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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  Fun to Drive, But Dont Always Crank Tun - 2001 Dodge Dakota
  By Joe - January 10 - 12:30 pm

  I bought mine Sept. 01 and have no plans to trade in. Truck is fun to drive and holds its own on the highway. Wish it had a more comfortable ride and driver-friendly features so I could keep my eye on the road. On a road trip to the Indy 500 (my bro lives in Indy) 2 yrs ago, I blew the bearings in the a/c compressor-took it to a friend of my bro, and he had to replace the whole compressor. Dealer put sealant in to "fix" a/c leak I complained about,and (according to this dude) thats the problem. I turn down tunes now & then and listen to her run but so far its fine. Front suspension poor causes lots of wear and tear but so far not enough for me to trade in. I can still rely on it.

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  I love my Dodge - 2002 Dodge Dakota
  By Cal - January 8 - 5:18 pm

  Ive had my truck since it had 27 miles on it and it currently sits at a hair below 130k. Besides the water pump going bad and it still running fine for 3 years until it finally exploded, Ive had not a lick of problems. Other then the standard oil changes around 5k miles and only 2 tuneups, I havent touched a single thing otherwise. This truck has been through hell and back and still starts at the turn of a key. 2500 lbs of block in the bed couldnt hurt this truck. Beaten and abused is the best way to put it and its still my daily driver. IF it ever dies, i will indeed be looking for my next dakota. Excellent truck. By far the best vehicle Ive owned.

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  Decent after some modifications - 2009 Dodge Charger
  By Jim - January 8 - 4:08 pm

  I bought this car for looks and performance. The 5 issues I have are the tires (Continental tires feel like Flintstones), the driver seat height, steering stiffness, fuel pump whine, and no MDS indicator. After replacing the plastichrome wheels with real chrome & buying Michelins, the ride is more smoother & looks much better with real chrome. I had to buy a car performance computer to show MDS, but it works great. The only other probs are fuel pump whine, which they claim is normal (its really not), and I feel like I sit too high. I always want to adjust the steering wheel another inch or so lower, but it wont go. I think the black looks best just coz it matches the black trim.

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  Happy Caliber Owner! - 2008 Dodge Caliber
  By LMMT - January 8 - 10:29 am

  Have had my Caliber nearly 2 yrs and am very happy with the car. Previously drove a 01 Dakota which was totaled in an accident and replaced it with the Caliber. I have the SXT with the 2.0 and CVT and I average 28-32mpgs. Have taken several long trips and was comfortable riding and driving. Love the exterior styling and do not have any complaints on the interior. Many people from all age groups ask me about the car. Most love the color. Surf Blue Pearl. Seeing a lot more of them since I bought mine. Have had only one minor problem with it since I bought it. Had to replace the horn last winter. All in all I would buy this car again. I bought this one sight unseen.

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  my grand caravan - 2007 Dodge Caravan
  By wirler - January 7 - 2:35 am

  this van has a 3.3l engine.it has very good respond.I buy it with 36000 miles. I noticed hard down shift from 2d to 1rs gear when making a full stop. I took it to the dealer and they fixed the problem re flashing the computer software. other than that,not problems.we love our van. my 2 kids like having more than enough space.

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  WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Bobbie_J - January 5 - 7:48 pm

  After I discovered I was pregnant + realized that a 2 dr vehicle was no longer an option, husband + I started looking for a nice looking, fuel efficient 4 dr, went lots of places, read lots of reviews that talked so highly of the caliber we were roped in + decided to buy. THAT WAS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE WE COULD HAVE EVER MADE !!!!! I do commute 90 mi. 4 dys/week + expected a little wear + tear boy was I ever wrong. Ive now had this car for 3.5yrs + have had to have new tires put on (x4), new tire rod ends (X2), brakes, struts, alignments up the wazoo, + now I have the very costly transmission problem that will cost 6k to fix. R U KIDDING ME, Dodge needs to scrap the CALIBER!!!!I miss my chev

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  It just wont die - 1996 Dodge Neon
  By Afterthought - January 5 - 3:04 pm

  I got this car 9 years ago with 25k on it. Sure Ive replaced tons of parts (head gasket, alternator, water pump, but not a signle front end part)but Im not too nice to a car. Decided 2 years ago Id run it until it died because its worthless to sell, but the damn thing just wont die. Dents all over, door panel coming off, blown rear strut, but still the thing gets me wherever Im going reliably and handles the winter better than a 4x4 (and does nice e-brake slides). Im gonna miss her when shes retired this month, like the really sweet ugly girl you dated that you dont want to admit to.

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  Not for families - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Alyssa - January 5 - 12:45 pm

  Got this because of the hatch back, the outer appearance, & at the time the reviews for this car were high-praising. Now, though, this has been my biggest regret. The back seats have absolutely no room. It is difficult to install my sons car seat properly without having the front passenger eating the dashboard. Ive had to replace tires 8 times now, brakes 4 times, and windshield washer fluid "sprayers" twice. The high-beams turn on by themselves, the "drink cooler" doesnt cool anything, replacement parts are expensive, drives terrible in the winter, & the value diminishes so quickly that youre basically stuck in the sale. Dont buy it! Definitely not family-friendly.

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  Best SUV Ever Made? - 2001 Dodge Durango
  By Bryan - January 5 - 9:08 am

  4.7L SLT+ with Tow package, posi 3.92 gears. Mine was a leased vehicle with 23K on it and 1 yr old. Now has over 230,000 miles and has turned out to be one of the best vehicles I have ever owned and I believe one of the best ever made in respect to what it was designed for. A great family vehicle that is very comfortable on long trips and can still tow heavy loads. Ive towed 7000. Mid size makes it easy to park along with very sharp turning radius. Handles great. The 4.7L powertrain has proven to be very reliable. I have not had any engine accessory problems or transmission problems at 230K! I had one sensor that had to be replaced that cost $25 and a radiator fan. 3rd row seat folds flat.

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  Enjoy it More Every Day - 2010 Dodge Journey
  By D-Man - January 4 - 9:37 pm

  I really like this car. Decent power makes it fun to drive and a very practical interior serves my family of five perfectly. With three rows of seats I can keep my teenage daughter and two younger sons peacefully separated. I can also fold down the seats in a variety of configurations satisfying most of my errand run needs. While Ive only had this car for just under 3 months and about 3000 miles, there has yet to be a single issue. Build quality is remarkably good for a brand that is often criticized in this regard. There isnt a single buzz, rattle, or squeak. It just feels smooth and solid.