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 want another one! - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By Bill - August 14 - 3:10 pm

  Bought this car used with 97k on the odometer. Wife wasnt sure about it until she drove it and fell in love with it like me. I was really surprised with the "snap" it has for a 2.7, it handles beautifully, and it gets pretty good mileage too (28.5 on a 500 mile round trip at 70mph). Only problems so far are alignment (front inner and outer ball joints already, need to do rears) and my wife wishes it had better lumbar support. Other than that we both love the styling and roominess and wish they werent discontinuing these cars. I am currently trying to talk my wife into another for me to drive!

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  i love my truck - 1995 Dodge Dakota
  By chee wee - August 13 - 11:42 pm

  i bought my 95 sport extd cab with 219,xxx on it from a good friend of mine who had owned it for 8 years and for its age and miles it is a great truck i have had it for 2 1/2 months and have put 5,000 on her so far and the only problem i have had is the master cylinder just went out oh well it cost me $50 to replace since i have had the truck it has not let me down the 3.9 has pulled everything i have put in it and behind it on my 14 ft double axle trailer has good power and rides pretty good for a small truck although i plan on beefing up the suspension and putting some bigger tires on the 215/75/15 aint good enough for me

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  Honey, Can I drive it now???? - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By drummerboy - August 12 - 10:53 pm

  We replaced a 1995 BMW 525i with our RT. My wife couldnt bring herself to calling it a "Dodge" after owning a BMW. Now I cant get her out of it. She wont let me have it. Performance rivals my 95 Trans Am with LT1. Incredible ride, handling, power and the best stereo Ive ever heard in a car. Comments from people never stop.Get the HEMI. Worth every penny.

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  Love my RaiderMobile - 2001 Dodge Dakota
  By DaveG - August 12 - 12:55 pm

  I have had nothing but good luck with my truck. Shes never broken down and always taken me wherever I asked her to go, Ill keep this truck forever!

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  Couldnt ask for a better wagon! - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By Jon - August 12 - 7:51 am

  I absolutely love this car. When I was looking for a car to trade-in for I wanted something with style that stood out from the rest. I would have to agree that the car is difficult to keep in alignment but for a heavy car the mileage is great. We have three daughters and always have enough room for car seats and all of their stuff. A must is the Electronic Stability Program - it really works great on icy roads.

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  More Civilized Than I Thought - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By Actual Owner - August 10 - 10:00 am

  I knew it would be fun, but the SRT4 also had a better ride than I thought it would (it is very stiff, but not jarring, and fine on the highway). The clutch, transmission, and throttle are more direct than our 03 SXT Neon, which makes it easier to get going from stoplights, and for matching revs when downshifting from 5th to 4th. We compared it with the Mini, WRX STI, and Evo, and for us found it had the best fun-to-drive-for-the-buck ratio, and also the most usable back seat.

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  Love my Caravan - 2003 Dodge Caravan
  By Sue B - August 10 - 9:34 am

  I had a 1988 Plymouth Voyager I bought new and just loved it so I bought this 2003 Caravan. Love it as well. Im short 52", and I sit very comfortably and can handle this very well. It steers precisely and is very easy to park. Easier than my Honda Accord I traded for this. It is a lot quieter than my Hondas have been. I would of tried a Honda van, but they were too expensive and Im trying to lower my debts. The Van looks sporty as well. Nice wheels. My mom has a caravan and loves it too.

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  Caliber - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Brandon R - August 7 - 11:06 pm

  I saw the ad online, did my research and knew this was the car for me. I got all the benefits of the SUV I was driving with handling and fuel economy of a car. Selection is still hard to come by at the dealerships

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  RT with R/T Sports Package - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By CallMeTheBreeze - August 7 - 11:18 am

  I get roughly 19.5 City and 26 Highway with the MDS. The car is quiet, smooth riding and very comfortable ( 62 , 240 )while cruising and very agile, throaty when accelerating. Dependability has been excellent thus far with 30k. The steering, seating and pedal adjustments are great for the long haul road trips. I have a 1970 Charger R/T show car and I get many compliments on the 1970 when out and about yet I also get a lot of positive comments while driving the 07.

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  Fun Car with Speed & Reliability - 1991 Dodge Shadow
  By Jackbird60 - August 7 - 9:22 am

  This is my second 1991 ES Convt Turbo. I cant tell you how thrilled I was to find another. Very, very hard to find. This one had only 80K (Carfax certified) The Paint was very good except the trunk area. Not one ding on the car. The top is in VGC and the interior looks great. The car runs and drives excellent and everything works except A/C which was converted to 134a & just needs a compressor. Driving impression: The Turbo really sends this car flying and yet the engine at normal operating speeds is quite quiet & smooth, even at a stop light. This is the best car experience for $2,000 you can get. VG Reliability. It will blow the doors of any 90s Miata, etc.