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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  Sweet Car - 2003 Dodge Stratus
  By Tanya - March 16 - 8:44 am

  I commute about 100 miles a day and have been very happy with this car.I have had the same front end problem with the shaking and also had to have my inner tie rods replaced but with as many miles as I have put on it I have to expect some maintenance. When its really hot and I have the ac on it tends to want to stall when I come to a stop light but has never died. Great gas mileage, love the 4 disc CD changer, and love the style of the car. I upgraded the wheels and rims and it makes it look extra sharp. The trunk is huge and great for groceries. It is kind of low for my parents to get in but I like it because it adds to the sporty look. Overall a great, sporty, reliable and economical car

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  A Must Have for a big family - 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Jeff - March 16 - 5:33 am

  I traded in my 2006 and am very happy with the van now for 8 months. very roomy, lots of storage and camping friendly. Its a nice buy for the money. I have noticed the van does like to pull to the right a lot for some reason. It definitely has a lot less problems then my 2006 did.

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  This is a fun v6 - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By knightrider74 - March 16 - 3:15 am

  This car is a perfect balance of fun and comfort rolled into a gas saving v6. I am impressed. Keep up the good work Dodge.

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  Fantastic Fun Super Bee - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Steve - March 15 - 9:15 pm

  What an amazingly fun car to drive. Incredible power, handling, and looks. The SRT-8 will go like the wind, stop on a dime, and give you 9 cents change.

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  I Like This Car! - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By John - March 15 - 9:13 pm

  So far this 2005 Neon of mine has been a real jewel. The car is very attractive and clean. The interior is simple, but very roomy(Im 60") and pretty comfortable. I think the dash is very handsome too. Not too mention the trunk is very large and the gas mileage is unbelievable.

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  Great all around car - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By quiksilver723 - March 15 - 1:07 pm

  Well Ive had this car for 3 years now and the thing has held up beautifully. I do enjoy the pick up and go that this car has, but I also like the fact that it has plenty of space for the weekly grocery store trip. On the downside though it is just a Neon so its not like a BMW in terms of elegance or styling. But for me, I really wanted to have performance at a low cost and the SRT-4 definitely fit that description. So if youre a gear head and want something to build, the SRT-4 is a great place to start. Its relatively cheap and there are a lot of aftermarket parts out there. And after a few modifications you can really hang with most of the bigger guys out there.

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  Satisfied - 2006 Dodge Stratus
  By BML - March 14 - 11:22 pm

  I just purchased this car about 3 weeks ago and so far so good. We went from a 2000 Cougar which we loved to this. Although the Cougar was more sporty and smaller this still allows us to have the fun factor while felling safer with our child in the car. I was suprised that this 4cyl pushed out 150 hp and seems to be getting decent mpg. My daughter loves the fact she now can sit in the middle and see everything where with the cougar the bucket seats did not allow that. On the outside it seems as though its a avg mid size car but inside there is more room then my first apt. I like the stock stereo and all the little compartments. I have managed to pop a tire already but cant figure out how.

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  Dont buy a Dodge! - 2006 Dodge Dakota
  By Kenneth - March 14 - 3:48 pm

  I originally bought this truck due to it being the best truck for the money compared to the others. Now, I have constant problems with it. The power steering pump constantly screams as if it is low on fluid even though it is full. I have had difficulty getting the truck to start on 4 occasions, but the dealer cant duplicate the problem to diagnose it. The door is now sagging due to it not being tightened down all the way at the factory, and the body lean even at low speeds is excessive. I have taken the truck in to 3 different dealers for repair, and have had similar negative results with all. This truck is affordable initially, but is more expensive in the long run.

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  Fast for Cheap, Great Buy - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By SRTswizz - March 14 - 2:41 pm

  This is such a fun car. It is very quick from the factory and it has lots of aftermarket parts to make it faster. The interior actually isnt too bad. Just the long dash takes bit to get used to. The seats are amazing and make all other seats seem weak. The transmission is notchy, and stock throws are long. Stock ride is not too harsh but it is pretty bumpy but not any worse than my brothers G35 coupe. The exhaust sounds are unique and it sounds great. It is also pretty spacious for a small car, a lot better than WRX, especially rear seats. Makes me smile everytime I drive it.

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  A definite dont buy vehicle! - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Duanek - March 14 - 4:53 am

  Bought it in October of 2008. I had a loud noise anytime I hit a bump in the rear of the car. Went to dealership 3 times and they could not find it. I said it was in the design of the suspension. They took me out in a brand new 2008 and it did the same thing and they made no attempt to fix it or contact Dodge. I recently traded it for a 2006 Escape. It lost neary 4000 dollars in worth. CVT transmission does not belong in a low budget vehicle. If I was buying a car I would go with the Chevy Mailbu for the same price with better quality. Dodge does not back their products. Poor quality and slapped together!