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 is a great ride! - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By kylydy - August 19 - 10:00 am

  We love our Magnum! The only problem is that we cant both drive it at the same time!

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  HEMI Power !!!! - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By BTDurango - August 19 - 10:00 am

  I have had it for less then 60days and have 9,300 miles on it.I love the ride and so does my wife and three kids.My first business trip was 2800 miles and I averaged 18.3MPG.Using high test gas I can get 20+MPG on the HWY. I get 14-16 around town.The 6 Disc changer is great for long drives.I read a lot about the Durango before my purchase and they all stated that the HEMI was worth the extra money and I must agree!The split 3rd row seat is also a must, it is much larger then the bench.

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  Fun and sleek - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By C Palmeri-Shine - August 16 - 6:36 pm

  For the first time in my life I am having fun driving in a car. The kids friends think they are so cool for being dropped off in a Magnum. The ride is smooth.

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  Fun, Fast & Roomy - 2006 Dodge Magnum
  By Mark Rempe - August 16 - 2:00 pm

  The Magnum RT is a hot rod car with the ride of a luxury car. Excellent acceleration. Runs well in snow with the ESP traction on. Has plenty of room while still being sporty. Stereo system very nice for a factory installed unit. A pleasure to drive.

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  Awesome Truck - 2001 Dodge Dakota
  By Charly - August 16 - 2:00 am

  I love this truck. Have a black Sport and it gets lots of looks and compliments. Ive had it for two years and there have been no problems whatsoever. Very fun to drive as this thing is fast and powerful. Plenty of interior room; Im 63" and not cramped at all. Gas mileage is terrible but if thats a problem dont buy the V8.

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  Lovin my Durango - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By Roff - August 15 - 8:06 pm

  So far? This Dodge is great. I have had fun, feel safe and can only complain that the radio on/off switch is too easy to turn off with my hand on accident. Great truck!

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  Stunning Deal - 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By salgeek - August 14 - 2:00 pm

  This is my 3rd. Chryco Minivan. Utility and Value punctuate my ownership experiences. For $12,300 I purchased a year old Dodge Grand Caravan SE with stow and go seating with only 10,747 miles. The vehicle is Chrysler Certified so the power train is warranted for 8 yr/80K miles and I have a bumper to bumper warranty for 39 months/39K miles. "Certified" also includes roadside assistance till 8 yr/80K. AND the dealer threw in free lifetime oil changes. WOW! With a little luck the transmission will make it 100K miles and she wont rust out till its 9th year in service. Maybe even the AC/Heater core will make it 5+ years. If I can get 30K between brake jobs Ill be happy!

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  Great little car - 2016 Dodge Dart
  By David Bivans - August 12 - 3:59 am

  The dart has got to be the most underrated car I have ever driven. It performs MUCH better than cars that are supposedly ranked much higher. Every single problem Ive read in reviews has been driver related. For instance, the seat is not "too high", it is not fixed and has a very wide range of movement. Its also not as small as they say. I am over 6 feet and 220lbs, and fit just fine. Acceleration and noise levels are also very good.

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  A little nervous - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By j. Mac - August 11 - 8:46 pm

  I wrote a review 1 1/2 months after buying my Nitro, about how happy I was with it. Since then, I have had two experiences of my Nitro "jerking", and had the dashboard lights come on. The first time it happened, I actually thought someone had hit me from behind. Thats how hard the "jolt" was. I then got the recall later for this. I havent had any episodes since then. I still love my Nitro and wouldnt trade it in for anything else.

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  Fun 2 Drive. Eye candy! - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By cedric - August 11 - 12:20 pm

  I must say that I was not in the market for this car but when I went to the dealership boy I was surprised! I encountered more stares when I first had my baby for a week. Now it likes the whole world wants one.