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 this car - 2002 Dodge Neon
  By Love this car - July 25 - 9:50 pm

  I loved this car I never had a problem with it. I owned it for eight months and put 45,000 miles on it. I was not good to it. I never change the oil on time. I drove a lot of dirt roads. It never failed me. It was one of my fav.

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  Could have done better - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By elysian_7 - July 25 - 9:08 pm

  Had mine 4 years, put 75,000 miles on it and bought it brand new. Its a good car. I have really had no problems until recently, but it has yet to leave me stranded. Im getting strange codes and my transmission is acting berserk. The 6 disk changer was a mistake and Im very upset with performance. Ive lost several cds into the unknown in there and had to replace the thing twice. Other than that its a smooth ride, once i get my current problem fixed (still dont know what it is). Great speakers, cool look, smooth ride, almost no blind spots. Great first car. I wont get another though. Sorry dodge, but i cant take the electrical problems.

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  awsome car - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By snackers - July 25 - 2:10 pm

  This is a great car, smooth ride, roomy interior and looks sweet. Gas mileage is not the best but when It rides and looks like it does, who cares.

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  Good Truck - 2002 Dodge Dakota
  By Maddog - July 25 - 9:07 am

  Bought this truck used and it now has 115,000 miles on the 3.9 V-6. The truck does not use any oil and runs well. The 5 speed manual has nice gear spacing and is easy to use. I average 18-19 around town and 20-22 on the highway. The quad cab is useful and it does what I need it to do. Good truck Dodge!

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  red truck - 2003 Dodge Dakota
  By John - July 24 - 8:44 pm

  Ive had a blast with this truck and without any mechanical problems so far. Its fun to drive and I can get my family of 6 in the quad cab without a problem. Adults might be a little tight in the back seat. The AWD handles great but is always thirsty for gas. The 4.7 L V-8 is a great sized engine for this truck.

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  Love made in USA - 2007 Dodge Caravan
  By SANJ - July 24 - 5:30 pm

  I am happy with my 2007 Dodge Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.3 L 6cyl 4A). Also I got lifetime powertrain warranty that no one offers out in market. Also my friend had it for 3-4 years & has low maintenance cost. Compare to toyota & honada you pay more & get same by the way when you buy dodge help US economy not foreign county

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  a great little car - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By neonguy528 - July 24 - 12:47 pm

  Bought my 03 neon new 9-02. I baby this car because I work hard for my money and want it to last. I love this car. This car design inspired many copycats from other companies. The new mazdas for one. In 6 years I have been stranded once with a busted alternator belt at 58,000 miles. I have had 5 or 6 times where the car has lost power while driving. My mechanic has checked it out and could not find anything wrong on the diagnostic machine. He said it was probably a glitch with the computer. I have 61,000 miles now and it is running perfect. I do need front control arm bushings. I love my neon and will never part with it. It has been a great car. And money well spent. I get 24-29 city. 39 or more hwy.

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  Nice Car - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Dave - July 24 - 8:33 am

  Bought this car new in November 2005 and now have 4000 miles, mostly city and suburban driving. It has been everything I hoped it to be. Lots of power, comfort, and quality surrounding you. Wife loves driving it and some of the electronic features are added pleasures. No problems with it, other than a squeaking brake at times while backing out of the driveway. Fit and finish is excellent, would highly recommend this for a comfortable ride and aggressive modern styling.

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  Fun but big-time TROUBLE - 1998 Dodge Neon
  By Paul - July 24 - 12:04 am

  When I found my Neon R/T, white with blue stripes, I thought I had gone to heaven. And there is no question that it is a fun car to drive when it runs but I have had nothing but trouble since I bought it. I have had the engine rebuilt twice and numerous things replaced, much more than I would expect even for a car that has over 150,000 miles on the odometer (I bought it at 94,000 miles). The trunk and right rear seat area leaks buckets of water in every rain or snow storm. If it wasnt for the consistent 30 mpg I would dump the car ASAP.

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  Love the looks, not the reliability - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By mixed - July 23 - 10:35 am

  Fell in love with this vehicle because it looks different - not the same old thing. Seats are comfortable for me, steering and brakes are responsive. Lots of luggage room. Then it stalled while I was driving 75 mph on the interstate - twice. Several recalls later and that problem has been corrected. Rear seal leaked, interior plastic is warped in a few places, sunroof leaked. I like having a reliable vehicle and Im not certain that is what I have with my Nitro. I drive close to 2,000 per month and I like knowing that I can get in, keep my gas tank full and my oil changed and go wherever I want to without worrying about reliability. Not sure that is what I have with my Nitro- shame!