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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  Id buy another - 2000 Dodge Durango
  By texanbetty - July 27 - 10:00 am

  Ive been a GMC/Chevy person my whole life...This is my first Dodge. I have 25000 miles on it so far..I have had problems with it trying to stall, but took it in and the chip was replaced, then I had a problem with the front wheel berings which were replaced. The transmission could be a little tighter...Those are the only things that have gone wrong...I like the turning radis and the outside appearance...I think for the price its a really good truck...I didnt expect it to ride smoothly because its a TRUCK and a 4x4 at that...But I like the pick-up and the handling in traffic...and it fits in my garage..Im pretty satisfied with it and id buy another

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  Love the Car Hate theTransmission Leaks - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By Barb - July 26 - 7:40 pm

  Over all I love the look and handling of this car. Plenty of room for the grandkids and all their toys, etc. On the highway gets decent gas mileage however, the intown mileage stinks. The price you pay for the HEMI. Main concern is the transmission leaks and the wheel alignments. Weve had it to the dealership twice for both issues and were assured that the problem was fixed 5 months later we have another transmission leak and it already feels like the front end is out of alignment. (We just purchased new tires before the last alignment)Tires are very expensive for this car and they are already showing significant wear without a lot of miles on them.

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  Terrible Reliable Car - 1999 Dodge Avenger
  By lori - July 26 - 5:33 pm

  I have put $1690.00 in my 1999 Avenger, the ball joints has been horrible, the axle and control arms has went out, and I would not buy another one. The body is great and very sporty but the parts are out of this world in cost! Good Luck to anyone that owns one.

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  Good Truck - 2002 Dodge Dakota
  By Maddog - July 25 - 9:07 am

  Bought this truck used and it now has 115,000 miles on the 3.9 V-6. The truck does not use any oil and runs well. The 5 speed manual has nice gear spacing and is easy to use. I average 18-19 around town and 20-22 on the highway. The quad cab is useful and it does what I need it to do. Good truck Dodge!

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  red truck - 2003 Dodge Dakota
  By John - July 24 - 8:44 pm

  Ive had a blast with this truck and without any mechanical problems so far. Its fun to drive and I can get my family of 6 in the quad cab without a problem. Adults might be a little tight in the back seat. The AWD handles great but is always thirsty for gas. The 4.7 L V-8 is a great sized engine for this truck.

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  Fun but big-time TROUBLE - 1998 Dodge Neon
  By Paul - July 24 - 12:04 am

  When I found my Neon R/T, white with blue stripes, I thought I had gone to heaven. And there is no question that it is a fun car to drive when it runs but I have had nothing but trouble since I bought it. I have had the engine rebuilt twice and numerous things replaced, much more than I would expect even for a car that has over 150,000 miles on the odometer (I bought it at 94,000 miles). The trunk and right rear seat area leaks buckets of water in every rain or snow storm. If it wasnt for the consistent 30 mpg I would dump the car ASAP.

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  Love the looks, not the reliability - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By mixed - July 23 - 10:35 am

  Fell in love with this vehicle because it looks different - not the same old thing. Seats are comfortable for me, steering and brakes are responsive. Lots of luggage room. Then it stalled while I was driving 75 mph on the interstate - twice. Several recalls later and that problem has been corrected. Rear seal leaked, interior plastic is warped in a few places, sunroof leaked. I like having a reliable vehicle and Im not certain that is what I have with my Nitro. I drive close to 2,000 per month and I like knowing that I can get in, keep my gas tank full and my oil changed and go wherever I want to without worrying about reliability. Not sure that is what I have with my Nitro- shame!

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  So Far So Good - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By mtroute - July 23 - 10:00 am

  While I have only had it for a week, I have to say I love this car. We purchased the Limited model via the Chrysler EC program and saved $4000 plus the rebate, we got the $40k model for $32k. My biggest complaint today, the fact the door lock mechanism is located right where my elboy likes to rest while driving. Oh well...

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  Disappointed in this one - 2008 Dodge Caliber
  By Tillys Mom - July 22 - 4:29 pm

  Gas Mileage is not as promised. Road Noise Will Deafen You. Too much cheap plastic on exterior, cheap interior seating, tight interior, looks bigger than it is. Rides a bit rough and it already squeaks and leans around corners after only 30,000 miles. Rear Window design attracts and holds dirt, always looks dirty. All in all, I wish I would have kept my Suzuki XL7

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  NEON SXT - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By srt10dodgeviper - July 22 - 11:09 am

  Im a car salesman and bought a neon. Its a pretty good car overall. I get between 27-33 mpg depending if Im driving on the highway or in the city. Im a neat freak because I was a detail shop manager for years. The neon would be better if the seat fabric was better and could be cleaned easier. The trim moldings fade really easily too. I bought the car for what the dealership paid and its value is dropping daily. Overall it is a really good dependable car, but the re-sale isnt there. If youre looking for a really basic, reliable car I would say buy a neon. If your a resale buyer I would stay away from it.