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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  That loud yellow thing! - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By Thunderball - June 28 - 10:00 am

  This car has been awesome! Love the exhaust sound on this thing! No aftermarket needed, these things are loud! My friends can hear me coming blocks away if I drive it right. Only complaint realy is the lack of cruise control, 700-1000 mile trips are a bit hard on the legs to keep a resonable speed. Also the seats while great at holding you in place can be a little bit uncomfortable. 4000 miles and no problems, great power, good looks. Awesome car overall, love it!!!

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  trust me this IS the car youll want! - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By JOHN JOE - June 28 - 10:00 am

  I got a prearly white 2 door coup sxt and now.....IT HARD TO LEAVE FROM THE DRIVERS SEAT! EXELLENT DRIVING! The one thing to note is tha I live in NYC and get more comments and questions about my car than the cadillacs! very furteristic body style white the modern .....excellent sound system...i cant stand it! typing this mankes me want to run out side and drive somewhere! You dont see too many of them on the road so people always catch it with their eye and ask " what kind of car is that?

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  My grocery getter - 1991 Dodge Stealth
  By peggy Gage - June 26 - 10:29 pm

  I bought a one owner Stealth in 2001 that had been well maintained. I have enjoyed this car more than any car I have ever owned. I have replaced the "brain" and the CV joint and have done regular maintenance. It has been very reliable ,It runs strong. Rides like a new car and handles beautifully on the best of curves. The styling is timeless, and it still turns heads!

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  Excellent SUV - 2008 Dodge Nitro
  By We love our NITRO!! - June 26 - 6:15 pm

  We really enjoy our Nitro, it handles really well, and is very good on gas, the seats are comfortable. There is nothing bad I can say about the Nitro, one of our friends is looking into one for a family car, and a car she feels safe in, and she feels safe in our Nitro.

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  I scored when I found this one! - 1994 Dodge Stealth
  By skcyclist - June 25 - 10:48 pm

  This is one spectacular automobile. I found it in Irvine, CA with under 55,000 well cared for miles. It is stock and original. I paid $8500 cash and have put another $1600 in for 60,000 mile service and timing belt. Clutch is stiff compared to my Plymouth Laser RS (AWD/turbo), but easy to get used to and necessary due to awesome power. The car has original red paint in excellent condition due to being garaged all its life. Im 65 years old, and this is the best car Ive ever owned. Next in line would be my 56 Chevy Bel Air convertible purchased in 1962 and my 1992 Plymouth Laser bought in 1999. The Laser and Stealth are related in being Mitsubishi designs.

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  My little sasha - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By sometimessasha - June 25 - 9:09 pm

  I love this car! She preforms very well and I always get compliments from men and women. (mostly men) my baby moves very well and I dont let anyone drive her. Thanks Dodge for a great car.

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  Great - 2002 Dodge Neon
  By Jen - June 25 - 7:18 pm

  I have had my neon for 3 years I absolutely loved it for the looks and the way it drove but the most important part of the car was the safety of the car. Yesterday I was in a car accident . A car ran a red light and hit me in the driver side door going 45 mph in a large van. I was surprised how well the car held up my only injuries are cuts from the broken glass. Im sure going to miss my car

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  Daytona Rocks - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Justin - June 25 - 9:40 am

  I purchased one of the 2000 available TorRed Daytona Chargers. I have to say that I set the bar way too high now for future vehicles. It is fast, fun, and handles better than I ever thought a car could.

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  Closing In On 200,000 Miles - 2000 Dodge Durango
  By Jallen - June 24 - 3:43 pm

  I am closing in on 200,000 miles and wanted to convey my satisfaction with this vehicle. Other than routine maintenance, the only significant repair expenditure was to replace 3 of the 4 power window motors. I average around 18 mpg and only notice diminished power when towing. It has been and is a great car.

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  SRT4 - 2008 Dodge Caliber
  By Adam - June 24 - 12:29 pm

  I purchased the srt4 as a daily commuter to replace my 05 civic. To my surprise the first trip I took in it I averaged 38 mpg. and I have a combined average of 26 mpg. I dont have anything negative other than the town I live in only have 91 octane. I would recommend this car to anyone looking for performance and economy if you can use both words in the same sentence.