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:
Showing 1251 through 1260 of 11,324.00-
Learned to appreciate it - 1995 Dodge Neon
By colmark12 - January 24 - 1:40 amBought mine with about 150 K miles. Really didnt like it at first...its not exactly attractive, and it sometimes has a tiny feel. but it grew on me due to the reliability. So many quirks--trunk/back seat leak, weak dashboard, everything rattles, 3 speakers have gone out, meters give out, AC stinks (especially here in AZ), etc. But at the end of the day its done exactly what Ive needed it to do. No major problems, just a few things here and there. The acceleration is horrible (automatic) but the car handles amazingly. Ive had friends with new cars comment on it. Lasted longer than everyone elses 92-98 used cars even though people make fun of it. The little compact that could.
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good but bad on gas. - 2004 Dodge Durango
By kdl - January 23 - 10:00 amgood truck but bad on gas ..about 14 mpg. i wouldnt get it if you had to commute a ong distance 1 hour or more a day..otherwise you will paying $80 a week or more. but drives handels nice.
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Very Pleased Overall - 2009 Dodge Journey
By Always on the GO GO - January 22 - 2:23 pmNeeded a vehicle that would be comfortable/functional and modestly priced. Im always on the road for both business and pleasure(16K since buying mine Sept 08). I work hard, play harder and often haul gear, a minimum of two additional passengers their skis, snow boards, camping equipment, golf clubs...the list goes on! My Journey has handled it all with ease. Just returned from a 5 hour road trip and my passengers all raved about how comfortable it was...even compared it to my friends BMW X5 but with more space and a far lower price tag! Did have one BIG problem with breaking system and after 4th visit it was fixed. My dealer rocks and treated me right so overall I am very pleased.
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Geat Truck - 2002 Dodge Dakota
By Bryan - January 20 - 4:47 pmI have the 3.9L v6 with 87k mi on it. No major problem as would be expected for a truck with this much mileage. Only problem is from time to time the evap system triggers the check engine light, a trip to Autozone fixes that. Gas mileage could definitely be better. I drive approx 20 miles a day to work, and bought the truck when I went to school right down the street. Most fun to drive of any other vehicle Ive owned. For a truck with this much power it is still easily driven in inclement weather if you know what you are doing, if not youre in trouble quickly. Another bad feature is the the center console was designed for the automatic and they didnt change it for the manual, can get in way
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Good but not Great. - 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan
By teresphere - January 19 - 2:00 amI do mostly interstate driving ~17K/yr. I currently have 65K miles right now. I have replaced the brake pads once 5 months ago. I have not had any problems with any sensor or belt tensioner. I did get a recall letter about a possible fuel O ring that might be a problem in the engine compartment. There are some electrical problems..windshield wipers can be fickle. The transmission has had a rough time getting in gear at first at very cold temps (10 to -20F. I bought this car brand new..and i had a small transmission leak..a poor seal. I fixed it myself. I also seem to be losing some oil more recently.
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Love my caravan (special edition) - 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan
By jarlin17 - January 18 - 2:19 ambought with 91k miles.This van was a great deal from an even greater dealership. The car fax was great, the warranty is great.Only thing I would change about the seating:the front seats should move back a littler further for taller people.The engine purrs like a kitten,the van handles excellent.The check engine light did come on once but it just needed a new gas cap, which dealer replaced.mileage is typical for most vans.advice: make sure you buy any used van from a reputable dealer.I have been in an accident in an 05 caravan going 65mph. no one was hurt, and minimal damage to van.
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great vehicle - 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan
By jomare - January 16 - 2:00 amThis vehicle now has 330000km and is still going strong (original engine, original transmission
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Handy to have around - 1997 Dodge Dakota
By Phil Briddell - January 12 - 2:28 pmI bought this for my daughter who always wanted a pickup. It has a teal color. It worked very well for her. She has moved to the city and a pickup is unnecessary, so I inherited it. Im having trouble giving it up as it is handy to have around. Drives like a truck and gets the same kind of low mileage but that is what it is.
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Liked it so much bought another - 2003 Dodge Durango
By rmoore - January 10 - 7:28 pmI bought this vehicle for my wife several years ago. It was a 1999 with a 318 cid. This thing is a horse. Plenty of power when you need it. Although the third seat is only big enough for young kids it has great space. The looks of this truck is great. Traded it in on a mini-van. Worst mistake I have ever made. So I just bought our second, it is a 2003 and it is even better than the one we had before. I personally have never had any problems with a Dodge vehicle. Luck of the draw? Maybe, but this is a quality truck.
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Maintenance is critical - 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan
By Chazman - January 10 - 7:03 pmDrives great and has great versatility for hauling the whole family around. Gas mileage is decent and has good power. 116K miles so far. Changed front strut towers (squeeking and thumping), front engine bearing seal (oil leak). Still have the original transmission (knock on wood). Im careful about maintenance and it seems to have paid off so far. We just took a five thousand mile, three week road trip to the Grand Canyon and the car performed fabulously. Current problem is the dashboard indications go dead intermittently. Car still runs fine, but no speed indication, tachometer, etc. My mechanic says its the "body module computer" and its likely going to cost $700 to replace it
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