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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  a very good all around truck - 1994 Dodge Dakota
  By James Strange - February 22 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car cheap and its great. The interior design is good, with a large glovebox and wood panneling its very large and comfortable. The infinity sound system is ambient with nice base for stock. The V8 is powerfull but a bit slow on the takeoff. It has a lot of pulling power for the size of the truck. The 4WD is great.It got me out of a ditch in two feet of snow.The extended cab is larger than one would expect.Ive put 50,000 of its 143,000 miles on it and I havnt had any engine or transmission problems with it yet.(just ware and tare stuff like hood latches and brake callipers.) One of the most comfortable and reliable cars Ive ever owned for so low a price.

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  Great - 2004 Dodge Viper
  By homerboy602 - February 22 - 2:00 am

  My car is great. Its so fast I cant count the numbers of cars I passed. Its got a great look and helps me pick up dates. I love it!

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  Intrepid SXT 2004 - 2004 Dodge Intrepid
  By sheryl heile - February 22 - 2:00 am

  This car is all I needed and more. Its fun to drive and fits the kids and the huge trunk fits all their gear too. Its a great car I would recommend it to anyone who shudders at the thought of a minivan.

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  A great SUV - 2003 Dodge Durango
  By grit - February 22 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Durango in late 2003 used, with only 7000 miles from CarMax. Very reliable, great power with a 5.7 Liter V-8 engine. Good fuel economy for a V- 8 (about 15 mpg). Great pickup and third row seat that folds into floor is a great feature. I like its style better than the new 2004. Interior design is also wonderful.

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  new viper - 2004 Dodge Viper
  By bestone - February 21 - 2:00 am

  Had 3 vipers thus far. 94rt-10,2002 ACR- absolutley rode like crap because the springs in the rear were 1200IBS and the fronts were 800IBS. Those were factory setups mind you? Current viper (2003 srt-10)suspension is improved ride logistics, but with really really strong springs with zero pressure tires from michelin. The ride is firm, the seats are firm. Needs headers and exaust to make V10 heard!

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  Perfect Compromise between a Truck & SUV - 2004 Dodge Dakota
  By Mopar Fan Rich - February 21 - 2:00 am

  I have only had my Dakota for a few months, but I can definitely say that I am impressed. The 4.7 v8 has plenty of power and gets better gas mileage than the 5.2 v8 that I had traded in. The short bed is perfect for hauling most items, and the interior is well thought out and comfortable.

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  Love My Avenger - 2008 Dodge Avenger
  By Love My Avenger - February 20 - 11:26 pm

  I wasnt even looking for a Dodge Avenger when this one just fell into place. Took it on a test drive and fell in love. This will be a great car to drive for our summer vacation.

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  This thing has been my A to B Champion commuter - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By thetreemind@mac.com - February 20 - 5:11 pm

  I bought this brand new in 2007, first brand new car i ever bought. I had an older used Honda Civic hatchback before that and it was pretty cool but had nearly 300K miles so i finally bought a new car. I used it mostly for my work commute, 40 miles a day for the first 5-6 years then i got a job that I could take a bus so i just use it now for weekending trips and short runs to the store and gym or weekend errands. It has never given me any issues. I have replaced the tires and breaks, done all the suggested maintenance, and it has been super good for me. 86,000 miles in ten years and Never a problem. I will probably sell it soon because i have always wanted to have a big rig for camping in, but i will probably never get anything as reliable... This little gem has given me ten years of amazing reliability... such an awesome Caliber. I will miss it! So maybe i got lucky? Maybe i picked out the good one? I have no idea... but this one is and has been as good as gold. If it were twice the size i would keep it another ten years. Wish i could super size it.

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  Mini Viper Strikes without warning - 1999 Dodge Neon
  By Steven D. - February 20 - 2:00 am

  Compact, fast, tight handling, awsome gearbox, unlimited possiblities. pulling up to a stop light next to a camaron iroc-z, and beating the crap out of it, makes you feel that much better because your getting 20 mph more than they ever will.

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  Just Intreppin - 1993 Dodge Intrepid
  By Insane~Mayhem - February 20 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car in Feb. with 141,000 miles on it. Good price on the car and I have been wanting the Intrepid for a long time and this is my starter Intrepid next will be the SXT model but this car is great, A/C pulley bearing needs replacement and a couple of side panels need to be replaced also but otherwise Intrepids should be on the top of list for family size sedan cars, you cannot beat the price even on the brand new models!!!