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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  Magnum - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By Nightbreed - April 5 - 10:00 am

  Ive have my 5.7 liter magnum rt for 3 days now and Ive love everything about it. It feels like a race car and a luxury car rolled into one. The hemi is a major jump from the 3.5 and is worth the price of admission. The looks of the car have people dropping their jaws. All I can say is Im thrilled to have one in my driveway.

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  Not sure why Edmunds hates this car! - 2008 Dodge Caliber
  By DK - April 4 - 10:57 pm

  I bought this car for my wife she drives mainly in the city and the mileage is around 22-23. The car has the 2.0 automatic and, contrary to what Edmunds claims, it has plenty of get up an go. Hey, if I wanted something that REALLY moved, Id spend three times the money and by a 300C with a Hemi! It is more than adequate for this vehicle class. Our car is a base model, but has many options (power everything and side airbags) keeping the price below the SXT. We love the car. I dont care how Edmunds rates it, they can keep this car a secret for all I care!

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  confused about bad reviews - 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By beccalynn0204 - April 4 - 4:32 pm

  I have owned a grand caravan since 2002, started out with 98 caravan and 9 years later at 140,000 traded it in for a dodge 2002 caravan. I have not had a problem with this van. Yes it had 4 recalls but they have been fixed and still on merry way. My van has 42,000 miles on it and the brakes are still perfect. Knock on wood I havent had any problems these other reviewers are commenting on. But I can say this someone is going to find something wrong with any car, van or truck sometime.

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  Some quirks - 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Sandi - April 4 - 12:43 pm

  Drives well. Love the Stow N Go. Power doors sometimes will not respond not enough so the dealer would think I was not crazy. Cup holders placed on sides of seats where kids can forget them and step on them thus breaking them. Floorboard creaks a bit,squeeks..whatever. The carpet in 3rd row actually looks bowed down a bit as if giving. But it drives and handles well.

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  I LOVE this car - 2008 Dodge Avenger
  By jln - April 4 - 11:49 am

  I bought this vehicle with 20,000 miles on it. As a person finishing up college, I was looking for something reliable and affordable yet still stilish and interesting. Fuel consumption is amazing- I took a 300 mile trip at around 75 mph speeds and used only 1/2 tank of gas. I look for any reason to drive this car! The 4 cylinder engine isnt dissappointing- it delivers adequate acceleration and plenty of power for me. The speakers are great, love the light grey interior, and although the seats are a little uncomfortably firm, I am adjusting. This isnt a luxury car but its reasonably priced, gets a ton of compliments, and is a pleasure to operate, plus the fuel economy is great.

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  well... - 2002 Dodge Intrepid
  By john louisiana - April 3 - 10:07 am

  louisiana has the worst roads. my car has 100000 miles, and the only things that r wrong is the shocks are a bit old, brakes need to be changed, and the a/c went out. a/c cost $800! and battery post was causing false dash signals, in particular the oil light. I fill the tank for $24 dollars. i love the V6, but the headlight lens is foggy. Beautiful car. 16 inch rims, blue speckled paint. You can fit 4 bodies in the trunk. dont ask me how i know that. safety feature in the trunk that allows you to open it from the inside. cant do much mud riding, but great on the highway. oh driver window rattles when lowered.

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  !!!!SRT!!!!! - 2008 Dodge Caliber
  By John - April 3 - 9:06 am

  Ive put 30k on my car and I loved every mile. the power and fuel economy is like having your cake and eating it too. Handling is smooth around the turns even at high speeds and ESP makes it safe in bad weather conditions. This thing stops on a dime and will launch like a rocket!

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  Pretty Darn Proud - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By Sarah - April 2 - 11:00 am

  I love this car! Ive had this car since 2006 and I love it. It couldnt be more reliable, I believe if you take care of your car you wont have any problems. I love to travel and my parents dont have to worry when I take my car. The engine still looks brand new and it has 47,000 some miles and not a hint of a problem. The gas mileage is pretty good, phenominal on the highway. The speaker system is awesome and the exterior has a little bit of a younger look than some of the other cars out there. Great for a college kid or a family. Heres to more trips and a great car!!!

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  2009 Grand Caravan, Wow! - 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By jon - April 1 - 5:40 pm

  Love to drive this vehicle. This is the most usefull vehicle I have ever owned. My wife and I replaced our truck with this van and now we have the best of both worlds. The 4.0 V6 has plenty of power and the 6 speed automatic is smooth as silk. We have grown to appreciate a quit ride as weve gotten older and this van delivers.

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  Happy with the down size - 2009 Dodge Avenger
  By kris - April 1 - 1:48 pm

  I went from a Dodge caravan to this. I was expecting better mpg. I get 21mpg w/80% city. I couldnt pass a turtle going downhill. But the car suits my need and my kids get in and out just fine. It is a great cheap car that is sharp on inside and out.