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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  caravan is worth the money - 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By jeff becker - October 27 - 10:00 am

  this van is so much nicer than my old one i traded in. it is more comfortable and the accessories make the vehicle

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  very fast - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By dodge srt4 - October 27 - 10:00 am

  this is 1 very fast car ..it stops on a dime ..set back and hold on..dodge did a great job for under 20k... keep up the good work

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  great suv,great price - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By ASW - October 27 - 10:00 am

  The new Durango is great! I got the Hemi (5.7L not 4.7) and it will really move! The ride is quiet and handling is great. With the amount of snow we got this last winter, the this thing was unstopable. If you are looking for a great looking suv that will take you anywhere, the Durango is the best choice.

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  My first van - 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Judy Ashmore - October 27 - 10:00 am

  It is a very comfortable ride. You do not feel that you are driving a van at all.

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  Better than Honda - 2000 Dodge Neon
  By Better than old Hond - October 24 - 4:44 pm

  I was having so much trouble with my Honda Odyessy that i needed to buy a vehicle to drive while the Honda was getting its second transmission. I went next door to the Dodge dealership and bought this. I love it. It is more reliable than my Honda ever was. I thinking of selling the van and just driving this. I hated getting stranded in the van all of the time. I would buy another Dodge in a minute over a Japanese brand

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  For the $ nothing better - 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Justin - October 24 - 4:06 am

  I would go out and get one right now. Dealerships are clearing out inventory and looking to get out of these vehicles. I bought a sticker price 32,895 for 21,500. It has almost all of the gadgets and has been a joy to drive. I have owned vans from 2 other car companies and I am trying to figure out why I waited to look at Dodge as a viable option. If you are in the market for a van go check them out, you wont be sorry

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  First Dodge - 2006 Dodge Caravan
  By Chris B - October 22 - 1:31 pm

  I wanted a Sienna, my husband wanted to save money. Wasnt even going to look at a Dodge but dealer allowed husband to bring it home overnight and I fell in love with it, we bought it next day! Kids love the DVD, I love the seating position and smooth ride.

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  From An SHO to SXT - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By Debera - October 21 - 10:20 pm

  After two years of trying to decide between an SXT v. an RT we finally made the move. Our SHO was slowly dying and we had to make this decision. After getting a speeding ticket we decided that the RT could become a problem for us. So the SXT won us over. Proformance is equal if not superior to that of the 1993 Taraus SHO. We have had the the SXT for less then a week now and have enjoyed the ride. Take off is there if we want to waste the gas. The seats fit like gloves and the heated seats are wonderful if you have a bad back. I can see why this station wagon is in such demand. A bit higher priced then others but you get what you pay for. Lets see if this will bring us many years of joy

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  05 magnum - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By kzoomag - October 21 - 10:00 am

  handles like a dream, responsive v-6, and plenty of room inside. turn up the six speaker system and put the pedal to the floor

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  Wish it had a HEMI, the 1999 Dakota SLT - 1999 Dodge Dakota
  By John Holtzclaw - October 20 - 9:36 pm

  Ive owned the Dakota SLT extended cab for 2 years now and it has been a great truck for me. In that time, it has only broken down once, and that was the battery losing a cell. Now, at 93000 miles the upper ball joints are starting to go out, which I hear is common on these trucks. Mechanically the truck is very sound. I have the V6 2 wheel drive and do not find it very off road worthy. I am a little disappointed in the lack of power when compared to other trucks of similar size and age. For a V6 with so so horsepower, the gas mileage should be better. Im pulling 18 on the highway. Overall I am very pleased with this truck.