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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  even some great cars have flaws - 1997 Dodge Stratus
  By dodgeguy - September 14 - 2:00 am

  My 1997 Dodge Stratus with a 2.4L engine with DOHC runs pretty well. The problems were it idles too high and the head gasket that everyone has a problem with. The interior is the most comfortable than any car leather or not. The sound system is the best out of the dealership. Acceleration is not bad considering that it is a 4 cylinder. The body durabilty is amazing and safe. I recently hit a deer going about 55 mph and hit it on the front left corner. Looking at the aftermath the car I was shocked to see that all that was wrong was a broken headlight and the fender and hood were bent a little bit.

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  hustlers review - 2004 Dodge Intrepid
  By hustler - September 14 - 2:00 am

  i was a devoted pontiac man but after looking and then test driving i had to have more. so i bought it and i believe it was the best decision i have made in a while. i love me car.

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  Still Favorite - 2001 Dodge Durango
  By LarsTalon - September 14 - 2:00 am

  Have owned 4WD trucks and SUVs since 1956 and this is my favorite stock one. The 2003 (last) New England Winter didnt slow it down, neither did my two-way trip across the US on I-90 in January. Its tough enough to handle medium intensity offroading, unaided. And it handles remarkably well on the highway, stable even at extreme speeds. Its a good ride.

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  Land Yatch - 1996 Dodge Ram Wagon
  By D. I. Waring - September 13 - 5:30 am

  Dodge Vans have always had very powerful, very dependable engines; so the passing power in my 360 equipped version while impressive (6000 Lb van) is not surprising; handles very well too! What is surprising is the interior arrangements and use of space. someone finally got it right. ususally I had to choose between large center console convenience (Ford) or ample foot space/ leg room (all others). Now Dodge has them both! and i just love the table top that flips out with an extension between drivier and passenger; plus cup holders that will easily hold a super gulp or 1 liter bottle, wow!! the outward visibility is excellent through very large windows, yet deep tinting allows for privacy.

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  Hurry, the Korean replacement is coming! - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By Rick E - September 13 - 2:00 am

  Bang for the buck? How about blinding nuclear flash for 25 cents? A bulletproof twincam I-4, superstrong transaxle (built in NY, originally designed for turbodiesel Graz-built minivans!) wrist-size halfshafts, beefy brakes, "lasts forever" Quaife diff, real Viper seats, for $20K. Runs 13.8 dead stock, 12s with easy bolt- ons. Remember, these will be built for the rest of 04, a few months of 05, then the partys over. The next geneartion will be a Mitsu/Hyundai conglomeration. Ugh. The last real Mopar from Belvidere, IL. He who snoozes, loses.

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  nice ride - 2003 Dodge Durango
  By bubba dale - September 13 - 2:00 am

  meets my needs has great power i wish it had better gas milage. but over all it is a great ride

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  I Love it! - 2009 Dodge Journey
  By Christina - September 12 - 10:46 am

  I researched the Journey for 2 months, it took me a few dealerships and a few weeks to finally get what I wanted. I have not had any major problems with the Journey as of yet, I do hear a weird sound when turning left but I have not addressed it yet with the dealership. I would like for the Low Fuel signal to tell me how many miles left till empty. I average about 18 mpg w/i city and have not taken a road trip as of yet. I enjoy the flex seating, the space is a bit cramped, but then again only my children will be sitting back there if needed.

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  Great Value - 1995 Dodge Neon
  By Lukas - September 11 - 2:00 am

  I wanted a small sports sedan with ABS, 4-wheel disc brakes, 5-speed, good power and room for my family at a low price- Neon delivered. It has been surprisingly durable and the cost of ownership has been very low- just passed 100,000 miles with original clutch, shocks, head-gasket, etc. Brake pads lasted to 80,000 miles!

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  I Love My Dodge - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Zazzy - September 10 - 4:00 pm

  Ive only owed it for 3 months, but so far it is great. Fuel mileage is everything they say it is. I get slightly over 31 mpg. Its comfortable inside, and looks great outside. Because it has an excellent safety rating, the insurance costs are low. The rear seats fold back which gives me a huge amount of space for cargo. Stereo system is not bad either. If there is one thing that I do not like it would be that trying to check your blind spot on the drivers side is nearly impossible. I solved this with a blind spot mirror attached to the outside mirror. Other than that I am a very happy Dodge Caliber owner.

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  Very Happy with my Grand Caravan - 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By augrpeters - September 10 - 3:31 am

  My van has 83000 miles on it and drives like new. Ive had NONE of the problems stated by other owners. My 3.8 pulls strong and still gets 25 MPG. Im only 18 and yes I get made fun of for driving a minivan but it just keeps going and refuses to let me down (Ive been hard on it.) My van has taken me places where it was never designed to go. The only problem I ever had with it was caused by water in the gas. It has never failed to start even on the coldest mornings. My friends all make fun of me for having a van but Im the only one who hasnt been stranded by a vehicle. I will keep my Grand Caravan until its almost paid off and I will upgrade to a new one. Chrysler got it right with this!