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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  Worst car Ive owned - 2008 Dodge Avenger
  By TERRIBLE CAR! - June 7 - 8:15 am

  Bought my Avenger 5 months ago and have made several repairs. #1-Rotors were shot. Replaced rotors and had rear brake drums turned. #2-Air Filter lid was too tight. Broke when I tried to replace. Dealer had to order part and fix. #3-Car died twice when I came to a stop. Dealer had to update software on the car. Finally, my car got stuck in park this weekend. Now it is in the shop to get repaired again. This car is a joke. Looks great on the outside. Made with cheap parts. NEVER buy a Dodge. I owned a Stratus before & didnt learn my lesson. As soon as I paid off my Stratus the transmission went out. I could either pay huge $$ for repairs or get rid of it. Folks, Dodge still hasnt learned.

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  Has potential - but flawed - 2010 Dodge Journey
  By DaveM - June 2 - 10:38 pm

  Ive driven this SUV for 4100 miles through all sorts of terrain. Good: Interior storage, comfort, & the value. There are plenty of places to put things, & the seats are comfortable for 6-hour stretches. Bad: Ergonomics, handling, power, & transmission. The controls, especially the stalks, are confusing & illogical, making for dangerous situations in heavy rain or using the cruise. Body roll in emergency maneuvers is scary. The engine has too little power for a V-6 and stumbles on acceleration. Transmission programming is so bad I had to shift manually on most hills. Visibility out the rear window is poor. This SUV has potential, but is dangerously flawed. I dont recommend buying.

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  Fun to Drive Until ... - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By MadatMopar - May 24 - 6:17 am

  I have had this car for about 1000 miles so far. I bought it with 65k and now has 66k. The engine burns oil, at least 2Q a week, and now there is a ticking sound. The motor is new as well as the turbo. The car is not drivable anymore and now requires a mechanic to diagnose and fix the problem. First Mopar vehicle and I am very dissatisfied. Stay away from the SRT-4 unless you have endless amounts of money to pay for repairs and parts.

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  Dont get a 3.5 Charger - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By paulseid - May 20 - 11:31 pm

  Transmission mishaps after 30,000 miles. Bumps in between shifts. Numerous trips to dealer for software reinstalls that had no effect on the deteriorating transmission. I hear the R/T with its German made tranny was a lot better. Should have done more research. This transmission is terrible and also the driver has no access to a transmission dipstick. One tech who I have to give some credit too had an idea to make an adjustment to a part of the tranny but I wanted a new transmission as the car was only a year old. Chrysler did not acknowledge there was any real problem. Never Chrysler never again is my motto.

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  I Hate my Charger - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Ebailey - May 20 - 8:42 am

  When this car came out I was determined to get one, especially since I had to sell my 72 Cutlass. I could only afford the base model. This motor (2.7) is good on gas but lacks power. After a year the tranny had to be replaced, that same year the engine began to tick. Took it to a dealer in Manassas at least four times and they could never find the problem until after my warranty expired. Which was another issue b/c I was told I had the Lifetime warranty but only had a 36,000 mile warranty. So now I ride around town with my music up loud to block out the lifters ticking. Which i have to pay $1200 to get fixed.

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  Dont buy it used - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By tsbcat - May 11 - 8:57 pm

  I loved the style of this car when it first came out--a mini version of my hubbys magnum. That love affair ended as soon as the first rain hit my city. The car had an interior water leak that to this day can not be found and fixed. I had to replace the shocks due to cracking (under warranty). Constant issues with starting the car, blown gear shifter fuse due to constant jumping even though I was told the battery was good. And when I brake over a gritty surface with new tires, fully inflated the car has a tendency to slide. I think I got a lemon but it sounds like a lot of people have issues with this car

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  Ridiculous location for spare tire - 2006 Dodge Caravan
  By dcbpe - May 10 - 12:07 pm

  My wife and I purchased our Caravan in 2008, and have had largely no problems with it. Then I came across the location of the spare tire. Putting the spare under the van under the front seats is the most asinine place Ive ever seen for a spare tire. I was changing the tire in my driveway, on a nice day, and found it to be a most aggravating experience. I can only imagine how a person is supposed to do this while stopped on the side of the road in inclement weather. I am a licensed professional engineer, and I work on my cars. I am no novice. This system was designed by an imbecile, and he/she ought to be fired. I will never again by a car without checking where the spare is.

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  2007 dodge nitro engine failure - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By karen dodge - May 1 - 12:36 am

  I have a 2007 dodge nitro that Im still making payments on. About 3 weeks ago a valve blew in the engine and damaged a piston which caused complete engine failure. If I hadnt purchased an extended warranty, this wouldve been an expense I couldnt afford and would have had to let the vehicle go back to the dealership. I feel that Chrysler/Dodge should make my car payments since Ive lost complete trust in their product and peace of mind. Whats going to happen next to this vehicle? Sincerely, Karen Dodge.

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  What else can go wrong? - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By g.d. - April 26 - 10:03 am

  Engine seized at 38,000 miles. Thankfully we had the extended warranty. Car has been driven by my wife who never has had a ticket in her life. Had regular service and a valve and piston let go. Service people were very helpful.

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  Decent overall, horrible in snow - 2001 Dodge Neon
  By Cargirl - April 24 - 5:55 pm

  The Neon was great for me for the first couple of years. It had decent power for a 4 cylinder car and excellent gas mileage. However, it is horrible in snow and would get stuck on hills I never even noticed without snow. Other small cars would pass me by as I was stuck. As soon as I paid it off, I started having problems with the exhaust manifold, passenger power window, water leaking from the rear lights into the trunk and passenger seat, as well as some minor issues. The exterior was built well, though! It survived having a tree fall on it in the middle of an nice storm with only minor body damage. Visibility was great in front, but poor to the rear. Seats uncomfortable on longer rides.