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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  Green Durango - 1998 Dodge Durango
  By Intellectual - May 14 - 2:00 am

  This truck has never given me any problem in the 5 years Ive owned it other that the battery dying in the middle of a deer hunt. Gas mileage is fairly typical of other SUV owners Ive talked to, and it is tolerable if you keep your foot out of it.

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  Dakotas a hit - 2002 Dodge Dakota
  By dakotavol - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Second Dakota Ive owned, and Ill do it again, more than likely. This truck has the new 4.7 V-8, and although I hated to see the venerable 318 go away, the 4.7 is POWERFUL. Its got plenty of power to react quickly, even when pulling a boat, trailer, or other heavy load. Comfort is on a par with with most luxury cars, the ride is smoother than any truck Ive ever ridden.

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  Totally reliable, economical little car! - 1997 Dodge Neon
  By *~Kelli~* - May 13 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Neon new in April of 1997 and I have been more than pleased with it ever since! When it was new there was an issue with the transmission that was promptly replaced without any problems and ever since then, it has only been to the shop for scheduled maintenance (knock on wood). It gets SUPER gas mileage! Even today, it is still getting 39mpg hwy and 35mpg city consistently. For a 4cyl car it has alot of power and speed. We now have a Chrysler LHS to use for a luxurious family car, but my husband still drives the Neon daily with no trouble for his 150 mile round trip commute.

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  Good Little Car - 1995 Dodge Neon
  By chamb - May 13 - 2:00 am

  My wifed owned for 8 years (purchased new) and NEVER had any problems with this car. Althought this isnt the safetest car on the road today, it did hold up well on 5/12/03 when she was broadsided by a new Ford Windstar Van...thank God nobody was hurt !!! Now she wants another one...that says something for this little car.

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  Reaserched it ! Bought it! Happy with it - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By Dave - May 12 - 10:16 pm

  I had been driving a Ram Hemi, wanted to downsize a little but couldnt find any SUV values. The Nitro sticker price caused me to look further. I liked all of the standard features and 4x4. I decided on the base model and upgraded to include the 4x4 and tow package. The base sound system works exellent and the ride is comfortable. I am tall and have to lean a little to get in, but plenty of headroom once inside. Plenty of power from the 3.7 and plenty of room inside, with the seats folded down for a place to sleep while camping! I did plenty of research, and for the money, I found nothing to compare. I have not experienced any of the problems described by others. Very happy!

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  Gotta Hemi - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By Dude got a Hemi - May 12 - 6:06 pm

  Wow, steering took a little bit of getting used to. It is very precise. Where you point is where it follows. Does not drive like a big wagon, inspires you to take curves quickly. Feels like a car that cost 20,000 more.

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  Perfection Thy Name is Neon! - 1998 Dodge Neon
  By BC Reed - May 12 - 2:00 am

  This car is fantastic! I have an Iceman cold air intake on it and it gets 30/40 mpg easily with a gain in performance. I am over six feet tall, yet it is comfortable to drive on long trips or around town. I have yet to find a car that combines the power (150 plus HP) with the mpg and the room that this little baby offers. I have had zero trouble with it and I will keep it until it dies. I HIGHLY recommend a Neon to anyone who wants a performance car that has all of these pluses and still runs on regular gas.

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  Nice and good car - 2000 Dodge Neon
  By ptar - May 10 - 2:00 am

  I got this car at 16900 miles. Now it has 33500 miles on it. It has been a very good, reliable car. It hasnt had any problem. Its fun to drive and a very good sound system. But the engine sound is a little bit loud but pretty normal for this size of cars. Overall I like it a lot.

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  Almost 2 years of fun drivin!! - 2001 Dodge Stratus
  By Shaner - May 10 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my 2-Dr. Stratus SE for almost 2 years and I havent had one problem. I drive all over the state for my job (in MN). It handles great in snow. The 200 hp V6 is a beauty weaving in-n- out of freeway traffic (I swear it has more gusto than the V8s I owned in high school). Handles corners like a dream. Stylish interior & exterior and a roomy trunk are a huge plus. Fairly easy to get a kid in-n-out of the backseat. Also, probably the best stock stereo Ive ever heard. Overall, a solid, dependable and extremely fun car to drive & own. I couldnt be happier.

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  Sharp & Sleek - 2008 Dodge Avenger
  By Chrissie - May 9 - 11:10 pm

  I really love the body style of this car The R/T is the more sporty of the bunch with the performance and handling, which is why I chose it. The seats are amazingly comfortable I also have the heated ones so that makes for a enjoyable ride. The sunroof also adds flair to it. Im planning on ordering the windbreaker to accent the sunroof. You really should test drive this to get the full extent of the vehicle, I honestly have no regrets on purchasing this vehicle. it rides smoothly and even more so with weight in it. I honestly have no complaints about the car it handles like a dream and I love the character it has it screams Im Ram Tough!