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 is junk and service is a SCAM! - 2001 Dodge Durango
  By jbarmywife - May 8 - 2:20 pm

  The electrical system, brakes and engine are junk. This is my third Dodge and I have had problems with all of them. My 2005 Dodge Ram kept breaking down and every time wed take it in theyd charge us $100 and say theres nothing wrong with it. Same with my Durango, even with the check engine light on they say theres nothing wrong yet my car just stopped on he road. Its still not fixed and I cant sell it the way it is. Now my husband has a 99 pickup and you can clearly tell the cylinders are missing. It jerks you back every time you drive it and he took it in today. They charge him another $100 for nothing. It shows up on my friends diagnostics machine. SCAM!

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  Whats up with the Brakes - 2005 Dodge Stratus
  By Not Happy - May 6 - 9:46 am

  I hate my Stratus. The interior is dark. Should be overhead lights or lighting on the shift. And the brakes. Ha - mine squeal so bad Im embarrassed to stop beside someone. The dealership claims there is nothing wrong. I read that if you reverse the calibers it was suppose to help, but my mechanic doesnt understand what that would do. The sound is worse then a dump truck. I hate this car and if I wasnt so upside down on it,I would trade it in today, Calling Dodge or Chrysler doesnt help.

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  Disappointed - 2005 Dodge Stratus
  By bran222 - May 1 - 10:40 am

  We bought this car with 18 miles. It was our first New car. The second day we owned it the engine light came on. We had to have the emissions system replaced. Since then the drivers power window has had to be fixed, I have taken it to the dealer 3 times about the brakes and transmission and they say everything is okay. Now that its just out of warranty (we hit 40,000 last month) I am told the front wheel bearings both need to be replaced! I know the transmission still slips and is very jerky or slow to shift into gear. The brakes have been loud for months. Trade in is 8,000 and I have the V6 engine! Very disappointed, nothing but problems from the start!

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  Unsafe to tow with - 2005 Dodge Dakota
  By michaellrar - April 27 - 3:50 pm

  Purchased this truck a year before I purchased the travel trailer I was going to pull behind it. Only made one trip with 24 foot travel trailer before parking the truck. Traveled from Little Rock, AR to Pigeon Forge, TN and back summer of 2006. It was the white knuckled trip from hell. The transmission and engine acted up the whole time I was pulling the trailer. Truck is rated for 7050 lbs and my trailer was 4000 lbs dry and 5100 lbs wet and loaded. Took it to the dealer 4 times to get it repaired. Each time they said there is nothing they could do. The 2008 model has the same engine but it is beefed up with more HP and torque but same towing limits. Hummm!

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  Dont Bother - 2006 Dodge Dakota
  By Matt - April 16 - 7:44 pm

  This is by far the worst truck Ive ever driven. The 4.7 V-8 is a joke, it has no power and gets horrible mpg. The best mileage Ive seen is 15 mpg highway empty, if I tow even a small trailer it gets 9 mpg. Toyota and Nissans V-6 have better power and mpg. Not to mention that its been in the shop 6 times in less than 2 years, 4 times for tranny issues, radio problems and cracked exhaust manifold. Stay as far away as possible from Dodge products they are complete garbage across the board.I should know I rent them daily basis or should I say send them to the shop daily. Thankfully this is a company truck and I dont have to keep it for much longer.

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  Do not buy - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By russ - April 1 - 9:36 pm

  These are dangerous, it stalls when sitting in park, surges while you have your foot on the brake, like someone is pushing on the gas, radio replaced eating cds, computer telling tires need air when they dont. These suvs have issues, going to abritration and a attoney. They look great, but stay away. Many recalls

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  Not very happy with this car - 2006 Dodge Stratus
  By jg - March 31 - 12:18 pm

  I bought this car used in August of 2006, it had 14,000 miles on it then. I am having to replace the head gasket now. When they were removing the parts to redo the head gasket, the front motor mount broke in half, we found that it was made from very thin aluminum instead of steel. We also discovered that this wasnt the first time that this vehicle has had Major work done on it, had to have been before it reached 14,000 miles. I am kind of leary of this vehicle now, and think that I will soon be looking for a new one.

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  What a piece of absolute garbage!!! - 2005 Dodge Stratus
  By Jessi - March 21 - 3:10 am

  Well, my husband already had the car when we got married in 09-06.It was under factory until 36,000 Miles. At about 38,000 Miles, the crank seal went out because of play in the crank. It was $400 to fix the seal, and $2000 if we wanted to fix the crank. Since we didnt fix the crank, the seal went out like 2 days later and we have to put like 5 quarts of oil in it a week because it just pours out. Also, around the same time, the transmission has begun to jerk when its put into gear. We took good care of the car (oil changes, scheduled maintenance, etc.) and it is still falling apart at 38,000 Miles. Its such a freaking piece of crap. Were stuck with it though because we still owe $10, 000 on it.

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  I would pass on this one. - 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Marilyn Walter - March 20 - 12:20 pm

  Brakes are horrible. Needed front pads at 16,000, never in my life and then back pads at 18,000. Now the car wont start. Had issues with the plastic key. A couple of times car is on, yet no radio, AC, lights etc. nothing is working then you have to fiddle with the key and it works. The shifter is funky too, have issues with that, sometimes you have to press all the way down on the brakes to get it to shift into park. I would not buy another Caravan. I should have gotten the VW minivan like I wanted but was talked into this when I returned a Jeep Liberty. oh well.

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  Gotchas all beat! - 1997 Dodge Caravan
  By Unhappy and Broke - March 18 - 7:56 pm

  I just may have you all beat on the repairs, lol.One thing a little different, when I turn on my wipers, sometimes theyll come on, and when they finally come on they wont shut off until you are totally aggravated by the wiper dragging across the dry windshield. I have replaced the tie rods, tie rod ends, sway bar, bearings, power steering pump, fuses,taken it in for 3 recalls, only to find I had to replace the tension pulley, the ac doesnt work, the only fan speed left for heat is high,the head lights wont stay on,the parking lights dont work anymore (rusted sockets). Needs rotors, brakes again, this year, had a strut plate put in for the rusted housing, other side needs now and struts, door stripping.