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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  dodge fan - 1999 Dodge Dakota
  By d1that2 - April 28 - 2:00 am

  Good power poor traction, fun to drive, comfortable but cab should be a little larger. Very nice looking truck. Short bed but designed to carry 4x8ft.sheets if tied down.

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  Dont Drive it in the Rain!! - 1999 Dodge Dakota
  By 6290 - April 26 - 2:00 am

  As I titled it, no traction in the rain. As I approach 25K miles with the original Goodyear tires, what will help my traction in wet weather? Probably nothing. Even with weight in the back, still cuts loose with light pedal. Zero problems except the catalytic converter quit 2K ago. Replaced for free and a cheap glove compartment latch that broke the first week I had it.

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  2001 Dodge Stratus RT - 2001 Dodge Stratus
  By porkchop89 - April 26 - 2:00 am

  Comfortable, slick and good looking. Lots of features standard and the stereo sounds great. The only problem is some clutch chatter when cold on chilly days and sporatic rattles. Controls are well laid out and logical. The only thing I would change is the cruise control needs lighting for night use. Would look better if it came with wider tires and not so much gap between the fender wells and the tires.

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  Victors 1995 Dakota - 1995 Dodge Dakota
  By Victor Williams - April 25 - 2:00 am

  Purchased this truck for daily transportation and towing travel trailer. Added aftermarket ignition and exhaust to improve performance with good results. Only serious problem was a water leak into cab that took 7-8 visits to dealer to finally fix. Heavy duty suspension and towing package well worth the $$ . Extremely pleased with it.

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  3.8L Grand Caravan - 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By tschuman - April 24 - 10:00 am

  The van has been a good driving vehicle and handles much like a car. Earlier Dodge vans we drove had squishy brakes but this years model was improved and brakes well. The infinity sound system sounds muddy, not high fidelity. Our major complaint has been major mehanical quality, in our case at 55000 mi, requiring a new engine despite proper engine care. This alone might not be a concern except for other nagging problems: transmission control module, engine ducting, engine mount problems, water pump, idler pulley replacement. Mileage has averaged 23 Hwy, 18-19 Cty

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  OK So far !! - 1996 Dodge Neon
  By tamra - April 24 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Neon last Dec. from a very well know dealership for selling "BAD CARS" i did not know when they sold me the car. So far all I have replaced on my neon is the brakes and a signal bulb. My car is at 93,960. It still runs good, alittle hard sometimes, but overall nice- When I bought it they said I had a new head gasket kit done, etc., so I hope they did not lie to me because if anything goes wrong like the other people? I will be in court...

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  intrepid, good & bad - 1994 Dodge Intrepid
  By big al - April 22 - 2:00 am

  Intrepid looks great, comfort excellent, performance very good, space very generous, but, on going problems with a/c needed major expensive repairs 7 years out of 8, brakes 4 sets of rotors and pads for 80,000 miles, plastic trim on roofline peeled.

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  intrepid, good & bad - 1994 Dodge Intrepid
  By Big Al - April 22 - 2:00 am

  Intrepid looks great, comfort excellent, performance very good, space very generous, but, on going problems with a/c needed major expensive repairs 7 years out of 8, brakes 4 sets of rotors and pads for 80,000 miles, plastic trim on roofline peeled.

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  solid, but.... - 2002 Dodge Dakota
  By babs johnson - April 22 - 2:00 am

  i just purchased the club cab sport a week ago. great comfort, doesnt have that overwhelming truck feeling inside. good get up and go,however it seems to lose torque when the AC is on but ive heard this about most vehicles. great solid all around build yet a cool sporty look. but it is a gas pig!!!! and i only have the 6 cyl. otherwise good tough truck that handles the pot hole filled new orleans streets wonderfully.

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  My White Rider - 1995 Dodge Intrepid
  By Safiyah Farrakhan - April 19 - 2:00 am

  This is the most comfortable car that I have had in my years of driving! The only thing is that the roof of the car has lost its paint and needs a paint job. Other than that, I feel as though that I am riding a 2002!