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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  Keep Waiting For the Other Shoe to Drop - 2009 Dodge Journey
  By BarryE - March 9 - 6:16 am

  I am approaching 36,000 mi & have had no problems at all. I keep waiting for something to give me a reason to trade, but its almost perfect. Im in Eastern NC & easily average 28 mpg on our rather flat terrain. My wife likes the vehicle size & heated cloth seats. My hands-free phone through my cell is better than her setup through her Camry.

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  Great Value - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By Pete - March 6 - 2:15 pm

  I think this is a terrific little car, 28,000 Miles and no problems. Good gas mileage, handles well, much roomier that expected. For the price this vehicle should be at the top of every list!

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  I love my Dodge Caliber - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By DJC - March 5 - 6:03 am

  I love my Caliber. Great fuel economy, styling, and cool features. Im getting about 38 mpg going back and forth to work. I get a lot of looks and comments where ever I go. There are some real cool features that make the car special; lighted cup holders (I dont have to guess where to put my coffee cup, the glove box cooler can hold four cans or bottles of pop and keep them cold (the other day I had a candy bar that was melting... so I put it in the glove box cooler and it was good to eat by the time I got home), theres a detachable rear dome light that doubles as a flash light (I used it to fix a friends car one night), and the rear speakers can be detached for parties.

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  Great choice - 2005 Dodge Dakota
  By Ernie - March 4 - 10:09 pm

  Definately a great choice in Value and style. Got the club cab and mucho room. Great power and nice interior. Sexy exterior.

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  Grand Cherokee + Suburban = Durango - 2001 Dodge Durango
  By tsf - March 3 - 7:39 pm

  We wanted a V-8 SUV. Grand Cherokee was top on our list, but it wasnt any bigger inside than the Acura we were replacing. Suburban/Tahoe was too big for my wife, and too expensive for me! Then we found the Durango--fully loaded SLT 4.7L!!! It is the perfect blend of size--big enough for our small family, small enough that my wife is comfortable in it plenty of power to tow the toys, and didnt break the bank (thanks in part to low resale value and bad press!). Drives pretty well (not as smooth or sturdy-feeling as a Sub/Tahoe, but not bad), great power (feels as fast as our 01 Acura TL), interior is as nice as Chevys LT packages, and we even get near 20 freeway mpg (speed limit)

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  Not Dissapointed - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By Davkuy - March 2 - 10:00 am

  I am a return Neon buyer who learned an important lesson recently about buying a car based on reliability alone. I tried to buy a 03 Corolla, and found that its reliable as long as you keep it out of the wind and off the highway. My 99 Neon did better in most respects. I now have a 03 Neon SXT, and I love it. I cant say it will last me as long as the Toyota would, but at least it will be an easier commute.

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  Chargers are fun - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Drasil - March 2 - 1:16 am

  The handling is excellent. The V6 SE has plenty of pick up power. Plenty of leg and head room. Id take one over a Mustang GT anytime.

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  Dodge has hit a homerun - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By highgame - March 1 - 6:00 pm

  Yeah its not a Hemi, but my Magnum has plenty of performance. It handles as if it was a sports car. And Ive never owned a new car that commanded ongoing accolades. Magnum is the benchmark auto for station wagons and four door sedans for this decade. Im 6 feet tall and our friends in the rear seat are not sitting with their knees higher than their head. This is the crossover car of the year

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  110k and going strong - 1996 Dodge Intrepid
  By sm598 - February 27 - 8:44 pm

  I bought this car used at 68k 5 years ago. I love it, it is great in the snow and ice. Ive read about a lot of problems, but weve been very satisfied. The timing belt did break within 100 miles of purchase, but the dealer fixed it Id recommend replacing water pump at same time due to labor costs. Ive kept up general maintenance and had no issues. Trunk space is great as is the strong engine. I have the "autostick" trannie and it is wonderful in the snow and ice. At 109k the trim did start to come loose, but not bad. Hauls 2 kids and all their stuff wonderfully. We drove it cross- country and it did great, got 29 mpg and had room for all our stuff!

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  cool car - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By BaBe808 - February 24 - 10:00 am

  i love this car...i drive one