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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  The Amercian Wagon - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By gb2 - January 22 - 10:06 pm

  Great car, engineering, features for the money even if you have to pay sticker. Be careful of blind spots on either side. You must use sideview mirrors along with rearview. Hemi power is awesome but still smooth and quiet. Ride quality and quietness at high speed is excellent. Plenty of room to haul stuff and still have a vehicle that handles like a sedan.

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  No complaints - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By cathy22w - January 21 - 10:00 am

  Had this car for about 5 weeks now - its been pretty good. Gear change is smooth, so is the ride. CD/speakers give good sound. Pretty good mpg. More than enough room inside and the space in the trunk is great. I got it in black and it looks lovely - especially just after being washed!

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  A New Standard - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By HemiDave - January 21 - 10:00 am

  This is a car that will set a new standard for American cars. The performance is mind blowing in a "family car." Its got looks that wont quit & all the comfort, bells & whistles that anyone could ask for. It is the perfect combination of German engineering, fit & finish, and good old American MUSCLE. Its a car that I will enjoy driving for many years to come.

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  I love it - 1999 Dodge Avenger
  By Justin - January 20 - 4:46 pm

  I got this in summer 05 it is such a beautiful car that looks like its worth a lot more than it really is. It needs more all-around power, you only feel the most power uphill. Otherwise it is very fun to drive, and it has great handling. It is very reliable I havent had any problems since I got it its at 97,656 miles

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  Great! - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By Angel - January 18 - 1:14 pm

  I test drove this to a Jeep Grand Cherokee, I previously owned a Grand Cherokee older model and loved it. When I got in the Durango there was no going back. I have never driven a vehicle that drives so smooth with such comfort. We took it on a trip about 1450-1500 miles round trip we paid just under $220 gas round trip. Less than expected! The only thing I regret about our purchase is that we didnt go for the glory and get the loaded version, hemi, navigation, dvd, but when we trade it in I cant see myself buying anything else. Test drive this before purchasing any other SUV! Im glad I did!

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  Great Automobile - 1999 Dodge Intrepid
  By ts397 - January 18 - 10:00 am

  Very stylish and dependable.

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  SRT-4 is awesome - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By PyroSRT-4 - January 17 - 3:58 am

  SRT-4 delivers more than anticipated, and with all of the mods you can buy make this car fun and exciting. Its very loud and very aggressive. Handling is very well. Drop the car about an inch or two will make the handling even better. Car is an awesome car that delivers as promised, and the gas mileage is really good. On average I get about 25 miles per gallon in the city and about 32 miles per gallon on the highway.

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  consumer - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By rudy celaya - January 15 - 10:00 am

  well, all i have to say it was an excellent purchase pleasure wise, on the other hand it doesnt hold its value as much as a honda, but still smokes the hondas! not to mention i race v-8s, wow! I nearly by atleast the minimum length of half a car, i lose to corvettes, porsches, and such. the boost the turbo puts out is incredible, the suspension is a nice ride. if i had one complaint, it would be too much torque steer, but the torque comes handy off the line, especially when the lsd does its job with the support of my bf goodrich g- force street slicks. its all about mopar!!!

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  Who would have thought wed buy a Dodge? - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By cgorra - January 15 - 10:00 am

  Smooth, quiet, roomy and comfortable! We traded a Passat wagon for the Magnum, and really feel as if we traded up. the 3.5 liter engine and automatic transmission have ample performance, and the handling and ride are a revelation. Who would have thought that RWD was this good? Lots of space for a growing family, comfortable seating, good storage space and head-turning looks make this a car to be proud of!

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  2004 Dodge - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By el-rivo - January 15 - 3:57 am

  Excellent choice, fun drive with plenty of room to spare. Great entertainment center for the kids on a long travel. Smooth handling and better traction with larger tire size. After market add on turns this vehicle into an eye catcher. Competitive with other luxury SUVs at a great price. Thanks Dodge.