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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  37k mile review! - 2004 Dodge Dakota
  By teejay - September 4 - 11:34 pm

  Well here I am at 37k miles and so far not much to complain about. I did have one minor problem with a front stereo speaker going out, but Dodge replaced that quickly and without hesitation. I have rotated and checked my tire pressure religiously, but after only 37k I will need new tires soon. I will not go back with Goodyear. Other than that I am pleased with my purchase and hope to kept the truck for many years unless Dodge comes out with a diesel in the Dakota soon?

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  Go For It - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Shagrat - September 4 - 6:37 pm

  Traded up from a Mustang GT because I wanted the performance but needed the room. This 4000+ pound vehicle handles better and goes faster than the Mustang. I bought it for performance not mileage, so the gas pump doesnt scare me. This is the new generation muscle car that you will see in car shows for years to come.

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  Most Dependable Truck Ive Ever Had - 2000 Dodge Dakota
  By Dependable Truck - September 3 - 6:37 am

  Traveling from coast to coast with an average of 30,000 miles a year, I now have no choice but to let people know of my Dakota that I purchased new that now has 193,000 miles on it. I have the 4.7 engine and its by far the most dependable thing Ive ever owned. Ive done nothing but regular maint this whole time and it has never let me down or had any issues. Ive used the 4wd many times in the snow and mud. Ive hauled trailers that were over weight, yet not even the transmission has given me a lick of trouble. My last Dodge which was a ram 1500 had 348,000 when I traded it in. I hope to get this many on this Dakota.

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  Nice American Option - 1997 Dodge Stratus
  By greenroom1988 - September 2 - 9:22 am

  The Stratus is a nice car and is the family beater until my sister gets her license. We got it for a cheap 1,500 and it has 160,000 miles on it yet it pulls almost as hard as my Integra did. All the features work and they car held up to abuse from the previous owner.

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  Good while still new - 2001 Dodge Stratus
  By TK - August 29 - 8:28 am

  I bought the Stratus barely used and overall it hasnt been a bad car. I have not had a lot of major problems under the hood. However, the air conditioning has been a constant problem since about 60,000 miles. It is repaired and then goes out again soon after. This last time, I took the car to 3 reliable/well known mechanics in the Chicago area who were all unable to determine the cause of the problem. I suppose their could be worse things- as the car runs, but it is very frustrating not to have air constantly. I have come across many others with dodge vehicles who have reported the exact same prob. with ac and have also had difficulty wih getting it repaired.

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  So far so good - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By Angnwy - August 28 - 10:00 am

  My neon so far has been alright. However at 42 miles I noticed a small transmission lea k so I took it to the dealership to have it looked at and it turned out that the casing around the transmission was to porus and it was seeping fluid though. TO repair the problem they had to replace the whole transmission I am a little scared that I might have gotton a lemon but I am remaining hopeful.

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  Fun to drive great on gas! - 1997 Dodge Avenger
  By Steve - August 26 - 9:53 am

  Well I was lucky enough that this was my first car, I have the same one in the picture and it was the 2.0L 4 cylinder with automatic transmission. It was purchased for $4000. 2 weeks after purchasing it used the check engine light came on, then shortly after the car would not go into gear. Got it fixed, all they did is change the air and transmission filter. Set me back $97. 1 week after the repair the dodge avenger messed up again. This time the car didnt start because of an axle? Repair cost $1800. Overall the car is fun to drive, great on gas. I can spend $25 on gas and get any were from 250-300 miles on 1/2-3/4 tank of gas, or 7-9 gallons of the 12 gallon tank.

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  Better than my 96 Cirrus - 2006 Dodge Stratus
  By Harold - August 21 - 10:43 am

  Ive just purchased this vehicle last week and it is a significant upgrade over my 96 Cirrus. It seems to have a lot more interior space and a bigger trunk. I was leaning toward a 4 cylinder for gas mileage, and this has it I like the fact it has the LATCH system for car seats for the children and working AC (especially for Florida). The interior is simple and not an eyesore. Controls are easily accessible and understandable. Acceleration tends be loud, but it is a 4 cylinder and not a 6. This vehicle is a welcome addition to my family of 4.

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  Fast...fun...fantastic! - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Andy - August 14 - 9:57 am

  Now Ive only had my RT for a short period of time, but Ive been amazed at the quality of the handling and the ride. I moved up from a Saab 9-3 so its nice to feel like I have enough room to stretch out. This car is big. Very big. Yet it drives like a sports car. The ride is soft, though not too cushy, and the handling is quite responsive. In fact, I was debating whether to buy a new Charger or a lightly-used Jaguar XJR. Yes, I actually preferred the ride and handling of the Charger over a car that costs nearly $90k new. The downside: the mileage. It actually does get pretty good highway mileage (20+ mpg), but I average about 12 mpg in Southern California commuter driving.

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  Great Deals To Be found On this Vehicle! - 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By dlake - August 13 - 4:16 pm

  I cannot believe I got over 10K off on an SXT- loaded! I paid 19,095 for an MSRP of 29145. 5K below Edmunds Rx TMV! Saved enough to purchase an extended warranty to 5/100K. Also-48 months @ 0%. Edmunds is giving this vehicle a bad rap especially given the unbelievable deals out there.