great fit and finish. Good handling and fun to drive. Inexpensive parts and servicing.

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  Been Very Happy - 2000 Chrysler Sebring
  By Been Very Happy - August 14 - 11:02 am

  I bought my 2000 Sebring JXI new. The vehicle is now 6 years old and has 84,000 miles on it. I am very particular, changed the oil and filters religously. The car looks and runs like it just came off the showroom floor. I have changed the brakes and rotors, battery, serviced the trans and cooling system, basic maintenance you expect to keep a car purring. The only problem I had was the sensor on the trans failed which was under warranty. The wires connecting the rear defroster failed several times, so I gave up on that. The sun visor clips broke several times, no big deal inexpensive items to replace and change out easily. The sound system is excellent for stock. Love my car. I recommend.

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  A real surprise! - 2017 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Floyd Sense - August 13 - 2:00 am

  I traded my 2016 Honda Odyssey EX for this second-hand 2017 Pacifica. The primary reason was the poor human factors in the Odyssey interior design. For example, if you wear polarized sunglasses and live in a sunny climate, you cant read the speedometer in the Odyssey - white numbers on a bright metallic background. And, my 52" wife could never find a comfortable driving position. The rear lift gate was difficult for a short person to open and close. The Pacifica has none of these problems and clearly Chrysler spent considerable time with the interior design and came up with a winner. The dashboard design is just about perfect - the large screen is tilted towards the driver so as to be very easy to read and all the control knobs/buttons are easily reachable by the driver. The controls are all logical and well laid out. The navigation system is the best Ive seen and is the first Ive used that is better than my stand-alone Garmin GPS. Destinations can be entered by voice and the system does a great job on interpreting what I say. In addition, you can control the radio and other systems via voice commands. The center storage bin assembly is very well thought out and provides a convenient place to store a purse or box of tissues so that it doesnt roll around when cornering. Theres even an additional USB port for charging phones, etc. The rear lift gate has a power assist that raises and lowers the gate with an accompanying beaping tone. The stow and go middle seats are fairly easy to store and when theyre raised and in place, you can use their storage compartments to store other items. The seats do not seem to be as comfortable as the second row seats were in my Odyssey, but they may be perfectly adequate - just havent tried them on a long trip yet. Shorter members of the family say theyre just fine, but they seemed a bit low to me. On the other hand, the third row seats are a bit deeper and seemed to be more comfortable than those in the Odyssey. The biggest surprise for me was the gas mileage. On the 128 mile trip home from the dealership, we got an overall 30.6 mpg average and that included the 2,000 foot climb up the mountain near home. Over the first 115 miles, we saw 33 mpg over rolling hills at 70 mph. Over the same route, the Odyssey usually averaged 26-27 mpg, never exceeding 28 mpg. The new 9 speed transmission is as smooth as a CVT, but without the noise. Braking response is more positive than that of the Odyssey, i.e., braking begins higher on the pedal with slightly more resistance. The only negative Ive seen thus far is the windshield mounted rear view mirror. It gives a somewhat closed-in view to the rear. We live in the mountains with very few straight and level roads and the Pacifica handles every bit as well as the Odyssey did. Theres very little body roll and youre never reminded of the large metal structure behind you. If youre considering an Odyssey, please go drive the Pacifica before making the decision. Hopefully, the Pacifica reliability over the long haul will be the same or better than the Honda. Addendum: Some models do not come with a spare tire, just one of the slime patch kits and a pump. You can add a donut spare (it comes un-inflated) in which case its stored in the compartment in the far rear on the left side. Without the spare, there are two smaller compartments, so when you buy the spare youll want to buy the new panel that covers the spare storage area as well. These items are not inexpensive, so its a good idea to try and get the dealer to throw in the spare and panel if the model you want doesnt come with it.

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  Im A Fan - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By The Weather Lady - August 13 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 2003 PT in August of 2002 and I have yet to have a major complaint. This car is great in the snow, I had an idea it would since it weighs 3100lbs. Up here in Buffalo, its important to have a reliable car. The PT is made solid and I feel safe when in it. The foldable/removable seats come in handy on grocery days. Overall I would recommend this car to anyone, if they were looking for convenience and safety.

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  SEbring 1999 - 1999 Chrysler Sebring
  By John - August 12 - 12:28 pm

  Auto was ok except for rims. During the time I have owned the car I had to replace 7 rims.