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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  Be ready for breakdowns - 2014 Dodge Dart
  By milesmom87@gmail.com - August 13 - 7:52 am

  I bought my car brand new and have had a little over a year. In this time the car had broken down 3 times. Just stopped working. This is frustrating when you have to commute to work get kids to school etc. It comes out of nowhere too I have broke down right in the middle of the road.

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  Lots of Power! - 2006 Dodge Durango
  By CMH - August 12 - 5:36 pm

  We purchased the 5.7 Hemi. I would pass my friends uphill while pulling a horse trailer as they pulled nothing. At the same time I cant expect much in the way of Fuel Economy. Not the greatest on comfort or technology but it got the job done. Loved the 3rd row. The quality of materials was not great. Also experienced the loss of a few seat belt covers.

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  Great Choice! - 2012 Dodge Durango
  By Philip Tseng - August 11 - 8:18 pm

  The high initial depreciation makes this SUV an compelling buy if youre looking for a relatively-new SUV. I appreciate the narrow body and tight turning radius which makes parking easier in parking lots and garage. The ride is smooth and quiet. I am getting 19/24 mpg.

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  More midsized than compact!! - 2015 Dodge Dart
  By Mike - August 11 - 6:09 pm

  16k on mine with zero problems!! only compliant is carpet is of low quality and a bit tuff to vacuum otherwise interior looks and still smells new!! gas mileage has been 25-27 combined and 34 hwy doing 80mph! No rattles and still drives like its new!! GT is horrible to drive in snow but Im sure factory Yokohamas are to blame!!

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  Soaked in my Challenger - 2014 Dodge Challenger
  By Stephen Smell - August 11 - 10:41 am

  So far I had a heating problem where the heat system would start blowing cold air.Took 4 trips to the service center and it is still not fixed a hundred percent.Next all the bearings fell out of the seat.Had to wait a week for parts.Then I got a recall notice telling me the alternater could stop working with no notice shutting the car down completely.Imagine driving out 95 and all the sudden you have no power steering,power brakes,no ABS system,No windshield wipers and no lights.And Dodge told me this was not putting me in harms way.It took 4 months to get replacement parts.Also the alternater could catch fire at any time.Next the airconditioning system started blowing a water mist into the cab of the car.At first I was told all systems do that,I told them BULL.They came back and told me the drain on the system was clogged.They said because of this the duct system had mildew in it and would have to be disenfected. Charged me over 200 dollers.Three wekks later I have mist again.WOULD NOT BUY ANOTHER DODGE EVER.

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  Unleash the HELLCAT! - 2015 Dodge Challenger
  By Nate Huskins - August 10 - 3:47 pm

  These cars were a blast! With the 6.2L V8 there is definitely no shortage of power. Check out this video that we made with ours! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dClhLaJjFTQ Needless to say, we recommend getting a couple extra sets of tires with this car.

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  Best All-Round 3-Row SUV in the world! - 2015 Dodge Durango
  By Glenn Harper - August 10 - 3:08 pm

  Firstly, Im a car guy. Before I buy a car, I do three things: research, research, and research! This past spring I had a need to reduce our fleet from 3 to 2 vehicles (getting rid of an old SUV and my "toy" hot rod for a NEW SUV) so I began researching in earnest. I wanted a 3-row, mid-size SUV with a V8 & 4WD that could give me decent mileage, carry cargo with ease and up to 6 people in comfort. Also, since I was getting rid of my hot rod, I wanted at least SOME semblance or sportiness and power as well as a nice looking vehicle that would always make me turn back for a last look as Im walking in from a parking lot. My old SUV and hot rod were both Dodges so I specifically ignored the Durango at first, fearing my pro-MOPAR bias would color my judgement. I made my list of requirements and started looking. To make a long story short, I researched Ford, Chevy, Mazda, Kia, Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Land Rover, Audi, BMW and, yes, even Mercedes. The Japanese dont offer V8s (except for the Nissan Armada which was otherwise terrible), the Europeans had contenders...but only if I wanted to spend $15-$50k more than Id planned, and the other American makers only had vehicles that met my requirements if I went up to FULL size SUVs and even then their mass make them very slow and unsporty. So I finally came back to look at the Durango. It checked off EVERY item on my list except for price - it was about $5,000 more than I was wanting to spend, but after going for a test drive, I see where that $5k went. The Durango is darn near in the luxury SUV class with all the amazing bells & whistles as well as top notch safety features. The interior is AMAZING and not something I would ever have thought Dodge could produce. Bottom line: I went out and ordered my Durango R/T immediately. I took delivery back in May and, after 3000+ miles, it has been nothing short of a dream of a vehicle and pure joy to drive.

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  Driving My Dream - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Ruler P - August 9 - 2:02 am

  I just bought a used 2007 Charger SRT-8 a little over a month ago and I absolutely love it! Its the car I always wanted and with all the options. Now, the car does have over 100K miles on it so Im expecting some minor mechanical issues to pop up soon but so far so good. The 6.1L engine is EXACTLY the size motor that should be in a car of its size. With that power, it handles like a dream. The sport suspension and 20" wheels do take some getting used to especially if you commonly drive in areas with uneven pavement. One thing to know if youre considering buying any charger from 2006 to 2008 is that the Nav radios have NO AUX INPUT (3.5mm jack or USB) for an ipod or MP3 player. Honestly, that sucked but I bought an adapter that plugs into the back of the stereo now Im good to go. I thought when I bought the car that I wouldnt get much attention seeing as how there are two newer generations out plus there are so many customized versions out on the road. However, theres still a fair amount of car enthusiasts out there that still appreciate the 1st generation Charger ESPECIALLY if you have a HEMI! Ill be keeping mine until it becomes a classic!

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  Goodbye Dodge - 2001 Dodge Durango
  By Mariah W - August 8 - 12:18 pm

  I grew up riding in Dodge vehicles and they were always great. Its clear now that Dodge is more concerned with the bottom line than with producing a safe, dependable vehicle. Every Dodge vehicle that my family has owned in this millennium has had chronic problems and ultimately died because of cheap, shoddy workmanship. Ive owned 3 and this is absolutely my last one. A shame, too, because Id love a Charger but I dont trust these cars as far as I can throw them. I bought mine used with ~148K miles. The engine only had ~40. That tells you something right there, but I figured hey, new engine. A/C never worked, no matter how much money I poured into it (about a grand this year alone). No big deal though. I just live in north Texas. (Note: Sarcasm. Its 106 today w/ 67% humidity). The brakes are HORRIBLE! Youd better hope you never really need to slam on your brakes because you WILL find yourself in the trunk of the car ahead of you. ABS kicks in WAY earlier than is necessary. I dont ride my brakes and I dont brake hard, but the ABS would constantly kick in. I constantly took mine in to have the brakes checked, convinced that something was horribly wrong because theres no way they could be that bad and be "normal." They tested fine every single time. Not near enough power for how much gas they guzzle. If you want me to pay $80 every time to fill you up, youd better get up and go when I ask you to. Chronic overheating problems that cost me over 3K. Replaced the radiator twice, water pump twice, fans, all of it. Ultimately, after meticulous maintenance and thousands of dollars, mine wound up with a cracked engine block and brown gaskets, destroyed engine despite being well maintained and full of fluids, and towed back from whence it came with a "sayonara" and a finger from me. Never another Dodge. Never, ever again.

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  Its been a nightmare - 2006 Dodge Magnum
  By Mike azuela - August 6 - 9:14 am

  Since ive had this car, the water pump, upper control arms, tie rod ends, gas tank, and thermostat had to be replaced in less than 4 months.