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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  Love the Car - 2001 Dodge Intrepid
  By janie givens - May 16 - 9:02 pm

  I bought this intrepid with 26,000 on it. It was a program car. It has never given me any trouble. I change the oil every 3,000 miles. Have one set of tires other than the originals that were new when I bought it. I have the original battery. The only mechanical repair was replacing the brake pads. It is the most comfortable car. I have taken many long trips and sit in the front and back. It rides like an expensive car. Would buy another intrepid.

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  A truck for all around use - 2005 Dodge Dakota
  By Lisco - May 16 - 3:21 pm

  This is the second Dakota Quad Cab I have owned. Have also owned F-150 and Tundra Double Cabs. Previous Dakota Quad Cab with V-8 5-speed auto with a tonneau cover averaged a tad over 20 mpg on trips, this one with only 2,000 miles, V-8 4x4 managed 19.4 mpg on a recent out of state trip. Handles well, steering is nice, and road noise is acceptable. City driving is much like driving a full size car, and parking in tight spaces is no longer the chore the larger trucks were. A 4x2 with limited slip is a bit quieter and smoother but the 4x4 does offer a more well rounded vehicle.

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  My first car won me over - 1998 Dodge Neon
  By neonkinpatsu - May 15 - 5:50 pm

  Ive had my 98 almost 5 years. As much as Ive heard about the Neon back then, I was reluctant. Before buying I did a lot of research and drove at least 3 from each year. Now Ive driven them all. I couldnt afford a new 2000 then, but I was aiming for a 98 because I noticed a huge difference in price. Once I drove mine, I was hooked. The head gasket was replaced before I bought it, so no issue there. Tranny died this year but the warranty covered it. EGR valve went in 2002. Other than that, only VERY minimal maintenance. Im considering a new car because of age and trade-in value. If the new Neons are still out in a year or 2, Im likely to buy a Neon again. I love my baby. I will cry when I trade her in.

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  EXCELLENT - 2005 Dodge Viper
  By dodge_girl - May 14 - 7:40 pm

  This is the best car ever! It is very fast,cool,and did I mention fast? I would only recamend it for very experienced drivers like myself. Altough this car is very expencive it is so awesome. When I am just driving down the street I get good looks from people and very many comments like nice ride or awesome wheels. This car is like I said before..........AWESOME!!

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  Redesigned 04 Durango - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By lcphotos - May 14 - 2:00 am

  To say that the 04 Durango is redesigned is an incorrect statement. It is my opinion that they built a brand new vehicle and named it the Durango. The body is wider, longer, taller. The suspension reminds you of a Mercedes. You dont realize that you are driving a 5000lb SUV. The nose is dropped and shorter than the previous years giving you a better view of the road and parking areas. Over the holidays, 4 adults traveled extremely comfortably with the back full of luggage. We have the 5.7l Hemi with the 4x4/AWD and our trip to the mountains of North Carolina and thru the snow was a breeze.

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  2004 Durango with a HEMI - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By troy wheeler - May 14 - 2:00 am

  The limited Durango is Quiet, powerful (yes, it has a hemi)and very nimble. Our Durango is the top of the line LIMITED with leather, sunroof, dvd and a 380 watt sound system. We love the features, power and handling. The ride quality is outstanding and when you are accelerating we can still just barely hear the engine wind up. And we have lots of ROOM!! But is does not drive like a big suv. Its easy to park even though we park out a ways so we do not get any DINGS from inconsiderate drivers.

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  Safety features really work - 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Anonymous - May 12 - 2:00 am

  My wife was in a head-on collision in this van at 50 mph. The crumple zones worked as advertised and there was no noticeable damage to the cabin. She was a little bruised up from the airbags and seat belt but otherwise she walked away. The van was totaled but she is with us to talk about it.

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  My cloud car - 2005 Dodge Stratus
  By beingunique - May 9 - 11:09 pm

  Totally impressed by my Stratus. I got all the options I wanted, 5k off the sticker and a great deal. Its the classic American nameplate w/some foreign parts that have proven to be VERY reliable. The joint venture between Chrysler and Mitsubishi is great. The same components that are used in the award winning Eclipse are used in the Stratus Coupe, and I could not be more pleased! Stylish, I get a LOT of looks. Feature packed, classy looks, sporty looks, and it performs. Along with a great engine that gets WONDERFUL gas mielage. Ive gotten over 400 miles on 1 tank! I got all I wanted in my Stratus. For being a Dodge, it really has impressed a LOT of people (even me!!)

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  VIPER Review -- MY PICK!!! - 2004 Dodge Viper
  By BillyD - May 9 - 3:05 pm

  I just purchased one. I am 41 years old and it took a lot of wife convincing. Anyway, on the maiden voyage, I came up against a Mustang Cobra SVT (690hp). I had my 8 year old boy with me. Before I even knew what I was doing (and thinking I was 21), the race was on. The Viper won by a hair from a rolling start (10mph) to 80mph. Exhilaration was the feeling until I realized what I had done (on a 30mph 4 lane street in a very upscale neighborhood). Thank God there were no cops. If you love beautiful, fast cars, buy one!

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  SXT Sport - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Wendy - May 8 - 8:03 pm

  Ive had my car for 5 weeks. It handles well, has good speed and is beautiful to look at. I love it.