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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  Simply Awesome - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By JB - May 19 - 8:26 pm

  After driving SUVs for years. I checked out some cars. I needed a larger car with a good backseat. Ruled out the Mustang GT. The 1 I kept looking at was the new Charger RT. Only thing I didnt care for was the standard leather interior. But, I didnt want the stripes on the Daytona. Once I saw an RT with the Road & Track Pkg, I knew that was the car I wanted. Love the interior & all the features of the new Charger. Great styling, power & handling. It is a solid built car. Doesnt have the cheap plastic interior like a lot of vehicles. After added few accessories I couldnt be happier. Interested in this size car, you NEED to check it out!

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  Why I like my Stratus - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By KAL246 - May 19 - 2:45 pm

  It is better then my old truck. I bought it because my truck was costing me an arm and leg. I am happy with it thus far. I like the way it drives. Its very comfortable and easy to drive. I could get in my car and drive for hours and still be comfortable in it.

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  SRT4 = Bang for your Buck!! - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By ATCDUDE - May 18 - 11:39 pm

  I was sceptical at first, being a previous Subaru owner. But, I purchased this car upon first release in Florida April 2003. This is by far the best "Bang for your Buck" of any car I can think of in terms of what you get in performance. I only have 9,200 miles in two years of ownership and smile everytime I step into the cockpit of this little rocket. Gas mileage is impecable considering the level of performance in this class. When easy commutting or long distance traveling, I ger 23 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. Of course with a heavy foot, these numbers decrease significantly. I highly recommend the SRT4 to anyone looking for sports car performance package on a budget.

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  Good Value - 2005 Dodge Stratus
  By Ken - May 18 - 8:56 pm

  Overall, its a really good value. I always wanted something sporty, but also practical. It has plenty space at the back seats and trunk. Handling is amazing. I do not feel the speed at all and its very confident at high speeds.

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  Good little reliable car - 1996 Dodge Neon
  By Elisa - May 18 - 5:52 am

  I bought my Neon in 12/2000 and it has always been a great little car for the money. It does have its problems but what car doesnt? Some notable ones were: the head gasket blew at 43,000 miles. The air conditioner worked great until 60,000. The transmission needed replacement at 115,000. Cosmetically, the paint seems to be a big problem with Neons, as it starts to peel and chip around 80,000 miles. It has always been very reliable for me- always starts when you need it to. The ride is a little noisy as the windows sometimes dont seal properly. The seats are relatively comfortable. The only complaint I have is cruise control is not standard. I would recommend the Neon for a 1st car or single person/couple.

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  Love My Magnum! - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By CG - May 18 - 3:16 am

  Great design, fun to drive.Turn heads every where I go. I receive compliments on body styling.

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  Performance and Reliability - 1993 Dodge Stealth
  By bighillk - May 17 - 11:52 am

  Bought this car used. Had 90K on it. Now, at 199k it runs just as good as the day I bought it. Do scheduled maintenance and youll have no problems. The performance of this car has literally saved my life on several occaisions. Handling and braking are unmatched. Fuel economy is great. Even at 85 mph the care gets 28 mpg. This fall Im retiring it and restoring it. Its too great a car to ever get rid of.

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  2015 Dodge Charger SXT Plus - 2016 Dodge Charger
  By Revron - May 17 - 7:57 am

  Bought this car about 5 weeks ago and still learning many things about the features. So far it has been working great. It is a comfortable ride, so quiet that often you are up to speed quicker than you realize. It has all the safety features we wanted and they work extremely well. Have had several compliments about the looks of the car as well as the ride. The gas mileage is still increasing as there is less than 1000 miles at this time. We test drove several vehicles and this was the best overall for the money. It is not a $60,000+ car but the interior and amenities are right up there. The exterior is retro but modern. In reading some of the other reviews, we wondered if those drivers who had nothing nice to say bought the car without a test drive or really looking at it. The technology works fairly easily but does take a little while to learn. Our salesman sent us videos to help learn things as well and that was a plus. We got a great deal as this was a leftover new 2015. It is very heavy and could use a little more horsepower for the size/weight but definitely moves and we made the choice to buy the 6 cylinder so knew what we were getting. Will update this review when we have had the car longer but so far we are very happy.

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  Dodge Stratus R/T Coupe - 2005 Dodge Stratus
  By Terrimy - May 16 - 9:25 pm

  Ive been a little disappointed at the gas mileage. Initially it was 20 miles per gal city, 26 highway. Now city miles are about 15 miles per gallon. Turbo with automatic transmission helps me merge onto the freeway with ease. If I lived in the country or in the desert, I would entertain ordering a 5-speed manual transmission.

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  Great Buy/Great Value/Great Van!!! - 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Nathan & Lauren - May 16 - 9:20 pm

  My husband and I love this van. We did a great deal of research when looking for a new car. We also liked the Honda Odyssey but found that the extras in the vehicle were NOT worth the added expense! The Dodge Grand Caravan is a spacious, economical van while continuing to be a thrill to drive. A huge step above the 2004 Grand Caravan!! We highly recommend this van to anyone!!!