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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  Just check it out for yourself...a pleasant surprise - 2015 Dodge Journey
  By ek900 - December 23 - 11:49 am

  We went into 3-row crossover shopping with the Journey not on the list, and ended up liking it so much we special ordered! We test drove the Hyundai Santa Fe, Buick Enclave, Mazda Cx9, and Nissan Pathfinder, but we really liked the packaging of the Journey a lot better. We got a Crossroad model, FWD, with the V6, and I would recommend it. What sold us on the Journey was simply how much better the interior was packaged for us. Its got plenty of room without being as big as some others. The seats are very comfortable and there is storage everywhere. Plus, we got the integrated booster seats, and they are so well-designed it is amazing to me they arent available on other SUVs.

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  Very happy - 2015 Dodge Journey
  By chines1 - December 17 - 1:20 pm

  What is Edmunds on? I guess if its not Toyota or Honda they have nothing nice to say. Ive had it for a month now with almost 1500 miles on it and I love it. I do have the 6 cyl and find the go to be more than adequate. No issues with acceleration or braking in the least. Handling is excellent and responsive. I love this car. Great size, great price, great features. I currently have ZERO complaints on this car. With mixed driving that leans a bit more towards city, Im easily getting 20 MPG and Im a fairly aggressive driver. (Seriously, I have enjoyed the heck out of the 6 cyl in this car) I suspect a nice MPG on longer trips.

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  My Favorite Car! - 2014 Dodge Durango
  By mike7894 - December 14 - 7:24 am

  My first car was a 65 Mustang which I bought in 1969. Since then, I have owned a lot of automobiles including Lincoln MKX, Lexus RX 350, Ford Explorer and Nissan Murano SUVs. Ive owned my 2014 Durango Citadel (with 5.7L Hemi) for 14 months now and it is hands down my favorite. It gives a solid yet comfortable ride both highway and city. The seating is comfortable and spacious...even the third row handles 6 footers no problems. Vehicle utility is outstanding. It is very stylish - in and out - without being gaudy and is and well apportioned. All the small appurtenances and design features really add value to the overall experience. It is very simply a pleasure to drive.

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  upsides and downsides - 2003 Dodge Durango
  By jvote - December 12 - 11:47 am

  upsides are comfort,speed, power, as well as control based on wheel base you can park it in the tightest area you ever imagined. handles like a mid range car, with the horsepower of a sportscar and i have driven a 911 turbo. it doesnt have the acceleration tho. of a 911 turbo. but it has alot of power and go. i am 3rd owner with 129k when bought. and was pleasantly suprised at the handling, with p265/75 tires 16" it drives better than most of the cars i have owned. small to large. and handles better than all of them. downside is the thunk of the trany, thats covered in a service bulliten with the ab code. not a problem. easy fix. a absolute pleasure to drive. would like to buy another one.

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  Nice car, with a problem. - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By dodgekia - December 7 - 7:16 pm

  We got our caliber in March 2014, when we got it, it had a problem. Behind the driver seat there is a water leak on the floor each time it rains, in the other hand, the caliber is very spacious and comfortable, the floor on the cargo area is nice because it is made of plastic, so in case of like a spill, you can easily wipe it of. The seats are very comfortable, especially when it is cold and you turn on the heated seats. Legroom is nice too. The car is fun to drive, because of the engine on the R/T (2.4L I4)

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  Pleasantly surprised - 2014 Dodge Durango
  By chewmt - November 25 - 11:45 am

  I bought this vehicle for my wife solely for the comfortable seats. Out of all the vehicles we tried out the Durango was the most configurable by far. We now have 22k miles on this car and I still cant believe how good it drives. There has only been 1 issue and that was a loose bolt on the steering shaft that caused some play in the steering. Quickly about me, Im a little pickier than most when it comes to vehicle quirks. Ive done all the oil changes myself on this car to this point and do like the unique filters this engine uses. This is easily one of the best vehicles Ive ever driven. Id put it in the realm of an Audi or the new Cadillac though not as nice of an interior obviously

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  Yes, It Will Tow - 2014 Dodge Durango
  By califas - November 23 - 6:04 pm

  First off, like all the other reviews, I was surprised how good this vehicle is. We are a family of 5 and use it for daily driving, winter trips to the Sierras, and towing a 5000 lb boat up to a mountain lake. Dropping around 400 lbs of tongue weight on the hitch, it sags only 1.5 inches at the center of the rear wheel arch. The V-8 has plenty of torque and the 8 speed transmission is just amazing. Elegant power-on downshifts without the usual jerking at the hitch. Utterly planted and stable while cruising, as good as my previous Denali XL. No bouncing and swaying typical of an overstressed tow vehicle. Backup camera is awesome for hitching and it even has a transmission temp gauge.

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  Highway miles - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By tedman2 - November 15 - 11:48 am

  I got 61,000 havent had a single problem with it bought new February 2013 had 6 months off of work so I really piled on the miles work construction like have the seats fold down for the menards trip and to carry my tools awesome gas mileage comfortable to drive knock on wood I read a lot of bad reviews so I dont know If it is the people or the car Ill keep my fingers crossed for another 60,000

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  Durango Has Musscle and Cool Factor That Beats the Rest - 2014 Dodge Durango
  By deerob - November 13 - 2:08 pm

  I recently bought a 2014 Dodge Durango R/T. Have only put about 500 miles on it, but I thought I would share some impressions and minor gripes. Overall, I love this car and am very happy with it. I looked at the Highlander, Traverse, and to a lesser extent the Pilot, Pathfinder, Explorer, Acadia, Santa Fe, and Mazda CX9. Things that mattered to me were 3d row seating and towing, since I would like to get (but have not yet gotten) a boat. -) The Durango is far and away the class leader w/ tow capacity.

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  Excellent Family Hauler - 2015 Dodge Journey
  By daigs - October 30 - 9:56 am

  Ive had the Journey for a couple weeks now and the initial quality and impression I have is extremely positive. Having a family of 4, I find that its the right size. Big enough of the kids and our stuff, but not too large. Right selection of features, quality and performance also make it a winner. While fuel mileage gets dinged by Edmunds, I find that its been better than expected. And considering the 6 cylinder engine and the fact that this isnt a tiny vehicle, Im satisfied with what I get. Plenty of storage and materials that make you say "wait, this is a Dodge!?". Im very satisfied with my purchase.