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 cant believe Im driving a Dodge - 2014 Dodge Durango
  By bigredjumbo - May 1 - 7:15 pm

  Been in the market for a 3 row SUV for over a year. I waited for the new Chevy Tahoe to come out - and it is really nice but very expensive. Read great reviews on the Durango, test drove it and thought it was the best bang for your buck. The styling is aggressive and the inside is refined. Looked at the GMC Acadia as well and it was just "ok" - the wow factor was not there. The Durango has it. I put reliability at 5, but to be honest I have not had it long enough to really rate it - I guess Im hoping it will be a 5.

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  Life saver - 2012 Dodge Caliber
  By xreaper101 - April 28 - 6:24 pm

  This is going to be sweet and to the point. My girlfriend has had this car for about a year now and the car has worked well and reliably this whole time. Its great on gas, has a refrigerator built in above the glove box, and has lots of capacity to carry people or items. The big reason i love this car is for today though. She got in a roll over accident at 45mph. The car rolled 2-3 times, every piece of glass broke and the car was a mess. But she came out with nothing but a pulled neck muscle and a bruised knee. I believe this car saved her life.

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  Modern Muscle, Vintage Vibe - 2013 Dodge Challenger
  By ivaskaj - April 28 - 12:28 am

  R/T base with the 6spd manual, Sound Group II stereo, HID headlights, and a sunroof. This thing is quick. So far, Ive seen an avg. of 4.85 seconds on the 0-60 timer in the info center. The transmission shifts smooth and precise, excellent for stock. Love the pistol grip. The torque curve is as flat as Montana, and twice as big. This thing sounds amazing for a stock exhaust, nice growl under acceleration, but barely audible at highway speeds. Excellent ride quality, and its library quiet at 70 mph. HID headlights are amazing, both low & high beams. The stereo is also excellent, plenty of bass. Never seen less than 19 mpg, and a peak of 23 so far.

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  Sporty and Practical all in one! - 2014 Dodge Durango
  By gmr1984 - April 25 - 5:29 pm

  After about a year of vehicle research we decided on The 2014 Dodge Durango R/T AWD. I could not be happier with the decision. The Durango is everything anyone could need. My family of four rides very comfortably anywhere we go. The kids love the dual entertainment screens in second row. I love my Alpine sound system, and my husband loves the hemi. I love that we are able to tow a boat, drive safely in the snow, and take long trips comfortably. The gas mileage isnt the best, but what would you expect with the Hemi?

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  R/T Classic GWE - 2011 Dodge Challenger
  By rcatta - April 1 - 3:23 pm

  Love this car. Green with envy color. I live in NYC and get people taking photos all day long. It is just beautiful. And when I am on the highway, the engine just purrrrrs. No problems. Plenty of power, torque, plenty of room inside. My only real complaint is the steerting wheel is not the most comfortable, like they are in most modern cars.

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  Fun to drive the dart - 2014 Dodge Dart
  By wizkidvj - March 28 - 11:56 pm

  After comparing a lot of compact sedans, I settled for the 2.4L Dart mainly because it was the only car under 20K offering a 2.4L engine and an auto 6 speed. I was firstly delighted by the standard 8.5" touchscreen control. Absolute pleasure to control music, climate, nav without any distractions. The second thing that I found amazing was the interior cabin space. This C-class compact car almost goes head to head with a D-class sedan. The car has a ride handling that is zippy and fun even though a bit heavy (which is why I feel the mileage is not the best). Ive driven 2 5-hr long trips on my Dart since I bought (last 2 months) and I found it to be absolutely delightful.

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  Putting a lot of miles on it - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By chrisgvu - March 28 - 10:30 am

  2007 Caliber, 2.0 SXT, CVT. I got this vehicle when I was hired in another city and drive about 550 miles per week. I am getting around 27MPG and love the ride. The car now has over 123,000 miles and Im hoping to get another 80,000 or so before trading it in. I am 62" and fit in the vehicle well. While I do wish the mileage was a little better, I am happy with the vehicle.

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  Great car, bought new, currently at 58k miles - 2010 Dodge Challenger
  By noboringcars - March 10 - 3:42 pm

  This was the first American car I have purchased and I havent regretted it. Its reliable, well supported by the dealer and aftermarket, attractive, comfortable, and has a great owner community. Dont buy this car is you want to remain anonymous. Owning a Challenger is instant rock star status. Ive only had 2 issues with the car: 1. the headliner dropped from a bracket behind the sunroof, fixed under warranty. 2. a piece of interior window trim cracked, I replaced it myself in 15 minutes. All in all, its been a great ownership experience. Parts and service are inexpensive. Lots of opportunity to customize for more performance and/or convenience.

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  Nothing more satisfying than American muscle - 2014 Dodge Durango
  By dewarsandsoda - March 9 - 11:00 pm

  My lease of a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd was expiring and since my family was expanding, I required third row seating. I was going to return to a European nameplate such as GL550, but since I had had no problems with my Jeep, I had to consider the Durango. While the Durango is not as luxurious as a Mercedes or Audi, one still gets good value for the money. My RT AWD is fully loaded (Tech Pkg, Rear DVD, etc) and costs significantly less. The RT sits a little lower than a comparable Citadel and feels firmer when on the road and while going through turns. Its very smooth on the fwy with minimal road noise and the 8 speed shifts effortlessly.

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  Do Not Buy This Car - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By stacysmoon - March 8 - 6:40 am

  I bought this new car because I wanted reliability as my last car was ten-years-old and I have a new baby. Since I purchased it a tire blew, the electrical has issues, the thermostat was faulty causing me to be overheated and stranded, the hose connecting the radiator is deterioating and leaking red coolant, and who knows what will happen next. I have had it six months and have been in the shop every month since. If you have money to waste this car is pretty enough, but dont rely on it it work.