Overview & Reviews

One of America's most storied automotive brands, Dodge has been around since the early days of the auto industry. In the past couple of decades, it has revitalized itself to be a producer of aggressively styled and performance-oriented vehicles.

Two brothers, Horace and John Dodge, began the Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicle company in 1914, after having worked as manufacturers of bicycles and automotive parts. Their first vehicle was a touring car that proved a fast favorite with car buyers; it was soon joined by a roadster and a four-door sedan. By 1917, the company's model line had grown to include trucks. Dodge cars and trucks were used as staff vehicles and ambulances in World War I.

Dodge was briefly owned by a banking firm and subsequently sold by its new owner to the Chrysler Corporation in 1928. From there, the brand slowly evolved into the division responsible for trucks and performance-oriented cars. Post WWII, Dodge introduced vehicles like the military-inspired Power Wagon truck, Hemi-powered Coronet and the Royal Lancer; in addition, the manufacturer began offering dealer-installed air-conditioning.

Vehicles like the Dodge Dart and the Coronet kept the manufacturer in American driveways throughout the 1960s. That decade also saw the launch of one of Dodge's most iconic vehicles, the Charger. Dodge's muscle car was based on the Coronet platform, and featured a fastback roof line, hidden headlamps and a full-width taillamp panel. Best of all, the Charger could pack one heck of a wallop under the hood. A 318-cubic-inch V8 was standard, but buyers seeking maximum brawn could upgrade to a 426-cubic-inch, 425-hp Hemi V8. The company also introduced a Mustang-fighting pony car, called the Challenger, in 1970.

As with other American auto manufacturers, Dodge's fortunes started to slip in the '70s due to changing tastes and increased competition. The company was saved from extinction in the early '80s thanks to government loans and the sales success of its Omni and Aries economy cars (the former an attempted copy of the VW Rabbit). But 1984 was when Dodge made its mark in the history books with the introduction of the wildly popular Caravan. Ideal for families and able to seat up to seven, the space-efficient Caravan started a whole new vehicle segment -- the minivan.

The early '90s saw the company wow the public with the V10-powered Viper roadster and an all-new Ram pickup that set a new standard for big-rig-like styling. A few years later, Dodge came to be part of DaimlerChrysler, a result of the merger of the German company Daimler (owner of Mercedes-Benz) and Chrysler.

The merger never really worked, however, and Daimler sold Chrysler and Dodge to a private equity firm in 2007. Soon after, America's economy slid into recession. Due to poor sales and debt, Chrysler had to declare bankruptcy. The federal government intervened and eventually Dodge came under control of Fiat, a European automaker known for its small cars, an area where Dodge's entries had been roundly criticized for mediocre build quality and unrefined performance.

More recent years have seen Dodge concentrate on the more practical vehicles in its lineup, making notable improvements to the performance and overall quality of its midsize Avenger sedan and Journey SUV entries. Dodge also spun off its truck line, making it a separate Ram brand. But make no mistake; Dodge is still considered Chrysler's performance division thanks to cars like the Challenger and Charger. Time will tell how successful Dodge's latest makeover is.

User Reviews:

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  magnum info - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By akgerb - March 21 - 10:00 am

  Sluggish acceleration Awesome looking Makes funny noises Problems with alignment Gets a lot of attention and look Roomy; love the trunk/backspace Kind of regret getting it Love the night interior lighting

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  Magnum - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By Shine - March 21 - 10:00 am

  Our family of 5 loves the styling inside and out. The room...oh the room inside for me @ 62" in the front seats or the back seats is ample to say the least. With three fast growing children this is the car for us. Performance of the 3.5L is well suited and the handling is great. Break in we are averaging about 27 mpg highway. It is simply a pleasureable ride...and quiet too. Locations for under the hood is easily accessible.

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  looks to kill - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By shakeyfitter - March 21 - 10:00 am

  this car turns heads,young and old. its a stretched version of the 300. the hemi is impressive and im seeing 22.2 mpg,even with giving a few test rides to friends and family. i cant wait to get this thing on the highway. i spent two hours in the front seat,asleep, waiting for my daughter to return from a sporting event one night. the interior is so firm,yet comfortable. i would recommend this vehicle to anyone.ive added a factory remote start,and a receiver hitch w/factory wiring harness.this car is truley more than one could ask for in a thirty thousand dollar car. i feel like royalty while sporting this wagon around town. my compliments to the chef..

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  Improving with Age - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By Imjamie2 - March 21 - 10:00 am

  This is my 3rd Durango and I love it. The interior design is far superior to the Durangos of the past. Love the look of the vehicle from the front, but the rear leaves little to be desired. Ive always had the upgraded V8 engine and I must say the HEMI hasnt brought the power that I expected. Although the response is good its just not what Ive been accustomed to in previous models.

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  One of the Best! - 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By booper - March 21 - 10:00 am

  We bought it just as it came on the market, the Stow and Go seats really sold us. I have a disabled shoulder and am still able to work the stow and go features; love the way the rear seating can be turned around for tailgating parties! Being able to keep seats looking great when not being used by stowing them, it gives us maximum room to carry purchases. Center console may be set back between the second row seats and net used between front seats. People helping me out with groceries think it is "so cool" to have so much room and still carry people. We use the pockets for the seats we are using to put things out of sight and make it safer to buy in several places.

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  grand caravan - 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Barb B - March 21 - 10:00 am

  I would love to have automatic headlights.

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  New Car??? - 1998 Dodge Stratus
  By cboy - March 19 - 2:00 am

  We bought this car new, and have really liked the looks and how the car drives. Our problem has been the $700 head gasket repair at 40K miles, and a $270 power steering pump replacement at 52K miles. Were keeping for at least 2 more years, but Im going to think long and hard before I buy another Dodge. They make great looking cars, but looks arent everything. I need a car that breaks down after 100+K miles, not 40K.

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  Pretty good Car - 1995 Dodge Stratus
  By Billaaf - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Just wanted to give a rating, not go into details

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  Dont Buy!!!!!!!! - 1997 Dodge Neon
  By UNHAPPY - March 19 - 2:00 am

  These cars head gaskets only last 60000 miles and are very costly to repair. Read more about the head gasket problem on internet. These cars also lose value quickly. I bought in 11/99 for $7300 and Value today is only $4700

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  One of the best cars out there! - 2001 Dodge Viper
  By JJSVIP - March 19 - 2:00 am

  This car is the ipitimy of the cars on the road, short of modern Ferraris and Lamborghini of course. But how many of these cars are on the road though. The Viper is the same, with only roughly 1500 units a year. But this car is a blast to drive. And you can leave for a short trip in it without someone yelling or almost breaking their necks to get another look. Contrary to magazine reviews, this car is quite confortable as a daily driver and a very easy car to drive.