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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  Ill go! - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By pms2go - April 7 - 6:33 pm

  Plenty of room in back seat for passengers. Enough get up and go to merge or say fuggettaboutitt to that yellow light. Handling is responsive. I wish the rear had a sporty look like the front! Havent had this much fun driving since my Trans Am. I love the electronic stability control. This I could feel when driving in "monsoon" season. I have to disagree with the previous review about not enough acceleration to beat other cars. I can put myself wherever need be. It isnt called high output for nothing!

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  Great car except when refueling - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By Shark - April 6 - 9:30 pm

  My 3-year lease on my 2004 Durango SLT 4WD 4.7L will end in a couple of months. I am very happy I got this car because it is comfortable, performs good and is fun to drive. It was also very reliable - I only had one problem with a unit responsible for the reverse light which was replaced under warranty within an hour. The only problem this car has is that it is very thirsty, but I knew that when I bought it and it is quite expected from a V8 4.7 engine.

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  Great Bang for the Buck - 2006 Dodge Stratus
  By A.Smith - April 6 - 2:38 pm

  This is totally fun car to drive. After a few months and changing to performance tires with my 2006 SXT, there have been no problems of any kind. The power of the 4cyl engine is great, and it comes off the line as spirited as a 6cyl engine. The interior and trunk room is outstanding, and the ride is firm and comfortable. My wife loved it so much after a few trips behind the wheel, she threatened not to let me have it back. Its a good, solid and fun car for the price. Great second car!

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  Good but Ugly - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By Mike - April 4 - 11:17 pm

  I have every option. Mechanically, Ive changed the oil and she runs and runs. Interior build quality is a joke, Ive had numerous parts just fall off including the infamous seat belt holder and the door reflectors on both sides. The air conditioning stinks. Heater blower too. The light tan interior is a super pain to keep clean especially the arm rest. Mileage is a joke for a few reasons. Number one. The computer mileage is not even close to being accurate. Two, my odometer is off 7%. Therefore if I travel 100 actual land miles my Durango says I went 107. Dealer says no fix. I say extend my warranty 2500 miles. Well we all know where that got me. The usual dumb look from the service manager.

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  Great Van - 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By MMMMMM - April 3 - 2:00 am

  We love having a mini van it great and very pratical. Ive put 50k on it, but the van has 148000. Just starting to leek fluid. Only repair was a water pump. Great family vehicle and travel vehicle.

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  Not just a Neon. - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By grappler_123 - April 3 - 2:00 am

  I just bought a new SRT-4 and I love it. Performs like it should cost $30000. The performance of this vehicle without upgrades is outstanding, and with the proper mods can be breathtaking. Finally an American carmaker that gets it. I dont care what anyone says about it being a Neon, its not. Its a superstreet on a Neon platform.

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  Mom mobile - 2005 Dodge Caravan
  By kayadento - April 2 - 7:12 pm

  Very dependable and reliable. No problems ever. Not so cool to drive though. It is a mom mobile. My kids are getting older and think it is a loser cruiser. It is a great automobile for older couples and people with young kids.

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  99 Durango Underpowered & Poor Fuel Econ - 1999 Dodge Durango
  By tman300 - April 2 - 10:00 am

  Overall, I like this vehicle. Have 360 cid (5.9L) generating 245 hp with 3.55 rear axle ratio and limited slip differential. One complaint is gas mileage. Although I have meticulously maintained this vehicle from day one, have never achieved sticker stated 16 mpg at highway speeds (55-75 mph). Also, local driving mpg comes in at around 10.5 and not the sticker stated 12 (forget about driving in NYC- 6-7 mpg there). I am neither a leadfoot or a featherfoot.

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  Purchased for highway driving. - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By Sean - March 31 - 2:25 pm

  I commute to work, 40 miles each way, so a car advertising high gas mileage and low pricing was key. I bought the car in October 06 when the weather was changing. It made it through the winter no problem starts promptly, never overheats but I have noticed a few things about the car: Gas mileage advertised is for 60mph. Anything over that, kiss the 32mpg highway goodbye. Engine idles at 6k rpm when stopped, which causes a slight vibration in the cabin. Coolant gauges normal range varies between top end of cold and first quarter line. Brakes squeak. A lot. Dont be fooled though, they work extremely well! Dodge transmission, expect problems! Already rough at 41.5k.

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  IMPRESSED OWNER - 2000 Dodge Intrepid
  By Rafo - March 30 - 4:43 am

  I was impressed with this car the beginning. Plenty of room and good performance. Grabs the road real well. Good acceleration in the highway. I have not have to see the dealer for a single service item. Road noise is a little loud compare to luxury sedans but not for a sport sedan like this one. Impressed with the quality of the build and the interior finish. Almost like a European car. Fuel mileage is between 23 and 26 miles per gallon. Own the 3.2 liter version.