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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  My Viper - 1997 Dodge Viper
  By jesus - April 3 - 2:00 am

  great car , very fast picks up lots of chicks

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  Solid used vehicle... - 1997 Dodge Stratus
  By billwfriend - April 1 - 2:00 am

  Picked up used in 8/01 w/ 42K miles. Now at 67K and running good. Did recently have to replace power brake booster $230 and repaced factory warped rotors with new aftermarket $100. Had car in for 60K service $150. Only other issue is with sub-zero cold starts in Wisconsin winters. Car needs a little gas and a couple of minutes to get the shivers worked out. But thats to be expected with a 6 yr. old vehicle.

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  Hemi can go - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By specialk19631 - March 28 - 11:00 am

  Great handling car. Smooth comfortable ride. Lots of rear seat room. Hemi has lots of get up and go. Acts like a sports car.

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  Good Looking Truck - 2005 Dodge Dakota
  By Raimundo - March 28 - 10:42 am

  I have it already for almost 5 years and the only problem I had was replacement of steering links but Im running it with 20" wheels. It is very comfortable, we love it. After that just normal maintenance, oil change etc and a new battery just because of time life. The truck had a couple of recalls and Dodge complied with them with no complains. But I drive it very carefull and dont abuse from it. The best thing is there is not to much technology on it, same as less headechs to deal with.

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  Electrical system Issues - 1997 Dodge Intrepid
  By kltaubin - March 28 - 2:00 am

  Hey! I like the car. I, for the most part havent really had any real problems with the car as far as maintenance. But, I did however have some problems with the Electrical system shorting out on me. The car hesitated while driving. Shutting down in the middle of the interstate. where i had no control of the acceleration and power stering went out. Then it would regain power and then in a few seconds shut down again. I tried to get a mechanic to find the problem but the cost was too much. So i left it. Now the only thing that really happens is the wipers will come on speratically. There is still a short. But, it stopped hesitating and shutting down.

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  Its Transportation - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By Mr. Mopar - March 26 - 2:00 am

  We needed a replacement for my wifes Breeze and the Stratus was the logical choice. The size and price were the main factors that contributed to purchasing the vehicle; we needed a practical car and werent looking for anything fancy. The SXT package added some nice features like 16" aluminum wheels and keyless entry. The biggest problem so far has been the replacement of the transmission at 500 miles due to a high-pitched whine at 75 MPH. The drivers side window leaks some water when going through a high-pressure wash but after the debacle with getting the transmission fixed I decided I could live with a little water on my arm now and then.

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  Excellent Value - 2002 Dodge Stratus
  By Roadrunner - March 25 - 2:00 am

  This is the car to have if you want it all. Performance, economy, and reliabilty. It is not overstated in the looks department, (no plastic cladding like on some cars in its class) and yet does not have the square utilitarian look of some other cars. The fit and finish is very well done, the interior is laid out quite nicely, everything is within reach, and the instruments are colored white and easy to read. This is not just a grocery getter.

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  Ride the pony - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By treemon - March 23 - 11:43 am

  I was looking for a full size car that stood out from the norm. I love the roomy interior, large trunk and comfortable seats. But it was the aggressive front end and rear wheel drive that sold me. It rides like it owns the road and the acceleration of the V-6 is very good. The package with the heated front seats and the nicer stereo is a must. I never thought a large car under $30,000 could handle as cleanly as the Charger.

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  good car bad brakes - 1998 Dodge Avenger
  By scottyboy - March 23 - 2:00 am

  This car has been very reliable for me however, this excludes the rotors on my cars front brakes. After having the replaced several times ( for free-- they were replaced before i bought the car and crysler warrents their work for a year. ) I decided to buy some cross drilled rotors. this has solved that problem - other than some oil consumption this car has been rock steady. I have blown a few of the "infinity" speakers. but the humidity in michigan is probly to blame for that. replaced the eaisily bent rims ( dang potholes). its cheap to maintain, but sucks fuel in the winter. the transmission is slow, not the car.

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  nice try mopar - 2000 Dodge Dakota
  By rim - March 23 - 2:00 am

  I liked it because it was a mid-size truck, however it drives like a full size and suck gas like a full size truck. The brake is below what I expected. The Good-year eagle rs is already showing signs of wear after 25k on them. The windshield wiper blade left the vehicle after two years. Even though it was almost never used (living in so. cal, no rain). Nice try dodge, how bout using some quality parts.