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 it - 2008 Dodge Avenger
  By freeto3612 - July 5 - 11:44 am

  Love the looks, interior, exterior, handling, fuel economy, and the MyGig is a must have. Chill Zone Drink Cooler, Safety features and rear seat leg room are all well over normal expectations.

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  Fun car - 2006 Dodge Stratus
  By pacer71 - July 4 - 7:17 pm

  I really have been enjoying this car. We bought this car as a fixer for our credit, and had a choice between this and a Dodge Neon, no comparison. I am the primary driver for this car and have found that I make excuses to do things just so that I can drive it. Its a blast to drive and seems pretty sporty for a 4 cylinder.

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  Mad About You! - 2008 Dodge Nitro
  By dls - July 4 - 3:57 pm

  I have leased 2 Jeep Grand Cherokees, a Dodge Durango, a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and now a Dodge Nitro. By far, the Dodge Nitro is my absolute favorite hands down! The Dodge Nitro is such a pleasure to drive and a head turner to boot! The overall performance is so impressive for an SUV, I would recommend this vehicle to anyone. The price point on the Nitro is far less than what you would expect to pay for such quality. Thank you to Chrysler for designing such an awesome machine!

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  lots of little problems - 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By sports mom - July 4 - 10:00 am

  We went for the top of the line fully loaded, have had nothing but problems. dont always act up when you take it to the dealership. Dealer has been great. atleast everything is on warranty but what happens when there is no more warranty. problems with tranny, electrical, computer, slider motor & chain, ect...

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  Best of Breed - 2003 Dodge Durango
  By Hos - July 4 - 10:00 am

  Plenty of room inside , loads of cargo space and comfortable for longer trips. Power is more than acceptable for our needs and driving is responsive. Road noise is audiable, but not a factor. Milage is acceptable for this class of vehicle, giving us the sticker rated 14mpg/City and 15.9/combined. We havent yet made a long trip to determine true hwy. Cockpit is nice, controls easy to see and reach for the driver. The A/C seems a touch underated for city driving at slow speeds, but is great on the highway. The back seat (2 row arrangement) is comfortable for adult passengers. For the price, 21k financed, 2k down, it is the Best of Breed!

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  Is it hot in here? - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Jesse in Hot Vegas - July 4 - 8:13 am

  I had a small paint issue I have yet to resolve but the main issue I have with the SXT is that it feels like the A/C doesnt cool enough. I live in Vegas and I find it takes a very long time to reach a comfortable level of coolness. I also cant point the vents as far as Id like. I also found the Auxilary jack come loose after a couple months of having it.

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  srt4 acr - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By dodgesrt4acr - July 3 - 1:05 pm

  It is a great car the only thing I have done is replace tires and change the oil. It has been perfect and at top speed it is glued to the road it is amazing. The acr came with adjustable struts so it handles great but a little harsh. Just like it should there has been many much higher priced cars that have been shamed when they cannot keep up. This car I will keep for a long time. People complain about the transmission just install mopar short shifter and no more problem, remember mobilone.

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  Good for what it is - 2008 Dodge Caliber
  By bigdan - July 2 - 10:46 pm

  Bought this vehicle to replace a guzzling ram. My price out the door with tax was $14,700 plus $2.99 gas offer. Although only a $750 rebate is mentioned, the dealer magically pulled an additional $1000 worth of bonus cash out of the air. I am an employee, so I know they were just knocking this off of MSRP. I am not sure why the vehicle gets such nasty reviews. PROS: Roomy, looks ok, good value (read: cheap), more cargo space than I thought. Rides and handles nice. CONS: The 1.8 L is a little weak and the manual is a little stiff. I am not sure why a vehicle this size and with this engine gets only 28 mpg.. should get 35 mpg! Chill zone is kinda lame, doesnt really work.

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  What else do you need? - 2006 Dodge Magnum
  By CMW - July 2 - 10:43 am

  I traded in my beloved Avalanche on this black pearl magnum with the 18" nice rims due to my wife not needing a huge vehicle anymore. One test drive, and found myself searching the globe for the Magnum I wanted. My wife begged me not to get rid of the Avalanche, but after a week of driving the Magnum, she hasnt looked back.

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  Good first - 2001 Dodge Dakota
  By Evan V - July 1 - 9:41 pm

  We got this with 29k miles for $7700 because it had blemishes in the hood paint from overwaxing and engine heat, and had a crappy bed cover. The computer that ran the lighting system broke the day we got it, and the passengers window button didnt work. But those were easily replaced. This is my first vehicle, I like it because it is as big as the car I trained in, and has a bed for my fishing stuff. I had to buy new tailgate cables, as someone cut them. I also bought a locking gas cap for $15 and it fits, never too careful with gas at 4$ a gallon.