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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  102,000 and climbing - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By Christopher Caswell - December 31 - 8:54 pm

  I bought this 2013 in July of 2012 and have driven it every day for three and 1/2 years. I love the sytling, handling, acceleation and the way its layed out inside with instrumentation. It handles weel and, with its exceptional response and acceleration, its kept me safe and gotten me out of some near accident experiences. All Ive had to do is replace tires and change oil. If I oredered another one, Id get the leather interior and have lumbar support. I certainly love the large screen for the garmin and sound system. I also love the race trace tail lighting. Its been a great little car ! ccc

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  Absolute garbage. - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By James Smythe - December 29 - 2:43 pm

  I have had this vehicle for over two years now and drive it consistently. Be prepared to buy brakes and rotors on a constant basis. Look up this issue on the internet. Dodge put small, two piston calipers on a 4000 # car, causing it to warp rotors at a rapid rate. The lug nut design is set up in a way that you have to hammer a socket onto the caps to get them off, destroying them in the process. Once theyre all off, you can remove the lug nuts, then the tire. So good luck if you get a flat and have to change it. It is an extra $38 every time my tires come off because I have to replace the caps. The car could have a lot of power, but the computer takes over and effectively destroys any throttle response. When shifting into Drive, if you step on the gas the vehicle will literally sit and do nothing for two seconds, then all of a sudden decide to go somewhere. The blind spot visibility is low, so check a couple times before changing lanes. All in all, this is a poorly designed vehicle. Please save yourself the wasted money.

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  To Durango or not to Durango? - 2015 Dodge Durango
  By Audra - December 21 - 8:06 pm

  My husband and I have expanded our family with a new baby so it was time to upgrade our vehicle. We looked at several SUV’s from Chevy to Toyota, crossing Buicks and Fords, we even visited the jeep. The Durango was the very first vehicle I drove (test) and none of the other really gave us what all we wanted not only in space and safety but also price and comfort. We also have a 21 foot camper we haul therefore whichever vehicle we bought would need appropriate towing capabilities. Our dealership really hooked us up with some awesome warranties and life time powertrain coverage (with stipulations). Thus our buying experience was very pleasing after 10 days of running around everywhere comparing. Now I have owned my new Durango for almost a month. My review…I love how it drives and hugs the road. My children have their own separate seats and there is no issue with crossing each other’s paths. I am pleased that if one of them turns on the lights in the back, it does not cause any distractions with my driving I do not even know it’s on actually. Most of the extras like heated seats and multi adjusting seats are nice to have for convince and comfort. My husband is 6”6 and husky. I am 5”9 and a lil fluffy and we have plenty of room together no matter who’s driving. I can also sit in the back seat and tend to my newborn comfortably. Third row seats, my four year old love them. The GPS is a pain is the bottom though. It is one that I am working on figuring out. The voice recognition is not exactly my cup of tea. It’s like asking for a representative when you call the IRS… I do have a slight accent so I am not sure if this is the issue. Works good for making phone calls but if I want to go somewhere new I have to add 5 minutes to my itinerary to mess with it and pray I don’t hit it with a hammer. The Automatic high beams are not as punctual as I would like them to be. I feel I blind a quarter of the other drivers and another quarter thinks I am a vixen because the high beams flash on and off at times making it seem as though I am asking them to dim their light…thus I get flashed back. And last the rear hatch door does not seem to have a safety sensor for object in the way while it automatically shuts. So push the button and shuffle quickly out of the way. The good thing is, is that all my issues can be resolved by disabling them through the vehicles settings. I hope this helps anyone looking into this vehicle, as for me I will be keeping mine for a while!

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  Best of the best - 2003 Dodge Durango
  By Russell Galloway - December 21 - 12:17 pm

  My 03 Durango is the best suv I have ever owned. I have owned 03 for Ford Escape poor mileage, oil leaks 3 alternators The list goes on and on. My Durango is the best car I have ever owned. In fact I want another one this time a 4 x4. All these reviews talk about bad gas mileage, I get 18 plus around town, if I turn off the AC I get in the low 20s. It is the best value for a used auto you can buy. My Escape was stolen which now was actually a blessing since I got my Durango. I havent had this much fun driving with so much power ( 4.7 ) since my 1968 Camaro SS. The guy I bought it from purchased it from a buddy who had it sitting in a barn for a year. The lady that owned it didnt check the oil. Well after some partial rebuild this thing screams. I love this auto my only regret is I wish it was a 4x4 but I know with the correct tires and a lift kit you can go anywhere. I hope this helps you in your decision to purchase a Durango. One thing to to consider is the 03s are part of Mercedes partnership with Dodge

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  A great basic car - 1992 Dodge Spirit
  By Lubener - December 21 - 9:48 am

  The best car I have owned. I do the maitenance myself and has been extremely reliable( 2.5 engine w/ 3spd auto).. It is easy and cheap to work on. Unfortunately, having been through 24 winters, the underside is starting to fall apart but the sheet metal above still looks good. I have no complaints with my Spirit.

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  I have driven 5 of these buses - 2015 Dodge Journey
  By Frank - December 18 - 8:34 pm

  Front seats stiff and not very comfortable, A-pillar blocks a lot of side view traffic. Large blind spots, mirrors not big enough, Rear seat headrests block view from rear window. Car tends to pull in one direction , doesnt seem to steer straight. Transmission is poor, takes for ever for the V6 to get up to highway speeds. Engine deserves something better than the current transmission. Cheap looking plastics inside, they crack or break. Windows seem to have a lot of noise at highway speeds. Could use better tires and better suspension too. I have had 5 of these as company vehicles since 2009. Overall design is OK but cant understand why Fiat cant fix these same old issues.

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  If there was a cliff near by.. - 2012 Dodge Durango
  By Sean - December 17 - 11:09 am

  This was the biggest letdown experience I have ever had in a vehicle purchase. I could not even drive this truck! Every time the vehicle would shift my head would go forward as it lagged until the RPMs slowly got up there and which shift again and my head would go forward and lag.. Anybody to say different its just a Dodge fan and there sticking to their guns.. and thats it!! I have a 2002 trailblazer that the durango dont even come close too! I believe the newer ones with the v6 they put a better transmission in. Dad should have a slap on the wrist for putting this vehicle out I will never buy a Dodge again because of it

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  Low quality - 2005 Dodge Caravan
  By Mike Pinhole - December 16 - 8:42 pm

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  Solid Vehicle - Plan to keep for 10+ years - 2015 Dodge Durango
  By Gary Hackett - December 16 - 12:31 pm

  Purchase experience was excellent - Dealer experience was the best. Great looking vehicle that drives and runs well. Well built, quality SUV that I plan to keep and drive for many years

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  Bad Craftsmanship - 2014 Dodge Dart
  By Paul B. - December 16 - 4:59 am

  I bought a new 2014 Dart Aero with the automatic in May of 2014 and turned out to be a nightmare. In the six months I owned the car, it was in the shop for 2 1/2 months because of the emission control turning on the check engine light and the Active Body Control unit going haywire. The quality of the car is just awful. After 6 months of owning, I traded it for a 2015 Honda Civic. I took a small hit financially because Dodges do not keep any value, but the money pit needed to be out of my driveway. The car had a fantastic little engine that was lively and fuel efficient (46 mpg was my best tank) and great handling for a small sedan. Unfortunately, that is all I can say that was good with the car. The transmission was awful, the plastics creaking on the interior after 600 miles, and the paint chips galore on the front.