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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  A trooper! - 1996 Dodge Neon
  By Maria - May 27 - 12:46 pm

  In my opinion the 1996 Neon is a hands-down winner. After knowing people who had this car and loved it, experiencing the great driving myself, and finding a great deal, I decided to go for it and have not been disappointed. The car definitely has some minor flaws, including crappy paint jobs, but the truth is Ive never had to get my car serviced at a mechanic...ever. The things that require service are always minor, and are simple to fix. This car makes several 500+ mile trips per year and I have never been stranded or needed roadside assistance. I had a back-up light problem early on that I thought would be an expensive fix. Turned out it just needed a switch. Thats been my biggest issue.

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  257000 miles and still going - 2000 Dodge Intrepid
  By scott - May 26 - 9:45 pm

  Bought this car fully loaded in 2001, Has the 3.2 engine. It has the original plugs in the car and still gets 25+ mpg. My Mom and Dad bought one with the 2.7 it is a piece of junk. Both cars drive nice and handle well but it is obvious which engine was designed by Mercedes (Daimler) I believe that I will get 300,000 out of this car, A/C dont work now, needs some new shocks, and the door locks stick. But for only paying $13,000 and driving it for nine years, we have no complaints. Just bought my wife a new Jetta Diesel and hope to get 400k or more on it. As good as Dodge has been to us we can not buy from a bailout baby. So they will only get worse.

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  Update to my review - 2010 Dodge Challenger
  By overland - May 26 - 7:22 pm

  Updating my earlier review now that I have more miles on it. The Challenger is a fantastic car. I just love driving it. The V6 is plenty fast, great retro styling, quiet and solid ride and a real head turner. The paint finish is deep and rich. The new Mustangs and Camaros are nice, but very small and tight inside. The Challenger is very roomy. Dodge did an incredible job with this car. I got mine at invoice and 1.9% so no complaints whatsoever. Would not hesitate to get another one as a stable mate to the SE - an R/T in the future.

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  Awesome car if you have the means - 2010 Dodge Challenger
  By Plum Carzy SRT8 - May 25 - 10:13 am

  I have driven SUVs all my life and suddenly got an itch for a muscle car. I did not care for the body style of the mustang GT so I decided to look at the Camaro SS or the Challenger SRT8. I test drove the Camaro SS first given the fact it cost about $10000 less than the SRT8. it had really nice features and a decent ride and the power was outstanding but the clutch on the SS was very sharp and had a strong manual (jerky) feel when accelerating. The SRT8 has a much smoother ride, no jerky feel when transitioning gears, the clutch was much more forgiving than the SS. The vehicle has a classic style look that always turns heads and you cant beat the performance of American muscle.

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  Fun to Drive Until ... - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By MadatMopar - May 24 - 6:17 am

  I have had this car for about 1000 miles so far. I bought it with 65k and now has 66k. The engine burns oil, at least 2Q a week, and now there is a ticking sound. The motor is new as well as the turbo. The car is not drivable anymore and now requires a mechanic to diagnose and fix the problem. First Mopar vehicle and I am very dissatisfied. Stay away from the SRT-4 unless you have endless amounts of money to pay for repairs and parts.

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  Love It! - 1996 Dodge Stealth
  By Ndet - May 21 - 8:37 am

  I love this car. The only thing that bothers me is a strange knocking sound coming from the suspension. (that is no reason to sell or not purchase) love the handling and I love the performance, save yourself the hassle of a turbo! The base is more than enough power!

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  Dont get a 3.5 Charger - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By paulseid - May 20 - 11:31 pm

  Transmission mishaps after 30,000 miles. Bumps in between shifts. Numerous trips to dealer for software reinstalls that had no effect on the deteriorating transmission. I hear the R/T with its German made tranny was a lot better. Should have done more research. This transmission is terrible and also the driver has no access to a transmission dipstick. One tech who I have to give some credit too had an idea to make an adjustment to a part of the tranny but I wanted a new transmission as the car was only a year old. Chrysler did not acknowledge there was any real problem. Never Chrysler never again is my motto.

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  Crazy room, head turning, comfortable - 2008 Dodge Magnum
  By bbarber - May 20 - 8:18 pm

  Im a big guy, was looking to trade out of an older SUV. I looked at so many makes and models and nothing felt right Then I test drove a Charger just for the curiosity of having a car again after years of stepping up into an SUV. The Charger was nice. Not enough room! Dealer suggested a Chrysler 300. After some research, found that the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and Dodge Magnum were all built at the same assembly plant in Canada. Same frame, same basic interiors. Saw a Magnum in person. The 2008 is HOT! The look is tough, the interior is comfortable and super spacious. No compromise for me! Got all the room of my old SUV, all the style of a stacked Magnum. 2.7 V6 ok mileage A+ value!

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  Questions - 1998 Dodge Avenger
  By kdub - May 20 - 8:11 pm

  My door handle broke and I see almost everyone elses has too! Other than that the car really is awesome!

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  Love This Car - 2010 Dodge Charger
  By DocJo - May 20 - 7:26 pm

  Ive only had this car for about a month, but I truly enjoy driving it. I drove the car across country one week after purchasing it and I got great mileage for this type of vehicle. It was really comfortable, even for hours on end. The handling is great, and even the 3.5 L has enough get-up-and-go.