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 very good car - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Michel Masse - January 13 - 2:40 am

  After becoming accustomed to the CVT transmission I will have difficulty to return to another type of transmission. The AWD driving in the last winter in Quebec region was avery good experience. I averaged 26-28 mpg in city driving and 31-32 in open road. After 20 000 km it is a solid car.

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  My Dodge Van - 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Randy - January 12 - 10:10 am

  I have loved my Dodge Grand Caravan since I have owned it. It is quite comfortable and I average 20 in the city and around 23 on the highway. It has the 3.8 V6. Ive driven a number of other vans by other manufacturers and none compare to the ride quality of the Dodge in my opinion.

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  Pleased - 2001 Dodge Intrepid
  By Nathan Whitney - January 6 - 4:09 pm

  It has some pick up and is reliable. I heard so much negative about Dodge but I am very happy and will buy one again.

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  Front-drive sports car! - 1992 Dodge Stealth
  By Marcus - January 6 - 2:00 am

  An enthusiasts machine for Dodge dollars. Great handling on tight mountain curves, even in snow (#1 ski car). I just wave politely @ Subarus and SUVs when I pass them to get first tracks. Classic exterior, nothing else like it. 210 horses before the K&N air filter and 3 in. exhaust. So fun it makes commuting a blast. The bad news: expensive maintenance/repair, especially parts (timing belt, water pump, throttle body...). Needs premium gas to reach its peak. Mine has 89K miles as of 1/06, has needed choke repair, T belt/water pump, dome light sensor switch on door, currently has small leak in clutch hydraulics. Not much considering the daily pleasure of cruising it around in all conditions.

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  Its realiable - 1999 Dodge Avenger
  By pj - January 6 - 1:29 am

  I got this car in the summer of 05 and its a 99. It came with the best sound system Ive heard in a long time. I havent had to do too much but replace the battery. Its got power but not enough for the body style. On top of that its fun to drive and with my 18 in rims on it I get lots of looks. If you like the body style I suggest you buy this car. Its reliable, sporty looking, good gas mileage, and most of all fun to drive

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  I like it. - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By A.W. - January 4 - 5:53 pm

  I bought my 07 Caliber two months ago and really enjoy the car. The interior is roomy and comfortable. The back seat is right for my tall friends and there is enough of room in the "wagon" area for my two medium sized dogs. In my previous cars, headlights from other vehicles would blind me. Not so with the Caliber. Good value for the money.

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  Good little car - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Gordon - January 4 - 12:10 am

  Bought this car used from a Dodge dealer. I have had it 6 weeks Im 64 and use the car for work. Yes the engine is noisy and, yes, its slow but I get 24 MPG in city driving. I drive over 150 miles a week in the city and use half a tank a gas. Good second or third car or for a young person. Watch your outside mirrors they dont fold in I have lost 2 while parked to trucks. To replace them ( power) they are only 70 bucks at the dealer and you can do it yourself. I recommend the car!!!

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  Not Bad For What It Is - 2001 Dodge Caravan
  By Steve - January 2 - 9:38 pm

  We bought our Dodge Caravan brand new, and while I wasnt thrilled with the Dodge dealership, this minivan has served us quite well over the years. The only problems Ive had with it is a burst vacuum line that took 2 times to find and the tendency for the rubber seal on sliding door on the drivers side to pop out when the door is closed. This makes it impossible to open the drivers door. Of course, if you open the sliding door again, the drivers door opens fine. Yeah, not a great "feature," but honestly it is only a minor inconvenience. On the whole, it has been serviceable and functional - a great value for our family.

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  Fast - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By iowaSRT-4 - January 1 - 10:00 am

  I just bought mine and only have a couple miles on it. I guess some of the big things that need to change are; Add Cruise Control! If with the sporty attitude of the car, Cruise would still be nice. The front seats are very supportive and do their job very well, but they are hard to get in and out of. You have to tilt the wheel out of the way just to get in and out of the car. The Sound that this car makes is worth any of the things listed above. The way it pops and crackles in between shifts and while off the gas is unlike anything in the 4 cylinder market.

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  One Great Ride - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By Ted - January 1 - 2:21 am

  We love this car and MPG. For the money you cant go wrong. The interior has so much room and comfort, great stero and options.