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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  Better than my 96 Cirrus - 2006 Dodge Stratus
  By Harold - August 21 - 10:43 am

  Ive just purchased this vehicle last week and it is a significant upgrade over my 96 Cirrus. It seems to have a lot more interior space and a bigger trunk. I was leaning toward a 4 cylinder for gas mileage, and this has it I like the fact it has the LATCH system for car seats for the children and working AC (especially for Florida). The interior is simple and not an eyesore. Controls are easily accessible and understandable. Acceleration tends be loud, but it is a 4 cylinder and not a 6. This vehicle is a welcome addition to my family of 4.

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  Lemons Are Us - 2009 Dodge Caliber
  By Bill Rafajko - August 21 - 10:07 am

  This car is a dream lemon. If you love spending money; getting towed; frequently driving rentals and paying for them ... then this is the car for you. Ive decided to get the car painted lemon yellow as dreamy blue is a misnomer.

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  Brakes - 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By rick - August 20 - 7:03 am

  I had a Dodge Grand Caravan that I purchased there less than a year before with brake noise. My wife complained on previous occasions but was told nothing was wrong. When they finally looked at it vehicle was out of warranty period and they said the repair would not be covered. It cost us $471.98 to replace front and back pads and resurface rotors. Was not informed that a TSB #05-006-08 had been issued. Part number recommended in TSB does not match part number on my invoice. Now they need replaced again a year later because they were making a squealing noise and overheating. When I took it in to a local mechanic, he said my left rear caliper is leaking and needs to be replaced. No calipers

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  Watch out. - 1992 Dodge Stealth
  By Jonathan - August 16 - 11:14 pm

  These arent reliable. Dont let the name fool you. This car is what is known as a "captive import". It is a Mitsubishi 3000gt badged as a Dodge. Mitsu parts are very expensive, and the labor is difficult and expensive as well. They break easily especially with age. But, if you happen to get a good one, the twin-turbos are awesome, and the all wheel drive is really fun as well.

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  Peppy Mid-Size Machine (V8) - 1998 Dodge Dakota
  By Joe - August 15 - 10:15 pm

  Now that I have the Dakota I am very happy that I bought it. My friends always talk about their fast little cars, and to be in my 5.2 and beating all these sporty little cars makes me laugh so hard. They are relatively easy to work on and I love punching it when I am going slower than 40 mph because getting it to chirp is sweet. The Dakota to me is a fine truck I would buy them for a long time but only from 1997-1999 because of the 5.2 and body style because the new body style to me isnt that good looking.

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  Not that great of a car - 1995 Dodge Neon
  By james - August 15 - 1:57 pm

  I bought my Neon with somewhere around 62,000 miles, which at the time seemed great. But the car leaked massive amounts of oil, and the speedometer broke and would come on and off while driving(so my Neon still has around 62,000 miles). The longer I had the Neon the worse the problems got. Often on the freeway ramp the car will take a long time to shift into a higher gear, forcing me to merge with free way traffic at 45mph. Ive taken mine to the shop to repace 02 sensor, head gasket, and just recently the wiring to the computer. I have had the Neon die on me while driving in traffic a number of times (which is both embarrassing and scary). I am done with Neons, they require too much up keep.

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  2003 Doge Neon SXT - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By Rudy Sias - August 15 - 9:49 am

  This is just a fun car to drive. With the sunroof open and the windows down, this car is a very fun car. Gas mileage is good, and this is both a good commuter car and a roadtrip car. The trunk has plenty of room, as does the car interior. Car maintenance has been simple, with just routine oil changes providing and tire rotations meeting the cars needs.

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  A Sleeper, the R/T is Great - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By maxbob - August 15 - 2:00 am

  This car has a great suspension, tires, brakes, handling, design, and stereo. Just good are seats (cloth), instuments, controls, finish. NOTHING is bad on this car. A best buy at discounted prices, made in America, and adding two things: a front tower sway bar and a replacement K&N air filter adds perfection to performance for less than $100. A great car!

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  SRT-4 - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By Lin Dailey - August 15 - 1:00 am

  I have had nothing but pleasure driving this auto. It is quick and corners very nice. Many people try to race me but I just smile and pay attention to the road. I really enjoy driving and this has been one of the funnest cars I have driven in 35 years.

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  Love the Charger - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Dave - August 14 - 5:29 pm

  Checked out lots of cars and SUVs prior to purchase. The Charger beat all of them hands down. The car looks great, drives like a sports car and rides like a Cadillac. One of the few that offered AWD in my price range and had an excellent rebate as well. I needed something to haul the kids around in that wasnt boring.