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 Van! - 2007 Dodge Caravan
  By mike - March 22 - 9:03 pm

  Now have just under 80,000 miles. Van has been excellent. Still have original tires and brakes. Only part replaced was a rear bearing hub. Highway mileage on straight run is 26 mpg, consistent 20 mpg in town. Van has been my first van ever and would easily buy another due to versatility. Have not had the transmission issues mentioned in other posts. I have zero complaints.

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  In a world of compromise, dont - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Mike - March 22 - 12:23 am

  Went in to buy a fuel economical car for work but walked out of the dealership with the SE Charger and I havent looked back since. (fuel economy is still not bad for a V6). Now I find any reason to go out and drive around the area love the comfortable ride and solid handling. Ever time Ive gone to the gas station people ask about her. On the highway have to watch your speed. Its easy to get going fast without noticing youre blowing out the other cars. SE trim is nice, but adding on the other features will make this beauty a diamond in the rough.

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  good car - 1995 Dodge Avenger
  By bkr2010 - March 20 - 9:19 am

  I have this car about a year and when we bought it the motor was shot and it did not run so we went and bought a new morto and put it in and i have only had a couple little things go wrong i had to change the brakes in the alot, I hade one tran seal brake on me bu other than change the oil and check the fluids i have dorve this car to alot of different states and she still going you would be happy if you bought the attract attetion to your self

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  I Love my Nitro! - 2008 Dodge Nitro
  By PLC - March 19 - 2:47 pm

  I drive, a lot! I spend about an hour a day if not more in my car so I really wanted something I could rely on and like. I LOVE my nitro!! Its super cute and just what I needed. I chose between this, the Pontiac G6, and the Ford Mustang. Yeah, a wide variety. I got this because of all the room!! I can take my 2 Labs everywhere with me and they ride comfortably. There are a couple things I would change but for the most part I absolutely LOVE it! It hasnt given me any problems yet (knock on wood) and Ive put almost 17K miles on it in 7 months! If you get one, give in and get the sound system. I didnt and wish I would have!

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  Rattles never stop - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By Kay - March 19 - 7:17 am

  This is such a fun vehicle to drive. Unfortunately, it started to rattle (rattling noises inside) about 7 months after purchase. It has been in the shop 4 times already. The first couple of times, they tried packing foam in the offending areas. Then they decided to order new parts (dash area and right rear post) saying that the bevels were worn. Problem seemed to be solved for about one week and then it started all over again. Now it just seems to rattle everywhere. Im taking it back into the shop this week. I have my fingers crossed that they will get it right this time.

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  Better than foreign Cars costing 2x more - 2009 Dodge Challenger
  By MyBadBlackChallenger - March 18 - 10:18 pm

  These so call expert "reporters" want to compare this car to Mustang but I disagree. I compare this car to any 2 door BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, and Aston Martin. Dollar for Dollar the Challenger Blows them all away. This car is beautiful in every way, drives like a car costing 2 to 3 times as much. Dodge did a great job with this vehicle, it may be one of the best looking cars available for any price. This car has it all Beautiful styling, excellent power, great fuel economy for a car of this horsepower, very comfortable functional and beautiful interior. If your looking for a coupe with space and power to match its looks (unlike say an accord) this baby is for you.

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  Love it - 2008 Dodge Challenger
  By John - March 17 - 11:43 pm

  Ive always owned american muscle cars and this is hands down the best Ive ever experienced. Perfect combination of classic styling with 21st century performance & features. I cant even stop for gas without having someone come over and drool on it for 5 minutes. I give fuel economy a 10 because it gets as good or better than I expect. I didnt buy it to get 20mpg! If it gets 10mpg, Im happy (Im getting about 16 or so average). And who cares if anyone is comfortable in the back seat, this is a 2 seater! The back seat is for your jacket or dog. Rides like its on rails, Ive gotten the lateral g-meter up to .75 on an offramp so far and thats not even trying hard. Dodge hit a homer!

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  Great Value - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By Deb M - March 17 - 7:13 pm

  We looked at all the SUVs and this is by far the best value. Dont let the sticker scare you, expect $8000 off with the rebates, etc. The vehicle is very comfortable for 6, its quiet, good manners, the DVD/sound system is awesome, the climate contol (front and rear) is flawless and the Hemi makes the thing go like a sports car. I bought a pimped out Limited for $32K and its under warranty for 70K miles. I think the fit and finish is superb, especially among american brands. Fold the seats down and there is tons of room, fits 4x8 sheets of plywood flat on floor, tows like 12,000 lbs. I am very happy with our choice.

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  Great van - 2007 Dodge Caravan
  By Victor - March 17 - 4:41 pm

  This is my second Dodge Caravan, and my family and I love it. I had my first one for almost 12 years and almost 200K miles with minimal problems. This one has most of the bells and whistles and I got it for $22K a steal. I have the 3.8L engine and it really is more than I needed, but because of the package, I had no choice over the engine size. The 3.3 is more than enough unless you are pulling a load. Reading some of the other posts I guess that I was lucky since I have had no problems whatsoever with this van. It has a smooth and quiet ride, pretty quiet interior, and extremely comfortable. The stow and go seats just made it better. Overall, a great family van suited for long trips.

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  A new review at 50K - 2004 Dodge Intrepid
  By jeromeb - March 16 - 8:22 am

  The odometer crossed 50K as were were approaching home from a 2400 mile road trip. Interior design loses one point for no rear cup holders. Fuel Economy loses 1 point for being less than 30 mpg. It was 28 mpg. Other than that, the car is magnificent! Comfort, performance, handling, and all convenience systems were flawless. Its amazing what a bit of deliberate care and maintenance can do to keep a good car running well. Since this car was new Ive replaced one power window motor, two hood shocks and one water coolant manifold. Ive been using Mobil-1 5W-30 Extended Performance oil and K&N oil filters with 5000 mile change intervals.