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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  Pocket Rocket - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By *~*LT*~* - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Best car under $21,000

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  This is the best!!! - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By Kcarneiro - June 2 - 2:00 am

  I have only had my car about for abouut 2 1/2 weeks and I love it! It looks, good runs good, and great on gas. What else could you ask for!! The radio sounds awsome.

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  Hemi Rules - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By weldonmj - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Great ride and fast

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  nice ride - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By gary cirillo - June 2 - 2:00 am

  i got the 5.7 hemi. wow it has a lot of get up from my 2000 4.7. around same gas mileage. the ride is easy,fun to drive.i like the new body. it was time for a change,even though i still like the old one.

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  So Far, So Good - 2004 Dodge Dakota
  By terry jenkins - June 1 - 1:46 am

  Well I just returned from a long trip and I averaged 26mpg from the 3.7LT! Not bad considering that others are paying close to 40k$ for hybrid SUVs that don’t get that!

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  SRT-8 Magnum - 2006 Dodge Magnum
  By Charlie - May 31 - 6:19 am

  Not only is the 2006 Magnum a beautiful design it also has the awesome power that Dodge used to have back in the late 60s early 70s. You have the modern luxuaries of a Mercedez Benz and the "holy cow" power of a 1970 Hemi Roadrunner. My SRT Magnum came with GPS, Sirius Satelite Radio, all leather interior, (Gray on Black-Standard for SRT8) steering wheel remotes, sunroof and digital gauges with white face gauges. The new Hemi 6.1 liter is just as appealing to look at as the rest of the car. I do feel that the exhuast could have been a bit throatier, however you do hear the engine well at 6000 rpms. The ride and handling is smooth and confortable. All this for $40,000. I did well.

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  Very happy - 2004 Dodge Dakota
  By Pjamas - May 30 - 2:37 pm

  This is our second Dakota, and very happy. 1st was a 2002 and am even happier with the 2004. Has needed no work other than normal maintenance and has always given me all the power I could need or want. There is tons of room in quad cab. We have two car seats in there with no problems and the back (with a cap) is great for towing strollers and such. Have fit three car seats, but wouldnt for everyday use. Truck still has lots of power for when we need to use it as a truck though. Have towed many things includling 15ft boats and even small exacvators with no problem. Nice to have a mid size for when you need the power sometimes but not everyday to justify a full-size.

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  Simply Awesome - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By terry lee - May 30 - 1:53 pm

  So much power! This is the fastest car weve ever had. With the jet chip and functional ram air hood, this thing still gets 21 mpg going to Sacramento. I wish everyone could ride in our car.The road and track package does it all. Seats cradle your body as you take high speed turns you never thought about doing. There is a great deal of traction all the time. My wife loves to take the car to work because those guys in BMWs strain their necks to get a good look at it.

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  LOVE IT! - 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Knovice Buyer - May 28 - 11:23 pm

  My first Minivan, after a gas guzzling SUV! Love the space, the ride, the stow and go seats. First trip got 25 mpg with 2 adults, 4 kids and 1 dog onboard. Dealer was fantastic - pleasure to work with, no pressure, wanted our business. With rebates and incentives, you cant beat the Caravan.

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  Awsome and Inexpensive - 2005 Dodge Stratus
  By Hope - May 28 - 8:26 pm

  When we first got the car I wasnt so into it. Now I love it. The sound system is great, its comfortable and has a sleek design. We couldnt have asked for a better car at the price we payed.