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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  Best Coupe 4 the money - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By Sals Dodge - May 12 - 9:50 am

  Bought this car new. Great fuel economy:32HWY, 24CITY. Still has original battery and rear brakes. This car is fully equipped with sunroof, power drivers seat, great CD player and all other expected options. Im getting ready to buy a new coupe, but havent found any car that could compare to this Stratus in ANY price range, Only draw back is not 4 wheel disc brakes. Still the best bargain for under $18000 (out the door). If dodge can come up with a new FWD coupe, Im a buyer. No need to shop around. What a WINNER !!

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  Somewhat satisfied - 1999 Dodge Dakota
  By SOME WHAT SATISFIED - May 12 - 6:26 am

  I purchased this truck in sept. 2007 from a used car lot that I trust very much. For the first few months it was great. The gas mpg had something to be desired but what can you do. During the winter months I froze because the factory heater didnt work correctly no matter what we did. We had to take the thermostat out so the truck wouldnt run hot. Now that is is over 100,000 miles everything is starting to go wrong. I have replaced the tensioner pulley 3 times and still squeals. The whole front end is going out. But for right now it gets me from point a to point b. I am trading it in within the next few months for something with better fuel mpg. 2500 on repairs in 1 month.

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  Great car ! But? - 2000 Dodge Intrepid
  By concerned8 - May 11 - 11:17 pm

  Hi, me and my husband bought this car in 2005. It was a used vehicle the car runs great we love it! But we have experienced a few problems. The starter has been replaced also the battery and now Im being told that the bushing need to be fixed on passenger side. I dont know. A lot of reviews say they only changed tire and brakes and thats it. So I am a little concerned, if I am getting ripped off or the maintenance is really needed. Please if you have any advice let me no or if you have similar car would appreciate your feedback ad opinion of my repairs.

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  20 years old and still starts right up - 1990 Dodge Daytona
  By George - May 11 - 10:04 am

  A 5-start safety rating - without airbags! When younger, my Daytona was scary-fast, stock. Unstoppable in snow, and still starts right up, whether its -40 or +40 (Celsius). Needed some repairs over the years, but what a trooper this car is. As for handling, this car goes wherever you point it - its amazing how this car takes corners: with NO body roll, this car saves you when you take corners too fast. Together with the turbo (which has never died on me), this cars performance and handling make it capable of handling almost ANYTHING. Im sorry mines getting old - they dont make parts for it anymore, and even the junk yards dont have them. My first car, and best car I ever drove.

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  Dodge Caliber SXT Sport - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Kevlar - May 11 - 4:00 am

  After six months of ownership I can say that the car has been dependable in temperatures from -15c to +40c and always started first try. Perfomance and handling on the car are quite impressive, the ride is stable and predictable on dry/wet/snowy conditions. Seating positon is more along the lines of a minivan than a car making it comfortable and very easy to get in and out of as remarked by my 71 year old father. As well as the long list of standard features on the SXT I opted for the security package adding the trunk cover, alarm system and cabin air filter. Another option was the Musigate System, this is a must for people that like music, 8 speakers and a sub with 458 watts of power!

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  great suv - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By loneeagle - May 10 - 10:52 pm

  This is a great suv!!! Really worth your money. Fun to drive especially on the highway, acceleration is awesome

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  Solid and dependable! - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By DDavis - May 10 - 1:51 am

  I traded in my Jeep Wrangler for this Black beauty and was very happy I did! The Durango is solid, dependable, comfortable, and quiet. For such a spacious vehicle, everything is accessible and convenient. The ride is very smooth and the sound system is excellent making for an enjoyable experience.

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  2007 Durango SXT V-6 - 2007 Dodge Durango
  By soccernut - May 10 - 1:10 am

  Ive owned my Durango almost 1 year now and have 15,600 miles on it. Pros: Comfortable, roomy and the kids love the DVD and 3rd row options. Can seat 5 adults and 2 kids comfortably. Cons: Poor fuel economy...even with the V-6 engine. Spending about $80 every 5 days...and I work from home! Poor acceleration with the 6 cyl. Resale is horrible. I tried trading it in this week on a more economical vehicle and it is only bringing $10,000 on trade (original MSRP $27,000). Will never buy another one. Also, sounds like the transmission is already starting to slip and there is a rattle in the back somewhere. My 01 Tahoe (V-8) was far superior in fuel economy, quality and performance.

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  147,000 - 2000 Dodge Intrepid
  By 147,000 Miles - May 9 - 2:16 pm

  I bought my car with 20,000 miles on it. Love the style of the car. In the past year I had a sales job and put 27,000 miles on it in one year. Currently I’m at 147,000. This has been the BEST car that I have ever owned. The only thing that I have had to do is regular maintenance. I have run amsoil in the engine and transmission since probably 40,000 miles. Recently I had to have the water pump replaced and that was a very expensive fix since the front of the engine has to be removed. (2.7 engine) When the engine was apart the mechanic said that it was very clean inside, No sludge! I also had to have my inner tie rod bushing replaced. (pothole)

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  My truck - 2005 Dodge Dakota
  By meatman - May 8 - 6:45 pm

  Truck is solid all around. Fun to drive and looks sharp. Is not to good on gas for a 6 cylinder, and does need some more power under the hood. Great in mud and sand. Towing power is not to bad for the size of the truck.