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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  I cant believe Im driving a Dodge - 2014 Dodge Durango
  By bigredjumbo - May 1 - 7:15 pm

  Been in the market for a 3 row SUV for over a year. I waited for the new Chevy Tahoe to come out - and it is really nice but very expensive. Read great reviews on the Durango, test drove it and thought it was the best bang for your buck. The styling is aggressive and the inside is refined. Looked at the GMC Acadia as well and it was just "ok" - the wow factor was not there. The Durango has it. I put reliability at 5, but to be honest I have not had it long enough to really rate it - I guess Im hoping it will be a 5.

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  Modern Muscle, Vintage Vibe - 2013 Dodge Challenger
  By ivaskaj - April 28 - 12:28 am

  R/T base with the 6spd manual, Sound Group II stereo, HID headlights, and a sunroof. This thing is quick. So far, Ive seen an avg. of 4.85 seconds on the 0-60 timer in the info center. The transmission shifts smooth and precise, excellent for stock. Love the pistol grip. The torque curve is as flat as Montana, and twice as big. This thing sounds amazing for a stock exhaust, nice growl under acceleration, but barely audible at highway speeds. Excellent ride quality, and its library quiet at 70 mph. HID headlights are amazing, both low & high beams. The stereo is also excellent, plenty of bass. Never seen less than 19 mpg, and a peak of 23 so far.

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  Sporty and Practical all in one! - 2014 Dodge Durango
  By gmr1984 - April 25 - 5:29 pm

  After about a year of vehicle research we decided on The 2014 Dodge Durango R/T AWD. I could not be happier with the decision. The Durango is everything anyone could need. My family of four rides very comfortably anywhere we go. The kids love the dual entertainment screens in second row. I love my Alpine sound system, and my husband loves the hemi. I love that we are able to tow a boat, drive safely in the snow, and take long trips comfortably. The gas mileage isnt the best, but what would you expect with the Hemi?

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  Putting a lot of miles on it - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By chrisgvu - March 28 - 10:30 am

  2007 Caliber, 2.0 SXT, CVT. I got this vehicle when I was hired in another city and drive about 550 miles per week. I am getting around 27MPG and love the ride. The car now has over 123,000 miles and Im hoping to get another 80,000 or so before trading it in. I am 62" and fit in the vehicle well. While I do wish the mileage was a little better, I am happy with the vehicle.

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  No idea I would ever puchase a Dodge..but this SUV is incredible - 2014 Dodge Durango
  By mad_cuban - March 6 - 12:14 pm

  Been buying Japanese cars for decades - and when the wifes Honda Pilot was ready to be traded in - assumed we would just go with a Pilot. Unfortunately the Pilots reviews kept talking about the EVO vibration that quite honestly was a deal killer for me - not to mention it is due for a refresh. When looking for 3 row SUVs, we tried a few of them - GMC Acadia, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota Highlander and the Pilot. None of them came close in terms of looks, styling, functionality and muscle. Of course I am concerned about the long term reliability, but this model seems to have been greatly improved since being introduced, and reliability has been decent with the 2011 and up models.

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  200,200 and Keeps Going - 2001 Dodge Dakota
  By nmtbaron - March 5 - 9:09 pm

  I own a 2001 Dakota Sport crew cab V8 4.7 all wheel drive truck with 200,200 as of 3/5/14. Its such a great truck! Its a champ in the snow and sand. Most of my driving is city and highway. I change the oil every 4000 miles using 10w-40. Past repairs were minor. Truck gets 16 mpg with a performance kn air intake kit (highly recommend!). I was getting 13 mpg before installing the kit. Im gonna drive it into the ground. Grey paint still looks great.

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  Citadale v8 Hemi - 2014 Dodge Durango
  By lsountris - March 3 - 9:53 am

  Love it! It is fun to dive rides nice looks very nice inside & out totally different from the older version. the captains seats in the second row are great comfort. The navigation is a nice touch with a big screen! stereo system is awsome dont need to add extra to it. the only bad thing I can say about this is the fuel miliage but what do you expect with a HEMI! I love it.

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  Great car for the price - 2012 Dodge Avenger
  By bv41706 - March 1 - 9:14 pm

  Bought mine new with 3 miles on it in 2012 and have loved every minute driving it. I have a long drive to work and take business trips from time to time and if I leave it in cruise control on the highway set between 65-70 mph, i have gotten 36+mpg average on the highway. I have had trouble getting it to start in the cold, but only the one day when the temp here in NY dropped to -20 overnight and i realized that it was because i had left something plugged in and have had no trouble since. I have had no problems with it and i just today turned 48k miles on it and it still drives like the day i bought it. no problems whatsoever.

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  Good,Sporty,and Eye Catching - 2011 Dodge Charger
  By wbbellyboy - February 14 - 7:30 pm

  Bought a used 2011 Dodge Charger SE with 31K on it and the only thing I had to fix was the front rotors which the car lot did for me at the dealer. They seem to go out faster than other cars from what I read. I upgraded the cloth to Katskin leather,put a spoiler on it,and put high quality tint as well. The car already had decals so it has made my 23K Charger look just like the 45K SRT that is in the showroom. The only complaints I have it that I wish it was 305hp instead of 292hp and I had rims instead of rim/caps.

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  Saved me! - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By zaginara - February 7 - 9:26 pm

  My mom had this car and I borrowed it since I didnt have a car of my own yet. I was driving home and got in to an accident. The nitro had so much damage that I couldnt move it. A tow truck had to come get it and it was later declared totaled (though I already knew that). The front end was a mess. The air bags deployed and the windows dropped... the engine cut off.. I dont remember the accident itself. I remember looking around and my foot was still on the gas. I walked away from the accident with the Dodge emblem burned in to my right forearm. (Yes burned!) While I am now branded (get it, from the burn?), if I had been in a sedan or any small car, I would have been in a hospital bed.