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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  Do Not Make A Mistake - 2001 Dodge Stratus
  By JH - January 26 - 11:53 pm

  I purchased this car about 2 years ago with 65K miles on it. Now it has 84K miles on it and nothing but problems. I started having weird engine noises and I took the vehicle in right away. After having regular oil changes and receipts for proof...my problem was that I needed a new engine at a cost of $6K which my extended warranty declined. The problem was due to engine sludge which is a common and known problem with Dodge and Chrysler vehicles with the 2.7L engine. I found this out after the fact by doing a lot of research on the internet. Chrysler does not care. Beware and do your homework. I will be dumping this junk very very soon. Not to mention taking a huge loss in dollars.

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  Horrible Reliability - Never Buy Dodge Van - 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By dodgevanowner - January 22 - 7:15 am

  Nothing but non-stop issues design flaws, poor quality and mfgd parts, and multitude of issues. Interesting, when you talk to all the auto shops - which plz take the time to do, they tell you they see this EVERY day with Dodges. After 55k miles, transmission completely went out - which was a $3k repair, dealership would have been $5k. With less than 85k miles still - have already replaced the front left CV joint, replaced alternator, front passenger window regulator, passenger sliding door lock actuator, rear hatch lift gate assembly motor/arm and also shocks, oil pan seal, and more. Bottom line, Dodge vans are total POS and will never buy one again.

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  Not good - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By Juan - January 8 - 2:58 am

  I bought my Dart brand new at the dealership with 14 miles in October 2012. Literally three days after I bought it, someone either put or I picked up a screw in my tire. $130 for a tire. We had a pretty typical winter in 2013, but somehow there was ice that got built up under the wheel well on the driver side, and it broke off a piece of the bumper. I had a headlight go out shortly after that, and I hit a deer a week later which dented the hood. I was told that it would cost "at least $1000" to fix the hood, even though it was very minimal cosmetic damage - but because it was a certain type of hood it needed to be repaired. I havent had to be in a garage for multiple days - but toward the end I was getting expensive repairs. The roads up here are not good for low-profile tires - I blew three tires on potholes and had to get a wheel bearing replaced. I also had the windshield crack for no apparent reason, the moonroof wouldnt close, and so forth. A cousin of mine recommended I get another vehicle. Found one yesterday (6/10/16) and traded it in. It was going to need a whole new suspension and it was less than 4 years old, and had been in Florida when I worked down there. Glad to be rid of it. Also the Dealer (Hartleys in Newport, ME USA) was garbage. They charged me $119 for a tire rotation that didnt solve the problem. $80/oil change as well.

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  CAR-LESS - 1999 Dodge Intrepid
  By Jean - December 28 - 10:30 pm

  The car started off great and roomy enough for two kids, great trunk space. I sit here today car-less because the engine is gone. For the past six years we have dealt with sensors going out, airconditioning, and oil pan problems. The rear passenger window rolls up when it wants to. Steer away from this car.

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  Dodge Aint What It Used to Be - 2002 Dodge Dakota
  By BK Lawson - December 25 - 2:40 pm

  Buying this truck was the worst vehicular mistake Ive ever made in my life. In the first 6 months, the truck had more problems than the last 3 vehichles Ive owned all put together! What was the most shocking was Daimler/Chryslers "We dont care!" attitude, resulting in my having to go to a lawyer to try and get some kind of satisfaction over what has been the most unreliable, annoying, untrustable truck I have EVER seen in my life! Then, of course, the warranty- theres always a way out for them so they dont have to honor it. Cheap parts, shabby construction, little to no inspection of finished product. My advice? Dont buy a Dodge truck. They sure arent what they used to be

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  Mistake - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By luvleia - December 21 - 8:30 pm

  After it was one year old, things started going down hill. Were now getting electronic and mechanical work done on it before the "new" warranty runs out, then we plan on trading it in before its too late. It could just be my car, but theres definetly problems with it and I think a recall needs to be made on the rear barrings, etc. Im about to bring it to the dealership for the 4th time and they still cant fix the problem. Next time well visit Honda or Toyota.

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  OK, but look before you buy - 1999 Dodge Dakota
  By Craig - December 17 - 12:33 am

  Very stiff ride, rocks a lot on bumpy roads. My wife and kids complained incessantly about the poor optics at the edges of the windshield. Definitely a gas hog. Had some wierd repairs I thought should not have happened - leading belly pan, upper and lower ball joints failed. Very small gas tank and had to fill up way to often. My previous estimation of Dodge quality suffered with this truck. Seemed to be a lot of noise when at highway speeds. Other years are probably more thoughtfully put together.

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  POC - 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By privateer - December 14 - 2:00 am

  I will never buy another Dodge product ever. The brakes needed to be replaced after 8000 miles. The transmission is stiff and jerky. The fit is poor and the dealership service is abysmal.

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  What a piece of garbage - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By bhoffman - December 11 - 9:11 pm

  My only hope is to warn others to look closely at this vehicle before purchasing. Two weeks after I brought it home, the electrical system burned out. After that, it was recalled for a sticking throttle. Following that, it developed a water leak which eventually led to moldy carpet padding. It took my dealer nearly 6 months to track it down. The transmission has been in for repairs 7 times! Its still not right! Unfortunetly, I was unable to invoke the lemon law on this one becuase I waived my rights as I bought it as a true employee purchase (through my father).

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  trans - 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By johnnyredknife - December 6 - 3:18 am

  I drove my 2012 Grand Caravan twice before having it towed back to the dealer. The trans was leaving a trail of fluid from the grocery store to my driveway where it ended with a puddle. The dealer said he ran it all day and could not find a leak. I suggested adding fluid. Mike called back claiming the pump and axle seals were leaking. A trans cant be run dry without sustaining damage. It was exacerbated by running it all day, but Chrys Limited Warranty only paid for seals, fluid and labor rather than replacing the unit. So I have an unrealible traffic hazard that I cant wait to get rid of. I would not recommend this for anyone interested in safety.