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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  Money Pit - 2006 Dodge Magnum
  By Chris - October 27 - 2:00 am

  I had many problems with my Magnum RT. Wheels started to corrode, transmission leaked, windshield wiper controls had to be replaced (all fixed under warranty). Had to replace factory tires at 31,000 miles, replaced a tie-rod at about 40,000 miles, and the brake rotors warped. Wiper controls were again acting up, and a noise started in the front suspension when I finally decided to trade it off. Loved the power and looks, but it had to go. Build and component quality was awful. This car turned me off of Dodge products.

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  Broken Record - 2009 Dodge Journey
  By Afager - October 26 - 2:00 am

  We bought this car in December of 09 used w/ 15,000 miles on it after looking mainly at GMC Acadias, this came along and I liked the look of it. The price was considerably less and it ended up being a same day purchase. I agree with many of the above comments, little interior things break frequently which is annoying but not a big deal. The BIG deal is the front brakes & rotors. We replaced them at 25,000 and are now having to replace them again at 36,000. We also got the calipers replaced at the same time as the first brake job since we were told they were sticking which was supposedly the cause of the first brake job. This time they have no excuse and its the same shop.

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  Turning Heads Everywhere That I Go! - 2010 Dodge Challenger
  By Corey Allen - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I traded my 09 RT in for my 10 SRT8 I am very pleased with my decision. The suspension is stiffer and the Brembos make the car stop on a dime. The car is very quick and the exhaust note is sublime. The car is definitely an attention grabber and my color choice of Detonator yellow adds fuel to the fire. The Challenger is a car that is great for cruising around town or putting on the road for a few hours. The trunk is big enough for a couple of large suit cases and the cabin is spacious. It definitely oozes American muscle and makes you feel like youre king of the road. The market is not over saturated with Challengers which is also a plus. Mustangs and Camaros are everywhere.

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  Great Car, whats with the paint? - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By Erica02 - October 19 - 2:00 am

  I have had my car for two years and love it! But I have had the roof painted and now and going to have to have the hood painted. The paint is just fading right off my pretty black car!

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  Love this car - 2008 Dodge Avenger
  By jcs - October 19 - 2:00 am

  The gas mileage is great 27 mpg town and I have got 33 mpg on the highway. I had trouble with the mygig radio system. The dealer replaced it once and Chrysler came out with updates later, this is a computer problem. The only other problem I have with it is the front passenger set is very uncomfortable. The styling is very good

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  The low down - 2009 Dodge Journey
  By steveh77 - October 18 - 2:00 am

  I read a lot of reviews on the Dodge Journeys and I think the majority of them have big holes. This is not a mini-van, not a fun to drive sports car, it is a family hauler. We immediately took our new-to-us Journey on a 4 hour road trip and it was great. Not once did I adjust my seat, the wife and the one child we took never got sick or hot or cold. Nobody complained at all at least about anything to do with the vehicle. The ride is smooth and the only thing you can hear from the outside is some engine noise, pretty low level unless you gun it easily drowned out by the radio at normal levels. I find it easier to drive than a grand caravan, turns really well for its size.

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  Drives Great - 2004 Dodge Intrepid
  By b4202i - October 17 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car about six month ago. Replaced brakes, very easy due to four disc brakes instead of rear drums. Having to change tires. It is super clean under the hood. Bought at 112K, have 122K on it now. Havent changed oil in 4K and it is still super clean

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  The BEST SUV of all time! - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By BEST SUV EVER!!!!! - October 17 - 2:00 am

  I just broke the 100k mile mark on my truck and i cant say it enough, this has got to be the BEST SUV EVER! I have owned 2 Explorers, an Expedition, and even a 4runner(BIG mistake) Out of all of them the Durango is a far superior SUV. I have done everything with this truck over the years, from hauling the family around to towing other cars to using it as my daily commuter car. It has never, EVER let me down! That thing just wont give up! Over the past few years the only maintenance Ive done was change the oil and change to a new set of tires, thats it in over 5 years thats all I have had to do. It still looks and runs like brand new! I will definitly recommend this truck!

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  Problem child - 2010 Dodge Charger
  By tracersummit - October 14 - 2:00 am

  Owned this rig for less than 2 months. Have barely 1500 miles on it and the sun roof doesnt work, the tire sensors flash on the dash board, the passenger window fell off the track and it has a vibration the the dealer cant find. All these problems have been looked at 3 times and still no satisfaction. As soon as my warranty runs out, Im going back to a quality German made car!

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  Love My Silver Bullet! - 2007 Dodge Magnum
  By Bandwagon - October 10 - 2:00 am

  Got my 07 Magnum R/T in Sept. 10 with only 11,700 miles on it...NICE! Like a brand-new car flawless in and out. Runs like a scalded dog when I hop on the gas, and cruises nicely at both low and high speeds. Love it on the highway, love it on the country roads I drive 55 miles one way to work each day. Looks killer, nice rumble coming out of the pipes. I scored with a low-mileage car that had a great option package. The stereo is fantastic. Not as much space to haul my drums as my Buick LeSabre had, but I make do. My last three GM cars went over 255,000 miles, lets see how long this Dodge lasts. Wish it had a stick shift! This car is definitely a Big Dog even with an automatic. Lovin it!