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 Like This Car! - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By John - March 15 - 9:13 pm

  So far this 2005 Neon of mine has been a real jewel. The car is very attractive and clean. The interior is simple, but very roomy(Im 60") and pretty comfortable. I think the dash is very handsome too. Not too mention the trunk is very large and the gas mileage is unbelievable.

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  Fast for Cheap, Great Buy - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By SRTswizz - March 14 - 2:41 pm

  This is such a fun car. It is very quick from the factory and it has lots of aftermarket parts to make it faster. The interior actually isnt too bad. Just the long dash takes bit to get used to. The seats are amazing and make all other seats seem weak. The transmission is notchy, and stock throws are long. Stock ride is not too harsh but it is pretty bumpy but not any worse than my brothers G35 coupe. The exhaust sounds are unique and it sounds great. It is also pretty spacious for a small car, a lot better than WRX, especially rear seats. Makes me smile everytime I drive it.

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  Great Car! - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By xtec - March 13 - 5:31 pm

  The Charger is the best car I ever owned. It has a great ride, the car is solid, and fun to drive. This is one of the best cars Chrysler made. The transmission is smooth, and the auto stick is great if you want to shift it yourself. The 3.5 has good power for a car this size, and the fuel mileage has been better then I thought it would be.

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  Fast enough for a man, but made for a woman! - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By Inferno Red Princess - March 13 - 12:51 pm

  Even though I just got it I love it already! It attracts so much attention. The color is flawless. This baby runs go good. I was looking for something that comfortable and roomy for the kids, flashy and fast for my husband and me. I have heard that his car is a mans car, but I would recommend this vehicle to all moms! My slogan for my Maggie is: Hemi - Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman!

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  Great car - 2011 Dodge Charger
  By Chris V - March 13 - 12:12 am

  This car is fantastic in all aspects, if u want the whole package you must get the R/T MAX .

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  Gold wrapper - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By lateif - March 12 - 6:20 am

  Great car. I wanted a fast car with lots of space, modern technology and comforts. It was a choice between the Magnum, Audi wagon or Bimmer wagon. Im very happy with the choice, but havent been able to get 17 mpg no matter how I drive it.

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  Good so far - 2005 Dodge Stratus
  By watcher7 - March 9 - 6:56 pm

  Purchased used with 26,000 miles have 36,000 now with no problems mine is a 2.7l flex fuel. Very comfortable and quiet ride. Transmission seems to lose fluid slowly over a long period of time but find no leaks had a few rough gear changes but other wise flawless . Plan to keep and have no regrets so far.

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  Best car I ever owned - 1994 Dodge Shadow
  By wirth85 - March 9 - 3:23 pm

  This is the most reliable and fun car I ever driven. It is always reliabe in the winter and handles very well. No engine problems yet and I dont expect any.

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  One of my Favourites - 2006 Dodge Durango
  By Jamie - March 8 - 12:09 pm

  I had a 2002 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer Edition so it was loaded with all the goodies. When I bought the Durango it was SXT model so it doesnt have any of the bells and whistles that the Explorer had but it drives much smoother, faster, and is more comfortable than the Explorer. I regret not getting the Hemi and SLT or Limited edition but I was already at my limit. Cold mornings its a little sluggish until it gets warm but the past few days of hot weather in Colorado its fast off the mark!

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  2003 Dakota Sport Plus - 2003 Dodge Dakota
  By Dusty - March 7 - 5:02 pm

  The Dakota has been a great truck with lots of power, a smooth drivetrain, rugged and reliable that remains quiet and comfortable. It is larger than models from Nissan and Toyota and that was the deciding factor in my purchase. It functions as a part time personal and work vehicle and does both more than adequately. My year-to-date fuel mileage is 16.82 and I can consistently get 20mpg carrying 900 lbs. of ATV and additional gear in the summertime. The 4.7 has excellent low end torque which I appreciate on hills and for towing. Mine has been reliable, with two recalls and one heater blower resistor failure. No rattles or squeaks after five years!