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 wouldve never thought - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By Mrs. P - January 22 - 9:37 am

  I love the Chevy Tahoe and the GMC. I decided to step outside the box and ended up falling in love with this vehicle. I has all the luxuries for a better price.

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  nightmare - 2008 Dodge Dakota
  By paul - January 21 - 7:32 pm

  my 2004 was way better.this was nothing but problems since the day I bought it.awesome look,great power and roomy.thats all.many numerous factory tsbs and defects.mechanically and cosmetically.too many problems,that a rep was sent in.they didnt do anything,and wanted me to file suit against them.BEWARE.traded it in less than a year of having it,with only 9000 miles.nice looking,but I was also stuck with a brand new lemon with numerous,numerous problems.please stay away.factory tires are junk also.

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  Fun to drive, wish it was more reliable - 1992 Dodge Shadow
  By kickspro - January 21 - 1:20 pm

  Got the car in May of 09, loved it. Drove good for about a week then the engines belt started squeeking, very annoying. Got a new belt and it was gone, car is very underpowered with a 2.2 4 cylinder in it. Car got good gas millage at the start of my purchase and got worse as days went on. The tranny leaked alot of tran fluid and had to refill it every few months. Car overall was very stock and basic but was a enjoyable ride. Didnt want to risk the engine and tranny going so I sold the beast.

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  1996 ES Minivan - 1996 Dodge Caravan
  By J. Johnson - January 20 - 7:52 pm

  Purchased used in 1998 with 79,000 miles. Owned for 12+ years with only routine maintenance problems. Put snow tires on front ever winter with no problem handling in snow up to 8 inches deep. 3.8 L V6 engine has lots of oomph if needed to pass cars on highway. Love the cruising comfort with 4 captains seats. Just completed a round trip from MA to NC with no complaints. Averaged 23 mpg. Used around town also with 3rd row seat removed for extra cargo storage. Can fit up to 10 foot long pieces of lumber inside if needed. Enjoy the trip computer with built in compass.

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  Dream Car - 2010 Dodge Challenger
  By Cody - January 20 - 2:46 pm

  Im the proud owner of a Brilliant Black 10 Challenger SRT-8 Auto with every option.425hp going to the rear wheels means fast, fun and not for winter driving.Styling perfectly matches my taste- understated yet eye catching exterior, plain(not distracting)functional and comfortable interior made with quality materials.The stock SRT is tailored more towards touring than street fighting which trades off a little horsepower for a quiet ride.Despair not musclecar fans for the engine is unleashed with the addition of an aftermarket performance exhaust and cold air intake.This airflow combo increases engine power sound and response while maintaining or improving gas mileage.Great enthusiast car!

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  dodge dependable minivan se - 2000 Dodge Caravan
  By Marisaperry - January 20 - 10:23 am

  this mini van is great.thats all i can say about it.I LOVE IT!

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  Nitro Has been a Great Car/SUV!! - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By Makadoodle - January 19 - 6:57 pm

  The dealership was awesome to work with! This is the 1st SUV I have ever owned. I have had 3-Chrysler 300M since 1999. Great performance-Good Mileage-Lots of people ask me, "What is that your driven, WOW, I love it!!

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  Red SET 4 - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By Dragon - January 19 - 2:43 pm

  I looked for two years to find my SRT- 4. It was worth the wait and anticipation. I recently installed upgraded turbo, components and intercooler by Hahns Racecraft. Estimated HP is 495. All I can say is hang on for dear life. Once in third gear you are gone. I fixed the transmission shift problem with a complete Hurst Shifter. I love this car. A true soon to be classic.

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  Solid car, good value for the money - 1995 Dodge Intrepid
  By Wayne - January 19 - 1:28 pm

  Bought it used with 40,000 miles, now has 150,000. 3.5 liter engine. The water pump and timing belt needs replacement every 70,000 or so. Tie rod ends last about 5 years. Its a solid car, nothing fancy in terms of creature comforts, but dependable. I keep track of repair costs and it averages about 1.2 cents per mile driven, much better than 2.4 and 2.8 for my two Bonnevilles. It needs to warm up a while before driving in our cold winters. Daughter has it at college, and still is dependable.

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  Great wheels for the price! - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Best in Line! - January 19 - 1:17 pm

  I probably have one of the first Calibers built! It is a great machine for the price. Ride is comfortable, noise is low and fuel economy is great. Could it be better? Yes....But for what YOU paid for it is the BEST car in its class. I absolutely love its shape (what made me buy it!!) and coming down from a 2500 Chevy Suburban, the fact that I sit high while driving is great. A/C cools wee while the heater keeps you toasty in the winter. The only drawback I see is all the plastic inside the car!!!