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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  Great Value and Fun - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By LouC - September 2 - 9:36 am

  Took mine on 2000 mi roadtrip. Absolutely the best highway cruiser Ive owned. Quiet, supple ride, great seats for tall & heavy guy like me. Easy to get in/out. Happy in LA traffic and at 80 on the open road. (26 MPG) Light, quick steering requires your attention though. Nice tight turning circle, but challenging to back up. Not as nimble as my previous Mazda6, but very poised and sprited in the mountain roads. It just doesnt feel like a 2 ton car. Though trunk is huge, opening a bit small. Transmission is smooth, but will downshift 2-3 gears if you stomp on it. V6 is quite adequate even with 4 aboard. At a bit over $25K, this is a heck of buy. SXT with Leather/CD Changer/Sirius

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  Straight from a happy owner - 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Rideon - September 2 - 2:00 am

  This van has been a joy to own and drive. It has given me reliable trouble free service. Only problem was a slight transmission oil leak which I got fixed right away and it has been fine since. No problems starting in cold weather and no major or even minor repairs needed.

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  Best Sports Car Value! - 2004 Dodge Viper
  By Nowayforya - September 1 - 12:36 pm

  Power, brakes and handling are excellent. I have never enjoyed any car more than my Viper. If you like driving and want to have a blast, get a Viper!

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  Jacks Review - 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Jack Dunham - August 31 - 5:20 pm

  I have had this mini-van for 18 months and have been very pleased with it except for the gas milage which is only 14 city and 21 highway. Also the anti-lock brakes did not work for the first year that I owned the vehicle. I was not aware of it but the dealer found the defect when I took it in for its second oil change. Something had been assembled incorectly at the factory.

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  Very Satisfied - 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By James Joy - August 31 - 4:26 am

  Have had the van about 2 years. Bought it because of the Stow and Go and large rebate. Was much better value, feature for feature, than any of the imports. Have been very happy with the vehicle. It has only been to the dealership twice in 2 years. Once was for 2 minor recalls and the other was to replace the power liftgate motor. We love the Stow and Go, the power, quiet and comfort. The power doors and liftgate were a godsend to my wife when she was pregnant and carrying around a toddler. My only complaints are minor and include excessive brake dust and inconvenient parking brake release. Gas mileage is fair around town (17-18) and decent on the highway (24-25).

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  Charger + Hemi = Great - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By GS - August 31 - 4:13 am

  This car is awesome! When a buddy of mine saw my new Charger, he said that it was the best vehicle that he has seen in a long, long time. Which meant something to me considering hes always been a high-end European sports car snob. When we took it for a spin, he was actually speechless. Well, he actually uttered one word (that cant be mentioned here) The style, the power, plus the fact that I can still get two car seats and luggage in it, simply amazing. Awesome, awesome machine.

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  My first new truck - 2006 Dodge Dakota
  By Randy - August 30 - 8:34 pm

  Just drove 1250 miles nonstop, not a problem with driving comfort or performance. This is a great little truck. She could be a bit stronger in acceleration with the V6 engine.

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  Very Reliable - 2001 Dodge Durango
  By amby - August 30 - 8:48 am

  I have owned my Durango since August 2001 and have had nothing but good luck with it. I use it for running around town and long trips. I have had 5 adults with 2 sets of golf clubs and all the luggage for a two week holiday in the vehicle, and there is still room to spare. It runs well and has not caused me any major repairs.

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  New truck - 2006 Dodge Dakota
  By al - August 29 - 11:49 pm

  It is a very comfortable ride. Fun to drive. I use it everyday to and from work and errands. The side doors are very handy for the little ones to get in and out of the truck.

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  Never let you down. - 1996 Dodge Dakota
  By broadripple1 - August 28 - 4:55 pm

  I bought this truck on Ebay, and thought I got stuck with a lemon. The gas guage does not work, but on everything else, my initial impression was flat wrong. This vehicle is a low maintenance winner. It hauls everything (bricks, lawn tractor, boards, etc), including long distance, and other than the normal maintenance, I have not spent an extra dime on this truck in four years of ownership. Its simple to operate, and Ill keep it forever.