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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  No words needed - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By NeonSmeon - September 28 - 2:00 am

  Want a Dodge Viper? Dont have 80 grand? Get an SRT-4

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  Surprised winner of the Year!!! - 2002 Dodge Stratus
  By 02stratus - September 27 - 6:36 am

  It is the surprised winner, didnt think it would be, friend told me to test drive it and has love it since. Will totally surprise you, give it a test-drive.

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  hi - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By cili97 - September 27 - 2:00 am

  UNBALIEVABLE SPEED!!! WOULDNT TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING.

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  great - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By cat0352 - September 27 - 2:00 am

  all good,it is just a great car have had no problems with the car and probably will not

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  This car is Great - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By SRT-4 Driver - September 27 - 2:00 am

  Just got this car a week ago,already have 750 miles.Great power,the Turbo kicks you in the...uh... butt. The seats are nice.Anybody that complains about the gas mileage needs to remember this is a sports car, and it does get better mileage than my 67 Chevelle SS.

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  Dependable - Id buy another - 1999 Dodge Neon
  By Eagle77 - September 26 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car new for a second vehicle. The car now had over 68,000 miles and dependability has been outstanding. The only repair maintenance needed was to replace the rear brake pads and the dealer replaced a trunk spring under warranty that would not hold up the trunk lid. If there is a disappointment it is the gas milage, Im getting 24MPG with an automatic transmission and I thought I would get better. When I buy a car to replace it, a new Neon will be at the top of my list.

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  Stratus R/T - 2003 Dodge Stratus
  By BobALoo - September 26 - 2:00 am

  Purchased a Deep Red R/T and have had lots of compliments. The new look is cool. A lot of options installed, makes it fun to drive. The Infinity sound system is awesome too. A very efficient, safe, and reliable car. Well worth the money.

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  This is a great little car! - 1997 Dodge Neon
  By Neonlover - September 25 - 2:00 am

  My wife and I bought this car new in 97. We have driven it in virtually all weather conditions that you may encounter in the United States. This car is phenomenal in the snow. My wife and I are not gentle on the car either. We both like to use the 150 HP engine, bringing it to redline every once in a while. Gas milage has been as high as 39 on the highway and as low as 28 in the city. Not too bad in my book. We did have to replace the Head Gasket at 39K miles under warranty, but since then, we have only had fun with the car. I would highly recommend this car.

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  Once Again the Viper Dominates - 2003 Dodge Viper
  By Y2KGTS - September 25 - 2:00 am

  Having owned a 2000 Viper GTS prior to the SRT-10, I was skeptical that this car would live up to expectations. It blew them away. The looks, which I did not like in pictures, turned out to be nothing less than gorgeous in black. The power is improved, the brakes are incredible, and the car is refined yet not watered down in any way. In the brief time I have owned it, I have won a couple car shows featuring new Vettes and even a few other Vipers. I have also taken it to the drag strip, where it once again dominates. I have yet to encounter any stock car that will come close in performance, including previous Vipers. Bottom line: This car is AWESOME!

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  The Best Minivan there is - 2003 Dodge Caravan
  By hydro - September 25 - 2:00 am

  Just love this minivan, I would rather drive it than my Jag. It holds the road great, has lots of room, noise is quiet, looks good inside and I love the power door options.