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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  Decent car, decent price... - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By kaoticsundae - October 10 - 10:06 pm

  All in all, I cannot complain too much. I traded in a 99 Pontiac Grand Prix with 182,000 miles for this 04 Dodge Stratus with 74,000 miles. I have an incredibly long commute to and from work and I figured the MPG difference would pay for itself. I was wrong. The MPGs for the two cars during my ownership have been almost identical. Plus, I am a very tall man and have a wife and two kids to haul around and it is a tight squeeze for us all after a grocery store trip. The front floorboards are very spacious but the back are lacking. The handbrake is too far away for a driver that has to put the seat back a bit. I do like the 4 cupholders. Biggest complaint: the car shifts VERY ROUGHLY!!!!!!!!

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  04 intrepid sxt 3.5L HO engine - 2004 Dodge Intrepid
  By dennis williams - October 10 - 4:14 pm

  bought the car late in 04 when they were phasing it out. car is great on road trips and plenty of power w/ the 250 horse 3.5L. religiously change oil every 3000 miles and obey all scheduled maintenance. had a cam shaft sensor go out 2 yrs ago covered under warranty. had a recall last month for the crankshaft sensor once again it was free. bought new tires last week after 63000 on the original goodyears.

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  Fun on the cheap - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By southside rick - October 10 - 2:00 am

  This car is fun to drive, easy to park in the city, and can beat most everything off the green light-- while still providing room for groceries and the baby seat. The interior build quality is quite good for a car that is less than $22,000 with a moon roof. The suspension and 17 inch wheels hold the road beautifuly, and in the city I find the comfort going over potholes quite reasonable for a sporty car. Its a great value for anyone who wants to cheat the ordinary everyday driveing experience, without paying the full freight of a Viper or Corvette.

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  ahhhhhhhh - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By nomattrwht - October 10 - 2:00 am

  My very first new car! I am completely satisfied with my purchase. Sure its hard going from a 6 cylinder engine to a 4.. I miss the pick up, the get up and go! I thought going from a 6 to a 4 would save me money on gas... I dont see much difference at all... oh well. Im happy, Its comfy, sweet looking, reliable (thus far), and overall a joy to drive. Love the many windshield wiper speeds, the back seat opens to the trunk, the button on the dash to open the trunk, versus it being in the glove compartment. Would like an actual tripometer, but thats getting kinda picky I suppose. Definite RECOMMEND.

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  Shameful - 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Ed A - October 9 - 10:13 pm

  We bought this minivan with only 3000 miles from a dealer. I heard a little voice inside my saying that we should run away. However, my wife liked the car so we made the purchase. Big mistake. The engine and transmission have been good for 80K miles but if you saw the list of other repairs you would be surprised. I am done with Dodge. I have owned many Chrysler products over the years but the quality has declined so much it is no wonder they are going out of business. It is possible that I just have one of the few lemons. However, when I look at the internet it becomes obvious that there are way too many disappointed customers.

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  Charger SXT fun to drive - 2009 Dodge Charger
  By Steve Hubbell - October 9 - 10:08 pm

  I dont have any real complaints except that the 3.5 liter HO V-6 loses power when the automatic 4 speed transmission shifts from 1st into second when the gear selector is in drive, accelerating from a stopped position. However you have to place the gear selector into 3rd to achieve the second gear power boost from a dead stop. The car is well designed and fun to drive. The 3.5 liter HO SOHC V-6 is plenty peppy and the chassis is very agile. My particular car is the 2009 SXT RWD 4SPD Auto. The fuel mileage is phenomenal when the gear selector is left in drive and you keep your foot out of the fuel injectors. The car is a joy to drive.

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  love this suv - 2009 Dodge Nitro
  By justus - October 9 - 4:58 pm

  love this nitro-lways wanted one, drives like a dream, fun to drive, love it love it love it

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  2000 Intrepid base - 2000 Dodge Intrepid
  By andre1969 - October 9 - 10:00 am

  Typical Mopar, but thats not necessarily bad! Great drivetrain, roomy, attractive inside & out, but build quality could be better. 3 door frame seals have shrunk, the plastic cover around the shifter is loose, passenger-side mirror wont adjust, and a power lock actuator had to be replaced. Mostly minor items...as this car ages, itll probably be the kind that nickels and dimes you to death, rather than catastrophically fail all at once! Base 2.7 is a bit slow around town unless you stomp on it, but at higher speeds its pretty quick. Roomy in most dimensions, but a bit lacking in front-seat legroom. 62000 miles.

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  Lots of problems - 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By babsinga - October 9 - 4:56 am

  We got this used with 24,000 on it. At 80,000 the transmission went out at 5:45 one morning on the way to work. At 90,000 the AC went out. Also replaced the window motor, 3 sets of rotors, and now it is making suspension noises and power steering pump noises. It is one thing after another. Ive spent $4000 on major repairs in the past 3 years, far less than the dealer would have charged though, because I know a good mechanic. Keep in mind, this is only a 5 year old vehicle that was $28000 to start with. It is not a reliable vehicle, but it drives well and has plenty of room, which is why we got it. Just find a good mechanic and save up some money for repairs. You will need both.

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  2nd Caravan - 2006 Dodge Caravan
  By Bill Sparrow - October 7 - 10:46 pm

  Bought a demo with 8k, 3.3 litre SE. Live 80 km north of Winnipeg so almost all hwy use. Have over 50k, not a single problem, get 9 litres/100km, hwy (31 mpg Imperial, 26 US). Took out the back seats and put in a hinged bed for camping. This is my 2nd Chrysler mini-van 1st a Plymouth w/ 3 litre engine. Did 110k on that one with only tires, brake pads and battery required. Paid $18,000.00 for Caravan, Sienna would have been almost double. Looking forward to the plug- in hybrid model. Cant understand why some say they only get 16 hwy these vans are made on an assembly line should be fairly consistent. I baby my vehicles, so may be a connection there. Keep oil and air filter clean. Tnx.