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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  I love this car!! - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By gwenniepooh - July 24 - 2:00 am

  is there really anything not to love about this car? I get so many compliments on this car, the color is gorgeous! (pearly light blue)

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  I love my Durango - 1999 Dodge Durango
  By mrsvicki - July 23 - 2:00 am

  Had my Durango for over 5 years. I have it serviced every 3 to 4 thousand miles and it hasnt had any mechnical problems.I have had several rear bumper fender benders with no damage being done to my Durango.We drive the family to the mountains at least twice a month it is one of the most comfortable rides Ive experienced.I like sitting up high and feel very safe. Ill keep it until it until it gives me its last mile.

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  Great truck for the money - 2004 Dodge Dakota
  By pickuper - July 23 - 2:00 am

  Recommend buying this truck (SXT version) if you are on a budget and want something bigger than a true compact size truck. Great initial pick up and a fun drive. Plenty of space, great style and no mechanical problems to date. Enough space in the back seating area of the club cab version for kids. Light hauling has been great. AC kicks in the cool air without a problem when it gets hot.

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  Du-Rang-O - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By Chris Marken - July 22 - 11:36 pm

  Ive gone though several cars & I havent been excited about buying a new car in about 10 years. I went with the "cheapie" model (SXT - no leather, no Hemi, no DVD player). I cant believe how nice this "cheap" model is. If you dont need the 3rd row seat, leather or DVD this is the way to go.

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  I love my new van!!! - 2005 Dodge Caravan
  By our3sons - July 22 - 2:00 am

  I love this van. I have had others in the past, but the comfort and space in this one, far surpasses any other out there. The kids love the fact that they have their own reading lamps for road trips, and its really alot of fun to drive. I felt I was too young to drive a mini-van, with the stigma that sometimes comes along with them. But this is a luxury car with room for a family.

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  Dodge Viper GTS - 2000 Dodge Viper
  By Paulo Linguini - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Super fast car with excellent handling. Much more refined compared to my 1996 RT-10. I’ve had a viper since 1998 and still own one today (2004). Never have any problems. Service is very affordable. Not much out there than can keep up.

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  Dodge Stratus SXT 2 door - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By Carmen24 - July 19 - 2:00 am

  It is so much fun to drive. They look very nice, and they turn a few heads. The sound system that comes stock, is very good as well. It is very easily upgradeable. I love it and would recommend it to anyone.

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  love the stratus - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By stratusdriver2004 - July 19 - 2:00 am

  all around good reliable car

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  I think I found something special here - 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Mike C. - July 18 - 10:00 am

  I was looking for a minivan that would easily carry my family and occasionally friends as well as packages. For me, car shopping takes a while, I test-drove all of them before making my decision. This Dodge was perfect for my needs and current incentives also were a big help. I test drove 3 trim levels, each with different engine configuration. Bottom line, if you are looking for value and you dont care about acceleration, take the base 3.3L engine. Its fine for the needs. 4.0L engine simply rocks, if you can spend an extra $2k, get that and never look back, its that good. Another thing, gas mileage is better with bigger engine. So, you can potentially save money down the road.

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  Completely Impractical & Just Right - 2004 Dodge Viper
  By Mark M. Rankin - July 18 - 2:00 am

  The Viper is hot, loud, cramped and difficult to buy if youre married, but its a heck of a fun car to drive and own. Since buying mine, I cant pass a red light without getting a thumbs up or an admiring nod. Thinking of owning one, dont think -- just buy.