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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  Great value, lots of fun - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By canderson - May 16 - 11:26 pm

  Exciting styling and no dissapointment while behind the wheel. Best value out there in its class. Quality at par with any foreign car at a much lower price. There is still hope for the American car industry.

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  I bought another one - 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By DodgeFan - May 15 - 3:33 pm

  This thing has been great. At 114k miles there are some minor leaks, and this was 99% fixed with new head gaskets. The van is fun to drive if you can say that about a minivan. It is totally reliable, very comfortable. It has enough room for 6 adults with a little storage in back and no one feels the slightes bit cramped. It even hauls my light pop up tent trailer/camper without a problem. I bought another since this one has been so good.

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  2016 Dart GT - 2016 Dodge Dart
  By Jon - May 13 - 9:05 pm

  LOVE MY 2016 DART GT... Ive had my Dart GT for 7 months. This is absolutely my favorite car Ive ever owned beating out great cars such as 2004 Mazda 3s 2.3, 2007 Ford Fusion SEL v6 and a 2012 Mazda 3s Touring 2.5. The reviewers of this car are harsh in my opinion. I test drove 2016 Mazda 3, 2016 Volkswagon GTi& GLi, Honda Civic and Hyundai. My decision to buy the Dart GT was pretty easy.....and I havent seen my twin on the road since. I love that. I live in an ocean of Fusions, Focus and Corollas...i love having something different , especially with its visual Alfa Romeo DNA disign ques. My TorRed GT has the fabulous 8.5 touch screen U-Connect system with Sirius, navigation, Technology group, Sunroof-Alpine sound, sport hood and Mopar exterior ground effects. This car is absolutely the best dollar value blending style, size, technology and performance. I wanted a car slightly bigger than the Mazda 3 but not quite Fusion size. Loving the USB input, it functions flawlessly with my 3000 song library thumb drive. This is my first car without a cd player. I thought that was dumb at first. Now that I have all of my music on a USB drive its simply amazing and powerfull. I love how the system displays most of the album art. The GT cabin is truly uber quiet cabin with regard to wind and road noise. Tire noise is specific to the road surface of course. How hasnt anyone mentioned this. The GT rides on wide 225/40/18s wrapped around gorgeous hyper-black alloys and I usually dont notice any sound. My 2012 Mazda 3 was so much noisier, not even close. Yes, youll feel joints in the road but not with the noise and punch some reviews state. If you want total silence simply pay twice as much or more. My manager, who owns a Mercedes, loves how quiet my Dart is. The handling is very crisp and reasonably flat. The steering is a tad less responsive than the Mazda BUT well worth the trade off. The low end from dead stop torque was stronger on the Mazda BUT...with that came premature tire wear due to the wheel spin. The GT takes off well from dead stop with out tire spin and will blow past the Mazda in the medium and top ends of the run. Technology and comfort: Okay, gorgeous power leather heated seats and HEATED steering wheel, heated exterior mirrors, blind spot monitor, U-Connect system that will let you hear incoming texts and reply when car is stopped. The phone automatically stores your contact list with every startup. The 9 speaker Alpine sound system is more pleasing across all frequencies than the 10 speaker Bose in my Mazda because its warmer, adds a subwoofer, a nice surround mode and equally detailed in all other areas. The driver information available and customizable is superb. Tire pressure reading (accurate) for each individual wheel and this is key when riding on 40 series tires, you should know this data always. This was the most technology packed car of the ones i considered. These wheels do not leak air. I was constantly putting air in my Mazda. hmmmm Style: Please... That is not even close. Again, Alfa Romeo DNA disign ques...My Dart GT has some heads snapping.. Its low and wide on a perfect 18" wheel & tire package. the low area is wrapped around in the Mopar front chin spoiler, side skirts and rear skirt that accents the big dual chrome exhaust tips. The body has a tasteful hunkered down look, without being too busy like all the Japanese models designed to attract attention in Tokyo grid-lock traffic, with widened fenders that are in correct proportion to the GT wheel package and the wheel-well opening. The sport appearance hood with scoop is the cherry on top setting it above other Darts and competition. The GT equipped as mine is was not plentiful. Although white was my first choice with TorRed 2nd, the dealer had the red from the car show right on their lot and that in itself gave them a pricing advantage. This car was born to be red in this trim level. Performance: I sit in rush hour traffic and my ego does not require me to drive overly aggressive. That said, my GT gets up to 90 mph extremely quickly and quietly without fanfare. As far as hardcore numbers, there are plenty of published reviews, for me...I drove the GT, GLi, GTi and Mazda 3 all in the same afternoon and the Dart GT simply screamed "this is the one". My only other thought is that I hope its as dependable and drama free as the Mazdas have been because id like to keep this car for 4 to 6 years. I love the exclusitivity of driving a car where I never see its twin, at least i havent in the past 7 months. Poor leadership decisions really fumbled this amazing car that FCA has since announced discontinuing. My gain...I love it. K&N Air Filter RokBlokz Mud Flaps Tint - 35% front & rear, 20% back Buy this cool sedan in GT or SXT with Ralley package.

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  i love my magnum - 2008 Dodge Magnum
  By danny lopez - May 12 - 10:01 pm

  i own a dodge magnum and theres no words to explained the performance and handling on this beast is incredible. One of the best cars dodge ever built.

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  I love my R/T and my R/T loves me - 2009 Dodge Challenger
  By Marisa - May 12 - 3:50 pm

  I was looking to trade up from my 2003 Honda Accord to either a BMW or a Lexus when I saw one of these magical cars on the road and my jaw dropped. I decided to take a test drive expecting the car to be rough around the edges and not refined enough for my taste. Boy was I wrong! This car has everything you could ever ask for...unmatched power and the most comfortable ride Ive ever experienced. It reminds me of my grandparents Caddy...super plush but this car is so stylish and soooo fast. Nobody has been able to keep up with me. The looks from people everywhere I go are priceless. Like others, Ive had people honk, take pictures, etc. Definitely get the R/T in the 6 speed! Love it!

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  One heck of a car! - 2009 Dodge Charger
  By Josh - May 12 - 11:19 am

  The car is GREAT to drive!!! Absolutely more than I expected. Inside and out! More room than I could want & the trunk space is excellent. It has tons of Get Up and Go!! Even with 4 adults!!! The interior is luxurious and the features are extraordinary. The factory audio system is leaps and bounds better than anything Ive heard (excluding audio upgrades). Its rides smooth at any speed.

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  Man oh man.... - 2009 Dodge Challenger
  By Eddie - May 12 - 1:56 am

  All I can say is "Wow." I LOVE this car. Im not a car man, per say, although Ive always had an appreciation for good-looking ones. And the first time I saw it, I just knew I had to have it. Several months later, Im picking mine up on my dinner break. I like to believe that I carry myself with modesty for the most part, but admittedly I do enjoy the attention she gets. Ask any Challenger owner. Its just such a beautiful car. I still turn several times to look at it as I walk away after parking it. To top it off, its a fantastic ride and the price is unbelievable for the package. Much more old-school than the Camaro.

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  BEST PURCHASE I COULD HAVE MADE! - 1998 Dodge Stratus
  By Emily - May 11 - 9:57 am

  I bought this car right before my 18th B-Day and couldnt have chose anything better. It had 151,000 miles and now has over 200,000 miles on it and still running. Paid $1500 for it and need some minor repair. But with $4,000 (got all the work done at a dealership) into it I still have no regrets!

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  Love my Dart - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By Linda 944 - May 10 - 4:26 am

  Great little car!

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  AWESOME AUTO - 2009 Dodge Challenger
  By catsmandan - May 9 - 1:52 pm

  We got the R/T with the automatic tranny. Great car for cruising with the family. Awesome power and drivability. Tried out a Mustang GT but the back seat was almost non- existant, so opted to try out the Challenger. Dodge really got it right with this car! Beautiful styling, great fit and finish, excellent power and handling! The 6 speaker sound system is great. The seats are very comfortable. This car is a blast to drive! A real HEAD TURNER!