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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  You gotta try this car - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By Ramification - August 25 - 9:40 am

  For me to rate a car as high as I did it has to be something special. At 63" I fit very well inside. I would like to have the center arm rest come out a few more inchest to beter saport my arm. Very quiet inside and at highway speed. Can hardly hear the engine. Stomp on the gas and no question you got a bunch of woop ass power. Brakes are solid and sure footed. As for styleing, drive one for the day and see the looks you get. People ask all kinds of questions about it. The first time you are walking into a parking lot and you see your Magnum amung plain cars that all look the same, you will be as happy as I am about a well rounded station hot rod... ZOOOOMMMM

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  Great Family Ride - 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By themightyq - August 24 - 4:53 pm

  Bought this van eight months ago and have driven 8500 miles. Overall, this van is probably the best on the market. We love the stow and go seating and it has a great A/C system. Some people might not like sitting so high in the drivers seat, but my wife does. Gives you a good view of the road. MPG is approx. 18 city and 25 hwy

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  WOW! Biggest Sports Car on the Road! - 2002 Dodge Intrepid
  By delray - August 24 - 12:55 pm

  People seem to be complaining about gas mileage? Come on people, get REAL! Per SQ. Ft., this is no doubt the most economical SPORT/Family-"FunToDrive" car on the road!! At 234HP, this vehicle with a 3.5L Outperforms ANY car in its class/year and price range. More importantly, it does it with style, agility and room to spare! If you want 2-4 MPG more, go for half the room, no pep, flat, boring Honda and pay thousands more! Buy this however, and you can put a couple of those thousands in the gas tank and be very pleanantly surprised and happy with all the room and style you got, not even to mention the truely spirted drive youll experience!

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  Great car! - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By Izzy - August 21 - 6:33 pm

  Love the look and it is fun to drive. A very smooth ride. Great handling. People are definitely interested when I drive around. I see more Magnums around the city now and wave. Watch out when you have a lot of cargo because it will cause you to bottom out. And make sure the tires are inflated properly. The only things Ive had problems with, is the sensors going off; the "Passenger Airbag off", the "ESP not working" light... things like that, but they werent permanent and nothing to go crying to the dealer about. (I did call them though)

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  Magnum RT 2005 - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By Chamras - August 21 - 2:26 am

  The engine rocks. The transmission enhances the engine performance. Its a very powerful, practical, fun-to-drive, stylish car. I still drool when I look at it! However, the cosmetics in the cabin are not the most durable ones. I have had the visor clip, the sunroof, and the seal for the back spoiler changed. The quality of the paint is also poor.

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  A great car for the money - 2005 Dodge Caravan
  By TracyC273 - August 20 - 1:46 pm

  I just got my van and it is great. It drives so well. I did have a 96 windstar and this tops the cake. The only thing is the gas mileage is not so great. And I did not like the fact that I was told by the dealer that I could not program my key to open the other slider /lift gate. But overall it is a great minivan. Mine came with the DVD which my kids love and the radio is good w/ 6 speakers

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  Worth the money - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By thabear - August 20 - 12:47 pm

  This vehicle is full of comfort and style. It is far more luxurious than the 1999 Durango I traded for it. It also gets fair gas mileage for an SUV. So far mine has gotten about 16.5 miles to the gallon. The Hemi engine will fly, so you will need to pay close attention to your speed when you get on the open road. I opted for the DVD which, if you have children is a great choice. I also got a year of Sirius. The leather seats are very comfortable for short or long trips. I would definitely recommend this vehicle, as I have been very happy with mine.

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  Good fun for the buck. - 2002 Dodge Stratus
  By anthjaco - August 18 - 5:06 am

  Dodge hit a triple with this car! Good road feel and lots of get up! Good spacious interior and great sport look.

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  Great Car - 2005 Dodge Stratus
  By George Noble - August 17 - 4:05 pm

  I have owned Chryslers in the past and just traded my 2000 Stratus for a 2005. The price was surpisingly good, the looks and performance are great. I have owned Chrysler products in the past and have never been sorry. Dependable and fun to drive. I would not want another brand of car.

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  2002 Stratus SXT a good value - 2002 Dodge Stratus
  By cdf - August 16 - 9:09 pm

  This is my 2nd Stratus, and for the money it is a great deal. I had only one minor electrical problem with the A/C unit and the dealer fixed it promptly. The car should come standard with window guards as the roofline will leak the water in without them. The seating is very comfy as well as the ride. The sound system is more than adequate for a base vehicle. Fuel economy is reasonable at 25 city/30 highway. its a nice vehicle for the money. Chrysler cars will be parked in my driveway for a long time if they keep this price/value relationship