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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  2006 Viper - 2006 Dodge Viper
  By dehydra8td - February 21 - 7:44 pm

  Im sure there are good Vipers out there but unfortunately mine has seen the shop over 29 times. Chrysler Customer Service is not helpful and the district manager (Tampa) will not return any phone calls. I have a large book of service documentation showing all the problems this vehicle has and Dodge will not do anything about it. After dealing with their customer service for over year Im giving up and buying something else, they won! I know there are sometimes lemons and I can accept that. What I cannot accept is how Dodges customer service operates and the lack of responsibility they take over such vehicles.

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  below average, not quite a lemon - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By neon H8R - February 21 - 10:16 am

  Car bought new in 04. Around 30,000 Km the first problem arose when a computer problem was causing the engine to flutter and die. After this it ate gas for some reason and still does. Around 80,000 Km a cam shaft sensor went which was not covered under warranty. The blind spots are RIDICULOUS, even the rear window is hard to see out of. I do not feel safe making lane changes and approach every intersection and crosswalk with caution. I have almost been in numerous accidents because of them. The only piece of glass you can see out of without having some huge piece of the car blocking your view is the windshield. 6 disc changer in an idiotic place, load up before you leave your driveway.

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  Great Midsized Car - 2009 Dodge Avenger
  By Robbie - February 20 - 10:34 pm

  Ive had mine R/T almost a year now. Its as fun to drive now as it was the day I bought it. The R/T suspension is tight with minimal body roll in the corners. The leather trimmed seats are firm but not overly so. Ive had zero defects in the first year of ownership. The fit an finish of the dash is excellent however the hard plastic material leaves something to be desired. However Ive yet had to sleep on it so who cares. Ill get a dash mat to cover it. My R/T came with the 4 cyl engine. Its not the most powerful, but it climbs the mountains in NM OK. The 4 speed transmission is the weakest drive train part. But its what I was looking for. Great gas mileage for my 65 mile commute

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  Good Car until 85K - 2001 Dodge Stratus
  By redbird - February 20 - 9:29 pm

  Bought it used with 30K, and didnt have any major problems until 85K...then it seemed like every month something else went wrong. It started small with a short in the radio which led to several blown fuses. Then the fan motor speeds and rear defrost began to fail. 90K, cracked head gasket. 100K transmission began leaking. Replaced shift pack, started leaking again at 120K. I drove it hard, but it didnt hold up like I expected. Traded it in at 130K.

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  NOT HeavyDuty - 2007 Dodge Dakota
  By frank - February 20 - 10:27 am

  Front suspension will not hold up if driving off-road. Replaced tie-rod ends and torsion bar ends just driving slowing on dirt and gravel roads. This truck? is not as sturdy as my 98 or 2001 Dakota.

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  3rd SUV Ive Owned, and the BEST - 2002 Dodge Durango
  By K-D - February 19 - 6:39 pm

  Bought the SXT in 2005 and am still driving it daily. Love the engine and the look that is distinct vs Explorer, Trailblazer, etc. Great cargo room and perfect for weekend trips. Tows the 18 foot bass boat and trailer with ease. I owned a 1989 Blazer and a 1996 Explorer, and this has been MUCH better than the Blazer ever was, and even better than the Explorer (which was also very very good). In 4.5 years, Ive just had oil changes, brake pads, and tires. Not a single maintenance issue outside of those regular ones. Drinks a lot of fuel, but I knew that going into the deal. I highly recommend this vehicle and will likely buy another Durango (hope they didnt change it too much).

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  Lemon - 2002 Dodge Stratus
  By alitap0408 - February 19 - 10:45 am

  I bought this car three years old about four years ago. It performed great for about the first year and then it was a slippery slope not to mention an expensive one from there. I have replaced three transmissions (yes you read it right this is an automatic) and three batteries. The thing eats brake roaters for breakfast and I have to replace them about every 6 thousand miles as they warp. My lovely now has patches of white where the paint has done some sort of baking (it has been in a garage the whole time. The factory tinting on all of the windows has decided to start crawling down the windows.I think Dodge should be ashamed of themselves for putting such a poor quality vehicle on the road.

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  LOVE THE CAR - 2010 Dodge Journey
  By Steve NY - February 19 - 7:25 am

  Switched from a short wheel based Town & Country. Love the style. Handles great. $ cyl not as responsive as 6, but I need better mileage.

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  Crankshaft endplay - 2006 Dodge Stratus
  By kram660 - February 14 - 9:08 pm

  bought this car with 25 miles on it in 2006 at the dealer. drove car daily to work with and do not hot rod it. after at around 40,000 miles i noticed oil leaking from the passenger side and it was the front crankshaft seal, i replaced it and the oil-pump thinking there a blockage somewhere . 5,000 miles later i have had to replace the seal at least 6 times knowing my engine has failed me. i am no rocket scientist but i know its my main thrust bearing is bad and the crank is rundown with at least 1/10 to 2/10 of end play. i have at lest $10,000 to owe on it and i parked it in my back yard with my 1938 ford pickup. hope this helps other hard working Americans to do something about this issue.

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  Bulletproof Minivan - 2003 Dodge Caravan
  By greg - February 13 - 10:43 pm

  We bought this minivan 2 years used and I was very reluctant based on the ratings Ive seen online. Im not a Dodge fan based on past experiences. Boy was I wrong. We just turned 160,000 miles on it and it has been bulletproof. No major issues other than routine maintenance. I couldnt have asked for more for the money.