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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  I love my Caravan - 1998 Dodge Caravan
  By lyndab - July 25 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car for 3 years, I bought it used from a friend. I did buy an extended warranty but the only problem Ive had (knocking on wood) was that the A/C went out. There was another problem with the cruise control that was related to a recall that was fixed for free. I travel a lot on two lane highways because of where I live and I need a reliable car and shes been there for me every mile.

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  Solid family vehicle - 1998 Dodge Caravan
  By Soccer ma - July 25 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car to replace my dying 1990 caravan. Chose the base model & added the 3.1 litre v6, with 2nd sliding door & seven pass seating. Had a problem with a sticking valve around 36,000 miles and after 3 trips the the dealer, and my warantee ran out they finally got it right. Maintain this vehicle with regular 3600-5000 mile service and it will do its job. The carpet is cheap, but, hey not a bad multi passenger vehicle for $18,000+/-.

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  01 Durango SLT - 2001 Dodge Durango
  By ashkid - July 25 - 2:00 am

  Overall we have been pleased with our Durango. It gulps gas, but we knew that when we bought it. My only real gripe is that for $35,000 the quality of the interior materials leave a lot to be desired. The plastics feel cheap and the quality of the leather seating is poor compared to most I have experienced. Generally though, the Durango is a capable, rugged SUV.

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  My nice little car.. I just Luv it. - 1996 Dodge Neon
  By Bhavesh - July 24 - 2:00 am

  To be frank I was very afraid while buying this car because of tones of bad reviews. But my experience with this sweety has been wonderful. I simply luv my car. I have it for about two years now and I am very happy with my decision. The only expense in these two years have been once every three month oil changes and some problem with right wheel which cost $270. Its obviously not a powerful as some of the other more expensive cars, especially when you turn on the AC the power drops, but its still very likeable. I would recommend it to anyone. Infact my next car would be a DODGE.

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  research, test, buy - 2002 Dodge Intrepid
  By rob hagan - July 24 - 2:00 am

  i reasearch every aspect of this vechile. and i cannot find a better buy anywhere u go. i bought this car with 26k on it for 11,800. and for the luxury of power everything, cd player, cruise and with a smooth and comfortable ride i couldnt go wrong. its the sporty looking family car i needed that i can take to work or out on the town and still look so good. i have had no problem with the car as of yet. and yes backing up is a little tricky.

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  Dodge Dakotas are Number One! - 2003 Dodge Dakota
  By Mary Sh - July 24 - 2:00 am

  wouldnt bye anything elce

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  Tires!!! - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Rose M - July 22 - 8:26 am

  After reading quite a few of these reviews, the common theme is tire issues. I, too, have been told that my tires need to be replaced. I have been told that it could be because of my alignment, suspension, tire pressure, you name it!! It just seems odd that a lot of people seem to have this issue. Chrysler wont do anything, sent me to Firestone, who sent me back to the dealership. Not good!! Very poor customer service. When are they going to take the hint and look into what is causing the problem?

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  A supercar for the price of a sedan - 1992 Dodge Stealth
  By gglafont - July 22 - 2:00 am

  This car doesnt age at all. Its design is not outdated after more than 10 years. The tires dont wear out, it doesnt use that much fuel for the power you get. It stick to the road under bad conditions, much better than any Porshe or BMW. Its only bad point is a overweight/brake disc size. Its price used is not even half of the true value of what you get.

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  Aging - 1995 Dodge Stratus
  By DTrain - July 22 - 2:00 am

  The first years of my ownership were great. No problems were encountered, that came out of pocket, except the Catalytic convertor. Gas mileage was terrific, friends love the roomy backseat. My car has 130k miles,the last 20k miles have been terrible. Brakes are eaten like candy (especially front ones) and Dodge wouldnt fix them although there was a recall. Head gasket replaced and the oil has leaked for the past 60k miles. To many other problems to mention. I would not buy another Chrysler or Dodge, unless it was a truck. Where is the battery placed, terrible ideal..

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  Disappointed - 1996 Dodge Intrepid
  By Bartender10 - July 22 - 2:00 am

  I have been disappointed with my 96 Intrepid ES. Purchased new. Water pump went out 300 miles before the warranty expired (fortunately for me). Have had trouble with factory radio/CD player not working. Bushings have failed on the rack and pinion steering box (expensive and impossible to get to). Spent a lot of time/money trying to solve a driveability problem - turned out to be an intake manifold gasket leak. Paint is fading badly on the top and it has completely flaked off the side window mouldings. Body intregrity is less than acceptable. I dont think that I will ever pay $25K+ for a new Dodge again.