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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  Initial Quality Nightmare - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By capt insano - May 20 - 2:43 am

  Car has been to the dealer twice for two days each and needs to go back again. Car was not aligned at the factory. Multiple squeaks and rattles. Had a warped interior panel replaced. Windshield squirters didnt work. Car has stalled twice. Sirius radio goes out under bridges. No good place to put your right knee. Windows fog easily. Engine sound quality is poor. Bought it because Im a DCX employee that needed a car than day. I will pursue lemon law if issues persist.

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  Stuck With It - 1998 Dodge Dakota
  By Blessed Anyway - May 18 - 4:53 am

  I rarely buy vehicles and only once bought new which was this one. Ball joints and brakes were bad news for this model. Several manufacturer recalls: steering, two exhaust related ones. Brakes warped (Underengineered). Oil pressure has been issue this past year. Had oil pump replaced and only slightly improved pressure. Overall, performance was great compared to other small trucks, especially power/acceleration from 4-cyl, but the quality of parts and durability was quite poor. Several interior items failed, some more than once. Emergency brake handle, glove box handle mechanism, and cup holder assembly all failed. Overall, it took a beating from me, but I feel I didnt get full value.

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  Dodge Durango ROCKS! - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By HemiLady - May 16 - 2:00 am

  Had to get use to the new styling of the exterior. I do own a 2000 and 1999 D. I love the ride and the larger interior that the previous Durangos lacked.

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  Great Mid/Full Size Truck - 2004 Dodge Dakota
  By Christopher - May 15 - 10:33 am

  This is my first pickup and I couldnt be happier! The power, reliablity, comfort, style, rugged build is everything I wanted out of a truck. I test drove and researched a year before this purchase and I chose correctly! I like this truck far more than the new design! If youre a bigger person the Dakota is the way to go. Not quite full size but definitely bigger than the competition. I love it!

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  Great Car overall. - 2005 Dodge Stratus
  By jrv14 - May 14 - 11:39 pm

  I have only had it a few days. I seems to drive well. It has great handling and a smooth ride. I have always owned Mitsubishi cars I was shoping for an Eclipse and I changed my mind because the 2 door coupe Stratus has the same Mitsubishi built drive train as the Eclipse. I like the body better than the Eclipe because it has more room in the back seat. I really am enjoying my car.

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  Disappointed - 2005 Dodge Dakota
  By GDC - May 14 - 4:03 pm

  I purchased this vehicle new. This is my third Dakota. This model is a big disappointment. The fuel tank had problems venting. This required several trips to dealer to repair. They finally replaced the tank. Two tires blown at low speed. The speedometer sticks when cold. Battery died with barely 20 months This unit has been in the shop for weeks during its many repair activities. This product has turned me away from considering any new Daimler or Chrysler products in the future due to the pathetic quality and service.

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  Fast and Fun - 2006 Dodge Magnum
  By Leslie - May 14 - 3:54 pm

  All in all I will have to say this is my all time favorite car! Love the power! No more waiting to get out in traffic. Plenty of cargo space and seats are very comfy. The only downside is that it is so peppy that we cant seem to keep our foot off of the gas! We were sold from the test drive on this car. If youre going to get one, get the Hemi! It is well worth it!

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  Leased-Costing much$ before I return it - 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Robert R - May 14 - 10:00 am

  Stay away from this vehicle! I have had to replace a speed sensor, master brake cylinder leak repair, brake pads and have had strange electrical problems. All right at 36,000 miles (avr 12K a year) when warranty expires!

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  Most unreliable vehicle Ive ever owned - 1999 Dodge Durango
  By dvast8_21 - May 13 - 12:32 pm

  I bought this SUV used last year. It had 100,000 miles when I bought it. In just one year, I have put $1,500 in transmission repair, replaced alternator, water pump, thermostat, had work done to the driver side door when it just stopped opening, and currently the gas gauge only works part of the time. Not to mention this is the biggest gas hog. The display says it averages 13.5 mpg on highway. I found documents from the original owner where they also had transmission work, replaced belts, and had various mechanical problems. I certainly will never own another Dodge!

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  Content in CT - 2005 Dodge Dakota
  By Neil in CT - May 13 - 12:19 pm

  I have owned this vehicle for almost 2 years and I am very happy with my choice. It has been reliable and it drives really well for a pickup truck. The only downfalls about this truck are gas mileage and the cheap looking plastic interior. Although the gas mileage is not very good, I realize that pickup trucks are not the most economical vehicles on the road anyway. I also like the interior room and the Quad cab is a big bonus. Overall, I would recommend this vehicle to anyone interested in a mid-size pickup.