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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  only worth $300 maximum - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By kristin - July 10 - 7:45 pm

  I bought this car in 2011. I knew it was old at the time and maybe the dealership played a big role in why I am giving this car such a bad review. All four tires needed replacing after 1 month. A couple months later i had to replace the battery. A short time after that, i had to get the engine flushed. Breaks went out. At random times it would not shift into drive and when it finally did it would jolt forward. Half the time it would not start. The check engine light would come on at random times as well and it would stall out every time i got past 10 mph. I paid it off after all the hell it put me through and then it just shut down and would not start again. I had every intention of driving it for the remainder of my stay in college (which was only 1 year) and then trade it in for a new car. Instead i ended up trading it in (for $300) and getting yet another used car that i really could not afford. This was probably a great car 11 years ago, but i would not recommend it to anyone now days.

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  Lemon - 2015 Dodge Dart
  By Angela - July 10 - 10:27 am

  Loved how sporty the car drove during the test drive but after just a week of owning the car (purchased brand new) it was in the shop for overheating problems. A month later it was in the shop again for overheating problems and now for a third time its in the shop for overheating and lack of acceleration. Definitely not a good experience with Dodge thus far...back to Toyota I go!

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  Love my car! - 2008 Dodge Caliber
  By Nicole - July 9 - 8:14 am

  This car was definitely not my first choice, but at the time I was still in college and dad pretty much decided for me. But Im so glad we went with the Caliber! Yes, it lacks many of the bells and whistles of a more expensive car/brand. It doesnt have heated seats, or a fancy interior. But my major repairs have been few and far between (and by major i mean nothing totalling over $300). This car is 7 years old and is still going like a champ! Its been so good to me and in turn ive been good to it. Im constantly surprised by how well its held up over all this time considering it doesnt have the best reputation. The Pros, in my opinion: Cruise control is an awesome plus. It also hasnt required many major repairs. I dont consider it a very noisy car, and the sound system is pretty good too. My favorite thing about this car is the storage. All the back seats fold forward and ive been amazed at what ive been able to fit in this car! Its only proven to me that I want to continue buying hatchbacks if i can. The couple "complaints" i have are: Lackluster acceleration, feels light enough to fly off the road if im going too fast (road holding?), doesnt do all that well in snow (totally fine in rain, though) and like i said, no bells and whistles. The one major repair I had other than the breaks is that the cord(?) connecting my shifter to the transmission broke, so my car wouldnt recognize what gear i was in. That was a $300 repair, and that was this year (so after 7 years). Overall Im extremely happy with this purchase, especially for the money we paid. I might sell it this year but thats only because id like to get at least a little money for it! But if money werent an issue, id continue to drive it until it died.

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  I drive a 2012 Dodge Avenger and it is Fantastic!!! - 2012 Dodge Avenger
  By sachi25 - July 1 - 3:30 pm

  My first experience driving this car was thru Enterprise Rental. I had it for a full month and decided this had to be my new car! The rental was a 2014, but when I noticed that the 2012 looked almost exactly the same, I chose the 2012. My 2012 has 38,000 miles on it and drives like a dream! It has satellite radio in it with a power drivers seat as well as great rims, a beautiful white body, and black interior. I love this car! A special thanks to Lahtis of Leominster, MA! I bought this for 12,900 at 32,100 miles. I typically get about 26-27 miles to the gallon,sometimes as low as 24.5/city. It has gotten as many as 29.7/highway(possibly 31/highway). Mine is a 2.4 liter & drives like a 6!

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  New 2015 Charger SXT AWD...just bought - 2015 Dodge Charger
  By wsteph72 - July 1 - 2:47 pm

  Just bought my new 2015 Dodge Charger SXT AWD. Love all the "gadgets" and such, but in the end, it is the performance that really matters. This car is fun to drive and still has plenty of room. I think Im like most guys who would really prefer to have the ability to get a new Challenger Hellcat, but...alas...we have families and responsibilities and many many more important things to drop that much money on! That being the case, the Charger is a GREAT car for all those reasons. It will not only get you and the family from Point A to Point B....it will do it in style and youll have a blast getting there!

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  Great car, Great value !!! - 2015 Dodge Challenger
  By brewmasterc - June 28 - 9:59 am

  What a nice car. Surpassed my expectations.Very comfortable and smooth.Love the interior.And the massive Uconnect system.

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  Good Car for the Money - 2005 Dodge Stratus
  By 12220adc - June 26 - 10:44 pm

  I bought my 2005 R/T sedan new in early 2006. It was the last of the 05s on the lot so got a significant discount from the sticker. Overall its been a good car for the money. Its sporty looking, comfortable, versatile and fun to drive. After nearly 10 years of ownership and 116K miles later, the engine runs very strong. Ive had to put money primarily into suspension components like the control arms and ball joints which has been a bit irritating.

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  Lasts forever - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By 5speedmanual3 - June 26 - 4:31 pm

  Totaled my first 03 Sxt with 240,000 miles on it but I bet she could have gone way longer. Then bought an 04 R/T with 100,000 on it for a great price it now has 136000 and I love it, I dont babg this thing either its seen many track days and the shifts are still great love the car And I get about 30 mog city and almost 40 highway

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  A fun car to drive! - 2010 Dodge Challenger
  By wdepipes - June 17 - 12:28 pm

  Bought my Plum Crazy Purple Challenger SRT8 6 speed-12000kms, 2nd hand in January of this year. Started driving in April. What a blast, always brings a smile to my face. Love the looks and the sound of the car. Great seats and great acceleration. Looked at a Mustang but the stick shift was terrible and very tight quarters inside. Very happy with this choice.

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  Great small car - 2014 Dodge Dart
  By ramray - June 15 - 11:18 am

  I have a 2014 GT with 20,000 miles and it has been a fun, great small car that is not so small in comparison to some midsized cars. The 2.4 is a solid and reliable four that is a touch rough but has good response and decent gas mileage. I find it far more sporting and fun to fling through twisty curves. A great replacement for the old Neon and is growing in popularity...word of mouth is growing that it is a fun, sporty car!