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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  Love the creature features - 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By hamptonvan - June 28 - 1:10 pm

  Only driven about 1000 miles so far I love the my gig, though I am just getting used to the operation. The drive is solid, with solid steering and decent brakes. I did get the 4.0 engine, and compared to the 3.8, it was well worth it. very easy to pass on the highway, and sporty in town, more than any minivan has the right to. Some of the electronic automation (tri zone temp) is not yet intuitive, but is becoming less obtrusive, (who reads the manual anyway?) Only problem we had so far was the my gig would cut out over every bump in the road. Easy fix-loose fuse. A lot of storage space, loads of floor space. So far, I am glad I purchased this over the competition.

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  Durango =Good - 2001 Dodge Durango
  By Bike Shop - June 28 - 2:00 am

  Great looks, lost a performance point for not quite up to par brakes. Fuel consumption, as expected, is poor. Fuel capacity good though. Comfortable seats,especially for passengers,including kids in back seats. 32k miles with no problems--not even a broken plastic piece! Will definitly strongly consider another Durango when replacing this one.

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  1995 Dodge Dakota - 1995 Dodge Dakota
  By whitebliss1990 - June 23 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle has been good to me despite a few minor electrical problems. The drivetrain has stood up to some harsh driving, although I am usually very easy on it. This model has the 3.9L V6, which is plenty of power. There is no need for the 5.2 L unless you plan to use it as a work truck, I have towed other trucks out of ditches on muddy roads. THere have been minor oil leaks, caused by normal wear of engine seals. I would not reccomend, however, a more recent model or a different model, say a Ram. The dakota is one of the best built vehicles by dodge and one of the better trucks overall. I highly reccomend this for design and operation.

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  Fun Truck to Drive - 1998 Dodge Durango
  By Robert520 - June 23 - 2:00 am

  Love this SUV but I anticipated problems and was smart enough to buy extended warranty. Window lifts have been replaced 2 X per window, AC evaporator went out, battery died at 24 months, steering column replaced, seat track replaced (rocking chair syndrome), speed sensor, all four speakers and some other items to many to count. I still like the vehicle though and my wife thinks its junk. Whats you expect, she drives a Camry.

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  Excellent Car - 1997 Dodge Intrepid
  By LauraB - June 22 - 2:00 am

  I have had my car since it was brand new. I had to replace the master cylinder and alternator last year (year five), but aside from that its been a dream car.

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  Best value for $15,000 - 2001 Dodge Caravan
  By mikey - June 19 - 2:00 am

  We have put almost 50,000 miles on this vehicle with no problems besides regular oil changes and maintanence and the change of the front brake pads and 4 tires. The minivan is comfortable and drives fine. We have the no frills model, with only essential options like ac and tape deck.

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  Love my Durango - 1998 Dodge Durango
  By Sommer - June 19 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely love my Durango. I am not a big fan of dodge but, I love my truck. It is perfect for a family, it has plenty of room but its not too bulky. It doesnt drive like an SUV. I am very comfortable in it.

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  BEEN HAPPY SO FAR!! - 1999 Dodge Durango
  By mpiiijlp - June 18 - 2:00 am

  Bought used with 27K on it, now have 57K. Drivers window motor replaced, pinging (as others described) is obvious with mine too. Now have ABS light on?? Overall, Im happy with the truck 11MPG (5.2L) all South Florida city driving. Im just ready for something bigger, too bad Dodge doesnt make anything, their loss.

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  Very Nice - 1990 Dodge Spirit
  By ThespianDave - June 17 - 2:00 am

  This was my first car that I bought a little less than a year ago and I have not had any problems at all. When I bought it, it only had 55,000 miles. The A/C is awesome and the only maintainence I have needed has been a normal oil change.

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  Not for sale at ANY price... - 1997 Dodge Viper
  By Hammer - June 16 - 2:00 am

  I have owned the car since new for 6 years now. Eevn now, after all that time, the power and handling of this car still amazes me. This car IS NOT recommended for the faint of heart, posers and Wusses - I recommend a Ferrari for those people.