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:

• 

  Miss you! - 1997 Dodge Intrepid
  By dodgeboy11 - November 19 - 2:00 am

  I sold this car a month ago... I loved it and had a hard time parting with it. It had 114500 when I sold it...70K when bought. GREAT engine....lots of power. The transmission never had a problem at all.... Replaced a few things: EGR valve, sway bars. Rest was regular maint. Burned a little oil and dripped a little at the end, but was a good car. Highly recommended

• 

  Great starter car! - 2000 Dodge Neon
  By Brianne - November 19 - 2:00 am

  This is my first car. I bought the 2000 model used with about 48,000 miles on it (highway driving). So far, I have no complaints. The one I bought is stripped down (no keyless entry, so CD player, no power windows or door locks), its an automatic transmission (which leaves a little to be desired seeing as it is only a 3-speed auto). It drives very nicely. I have noticed a wee bit of engine noise, this is only when I am above 75mph on the highway (not very often). The brakes squeal if it has been sitting for a while (like if I dont drive it for a couple days). Once the car warms up its fine. In any case, its a great little car, perfect for me.

• 

  High Mileage Winner - 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Happy Vanner - November 18 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my 1998 Sport brand new. I have followed the recommended maintenance per the manual except oil changes every 5,000 miles instead of 7,500. At 225,000 miles, I cant even think of selling this vehicle. It has been 100% reliable. No engine work. No tranny work. A few belts/tensioners, a crossover pipe. Oh yeah, I pull a 2000# camper, no problem.

• 

  You get what you pay for : ) - 1999 Dodge Stratus
  By Phat Strat - November 18 - 2:00 am

  My 99 Strat has 73,000 miles on it. Ive replaced the 02 sensor and transmission seal... thats it ($500 total). All in all, its been a trouble- free car that is plenty reliable. This car has great looks and will age well. All in all its a good car for the price. Hard to bash on a car that that was built/priced for the entry-level consumer.

• 

  Looks great, less filling - 2006 Dodge Magnum
  By Dave - November 17 - 10:23 am

  I read a lot of the reviews on this site and they helped me make my purchase. I like the car for the most part but my fiance has a bad back and cant drive more than an hour without severe pain. The rear of the car gets really hot after a couple hours of driving and my dogs roast as a result. Compared to my old 95 Vette, it corners like a pig but its got some nice power for getting around town. Ive had it one month and I have found serious problems with it that the dealer says they cant reproduce. I paid $43k out the door and dont feel the quality is worth the expense. I will never buy another Dodge!

• 

  Not for everyone...but almost perfect for me! - 2016 Dodge Charger
  By Michael R. - November 16 - 2:37 am

  Awesome performance. Enough room for my family of four. Gas mileage is actually pretty dang good if you keep your foot off the floor: I have averaged almost 19MPG in the first 550+ miles of owning the car, all stop-and-go driving through town. The entertainment features are really superb, along with the general functionality of the UConnect system. I am amazed at what can be had in cars today. The interior, to me, still seems somewhat cheap in certain areas (inside door skins, for instance) for a car costing north of $40K. Do I wish I would have opted for the Scat Pack instead of just the Road & Track package? Yes and no. Sure, more power and performance could have been cool, but the performance from the 5.7L HEMI is pretty awesome for my "family car." I dont know that I would opt again for the Alcantara Seats...if I had it to do again, I would opt for the full leather.

• 

  Excellent low budget car - 2000 Dodge Neon
  By Jhatfi - November 12 - 2:00 am

  My fiance and I bought her a Neon as her first new car purchase. It has been a good car for commuting and grocery getting. It suspension is a little soft and the motor is a bit noisy, but overall it has been very good to us. The gas mileage has been excellent, the stock stereo is actually very good, the seats are comfortable. I personally think that interior is rather plain and it could use a little refinement bringing it closer to class leaders such as the Mazda Protege and Honda Civic, but what can you expect for around $10k.

• 

  clarkfrtzmachine - 2003 Dodge Caravan
  By clarkfrtz - November 12 - 2:00 am

  overall vehicle is reliable, and very dependable, is very child friendly and has good set up inside for children to ride in the back or for adults toenter the rear seat.

• 

  a-ok vehicle - 1997 Dodge Intrepid
  By Commander - November 11 - 2:00 am

  The car is a good looking vehicle. Plenty of trunk space. Nice interior...roomy. Comfortable to drive.

• 

  No Problems, Great Ride - 1999 Dodge Durango
  By Starfire - November 11 - 2:00 am

  In 99 we bought our Durango after a screw up with the Ford dealership on an Expedition. Im glad we took the Ford back. Weve gone from Portland, Oregon to Jasper, Alberta to Los Angeles, California in the rig and havent had a single problem with it. Its a pleasure to drive. I only wish it would get a little better gas mileage but Im not complaining about that too much. Just had its 30k check up and only found a small water leak by the thermostate. Didnt even notice this myself. Very Pleased!!