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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  Great looking fun car - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By krd - June 1 - 1:49 pm

  If you want a four door sedan that excites you everytime you drive it then the Charger SRT8 should be your choice. Wonderful acceleration and great handling for a heavy sedan. The interior is very comfortable. The seats just coddle you. Controls are easy to reach and use and work well. Car does what it is supposed to do and looks great doing it.

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  Best purchase ever made! - 1994 Dodge Intrepid
  By Susan Patnode - June 1 - 7:49 am

  Bought this car in 1996 with 36,000. Purchased extended warranty. Had transmission issue in 98, covered 100% by warranty! Have had no other issues! Never had a day when the car didnt start (gets cold here in winter) When I purchased needed reliable car..single mom 3 kids. My youngest were 5. They are now 16 and learning to drive. Guess what theyre driving? The intrepid! 175000 miles, a year in storage, and still going strong!

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  2005 Dodge Durango Adventurer 4wd - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By jkh - May 31 - 12:43 am

  Love the Hemi, powerfull yet quiet. Great for coastal roads and long hauls. Gets better mileage with speed, so I suggest investing in a radar detector.

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  May, 2007 - 1998 Dodge Intrepid
  By Nancy Davis - May 30 - 2:42 pm

  I love this car! It has been very reliable with no big repair problems. I have put two new starters on it and it is using about a quart of oil /1000 miles. The mileage is 20 mpg in town and on the road. It rides with a soft ride and is easy to drive. It has no big problems that I know of. The color makes it look classy and the style of the body is very sporty. I just want a newer car with dependability--or I would keep it!

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  2.7 engine is garbage - 2000 Dodge Intrepid
  By jbrogz - May 30 - 10:11 am

  Bought car used. I use full synthetic oil and change religiously at 3000 miles. Oil sludge is still there (propbably prior to when I bought it). Will be changing engine to a 3.5 liter. If it wasnt for the problems with the 2.7 L. it would be a perfect car.

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  First American Vehicle ever bought - 2017 Dodge Durango
  By Carsonsgirl - May 30 - 12:04 am

  Yup, Ive had Volvos, BMWs, Lexus, Nissan, Toyota and Mazda in all the years Ive been buying cars and this is the 1st American car Ive ever owned and so far, so good. I love the vehicle and the entertainment system is very good. The one thing Im wondering about is the feature for shutting the engine off automatically when the car is stopped. Its an auto stop feature for the engine and Im wondering if this will cost the engine premature wear and tear. Yes, it can be shut off but I like knowing it helps to preserve gas and can bump up your MPG by 1.

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  Please turn engine light off! - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By Jorge - May 29 - 11:36 pm

  I have had this car 3 months. Great Looks, 3.7 L. engine good track record, (Jeep Liberty) notable refinements. 1.5 months later engine’s light came on; up today still on, they have no clue (dealer, Chrysler). The third time the car stayed at dealer for four days dealer could not figure out the nature for problem. Then it was time for Chrysler. That day I drove car home with light on, and still waiting for software update. The other incident I encounter twice while driving, it just quit, and all dashboard lights came on. The sad part is that the car is for my wife’s use and daughters, instead I am driving it. Wife does not feel safe driving it, thinking she might get stranded on the road.

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  Its been good to me so far - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By Durango Driver - May 29 - 5:01 pm

  Though not perfect in any single category, this is a very good SUV. I have not had one single mechanical issue with this vehicle. I do all service work myself according to the book, which I am hoping will save money in the long haul. Performance with the 4.7L V8 is good, I occasionally tow a utility trailer with various loads and it still performs admirably. Long grades at 70 MPH fully loaded are no problem. Braking is excellent for a large SUV both in feel and in braking distance. The bumpers fore and aft are thin plastic, not adequate. They are painted on the SLT and higher trim levels, which leads to very visible road rash from debris.

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  Love My Charger! - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Gary - May 29 - 4:25 pm

  For the price, the size, power, and comfort cant be beat. Im a tall person. Ive driven German luxury cars in the past. This car matches the power and exceeds the leg room by far.

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  OK car, but not built to last - 1998 Dodge Neon
  By april - May 28 - 7:28 pm

  It is an OK car but mine leakes water from the roof around the front windshield and under the glove box. One of my doors doesnt close all the way so the door ajar light is always on. I have had a crack in my oil tank and had to have my transmission replaced. My air also doesnt work. It was good when I first got it but now it is falling apart.