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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  Excellent truck - 1999 Dodge Durango
  By greenbean24 - January 25 - 7:58 pm

  I love this truck! Its way more of a truck than I thought (which is good for me). The 5.9L is a great engine and the parts for the LA based engine are extensive. I have the tan leather which was pretty dirty when I bought the truck but they cleaned up to perfect condition and there is no sign of wear after 8 years. The truck had 115,000 miles on it and a regular tune up was in order but other than that I have had no problem at all with the Durango.

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  SRTGreat - 2006 Dodge Magnum
  By trotime - January 24 - 2:15 pm

  I tracked the SRT8 Magnum since it was first shown and then in to production. Since my wife has a R/T Magnum, when I could get an SRT8 there was no hesitation. It is quick, I have out performed many much higher priced cars, walked away from a M5, X5 and other hi pro cars. The car is a natural street "looker" and is well liked by "car people". The Red Pearl color is perfect and reinforces the design and general performance stance. I think Dodge has a winner here and every day I drive it I like it more. No matter what my mood, it gets better when I fire up the 6.1 Hemi. The only thing I would change is to make the exhaust "growl" more at idle and normal low end driving.

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  2005 Durango - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By Beauchamp - January 24 - 11:07 am

  Excellent for long days on the road. Very comfortable. My next vehicle will be the same

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  Awesome vehicle - 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Dave - January 24 - 10:13 am

  This minivan not only looks great inside and out, the solid feel when driving it is very assuring when hauling the family. The van seems to be rock solid. Dodge is the king when it comes to minivans. I have driven the competition, and the versatility and quality of this vehicle far surpasses the others. I dont understand why the editors rating is as low as it is for this van. I highly recommend this vehicle.

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  Luv it - 2009 Dodge Journey
  By wadd - January 21 - 1:26 pm

  Took it on a 1000 mile trip to Florida first month. 4 adults no one crowded. Good ride for an 8 hour trip.

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  Something Wicked This Way Comes - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Gruvn_SRT8 - January 21 - 10:42 am

  The beauty of modern engineering is that car manufacturers can now produce a vehicle such as the SRT8. A car that blends exceptional civility with very uncivilised performance. I just purchased this car a week ago. Brought it home without drama in 10 below weather, with the roads covered in ice. The tires on this monster are Goodyear F1s! Started it without a hitch in the same weather the next morning. Again, no drama. And no engine block heater either. That is not even on the option sheet for the SRT8. Not even here in Canada. Warmed the car up and drove to work. Found a patch of dry road on the way. No traffic. Dropped the hammer. Big drama! Thanks DC!

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  Best Dodge ever owned - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By xtec - January 20 - 1:14 pm

  Every time I drive my Charger,if feels like the first time. This car has a awesome ride. The transmission is one of the smoothest I ever had. The doors are solid when you close them. The 3.5 is very powerful for A V6, and my mileage has been around 20 in the city, which is great for a car this heavy. I have bought Chrysler products most of my life, and will say this is the best so far.

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  150K and still going strong - 2002 Dodge Intrepid
  By Robb - January 20 - 12:44 pm

  This car has been the best I have ever had. Bought with only 16 miles and now have over 151K. I want to go over 300K with it. I would buy another Intrepid but I look at new cars now, since this body style is not available and can not find a car I would like to drive. Highway driving every day I feel very comfortable. Strong engine and great handling. Michigan driving in all weather not a problem.

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  my 2003 neon - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By Bens4A - January 20 - 10:00 am

  I recently bought a 2003 neon. I have never really liked neons in the past, so I was sure that I wouldnt want one. When I saw this car for the first time, I actually was impressed. The body style and interior were nice. The car drives good, and it has more power than I expected. I am very satisfied with this car.

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  Better than Eclipse - 1998 Dodge Avenger
  By Misti - January 19 - 12:47 pm

  I bought this car last year at a buy here pay here lot. You can tell it had had a rough life because of some damage. We took this car under our wing and started with a few minor repairs. In no time we had this car looking good. As far as the motor goes, oh my gosh, blows away the Eclipse. My boyfriend absolutely loves this car. The power is amazing! It has 180,000 miles on it and still running strong.