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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  Sad Experience - 2000 Dodge Durango
  By Mikep - December 11 - 5:45 pm

  Weve owned the Durango for roughly 2 years and it only has 54,000 miles. Overheating is very common and now the head gaskets are blown. Itll run $1,100 to $1,600 to repair. Save some heartache and dont go Durango. However, if you enjoy sitting in the 3rd seat while it cools down, this may be the gas guzzler for you.

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  Nice, but MPG is really bad - 2006 Dodge Stratus
  By socaljoe - December 11 - 5:44 pm

  Bought a 2006 Stratus SXT for my girlfriend. The car looks nice, rides really comfy. For a car thats a 4cylinder, the miles-per-gallon is really bad. It has worse gas mileage than my 03 Silverado V8 with 7" lift kit. The Stratus only does 16mpg in the city. Took it back to the dealer to have it checked and couldnt find anything wrong. Service guy told me that 16mpg is not out of the norm on this car. Even people from Dodge forums say the same about gas mileage on this vehicle. Will trade this car in soon for something thats not a Dodge

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  Fully Charged! - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Oliver - December 9 - 11:54 pm

  I traded my 2000 BMW 528i for this Dodge. I was hesitant that I would not enjoy my Charger as much. Wrong! Excellent car. Good gas mileage and sporty styling. I am always getting compliments. And the ride is better then the Bimmer. I wish Dodge would go the extra mile and give the minor touches that would put the car over the edge.ie.. lighted vanity mirrors, light in glove compartment, auto adjusting rear view mirror and more cup holders. Also move the cruise control to the steering wheel. Overall very pleased. American muscle with European refinement.

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  A great pickup - 1999 Dodge Dakota
  By DakotaSport - December 9 - 6:45 pm

  If youre in the market for a mid sized truck the Dodge Dakota is an excellent choice. I disagree the unhappy reviews. Most people dont write reviews if they are satisified. Ive had my truck for over a year, and although I have replaced a few things, the trucks overall performance and features well make up for the repairs you may need to do. The trucks size is far less bulky than that of the full size p/u, and allows for easy parking in most situations. The trucks ride, power, and curb appeal are all excellent. Prevenitive maintence eliminates numerous problems listed in other reviews. The Dakotas interior build quality far exceeds that of many other manufacturers, I.E no rattles.

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  First Dodge ever - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By rudy - December 8 - 12:53 am

  The car looks great. You get a lot of "thumbs up" when you are driving. Talk about a head turner, there must be a lot of people with sore necks watching you drive by. The car rides and drives like or better that a Lexus, with 340hp under the hood. Its great to have a rear seat DVD for the kids, nav system, heated leather seats, Sirius radio, room for the family, and all the performance you could want. Its also great to be able to take the kids to school, fill up the huge trunk at the grocery store, and still be able to blow away some punk kid in a foreign car. I never though I would ever own a Dodge. This car changed my mind.

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  2nd New Generation Durango - 2006 Dodge Durango
  By MNicley - December 7 - 10:15 pm

  This is the second new style Durango I have owned. I had a 2004 SLT with the hemi which I loved. Traded it in on this 2006 Limited Hemi. The MPS gets me about 2 more mpg city (15) and 4 more mpg on the highway (22). The Alpine sound system is geat as is all the other creature comforts! Cant beat the options, power, and performance compared to other SUVs of similar and higher price.

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  Big and versatile - but tall - 2001 Dodge Ram Wagon
  By BB Gun - December 7 - 3:06 pm

  Bought new in 2000 for family of 6. 12 passenger with 360 cid, tow package and rear air. Has never let us down. nly had to replace front bearings once at 69,000. Chronic squeaky brakes. Otherwise mechanically rock solid, but the interior trim is poor quality with seat foam degradation, door panels coming loose and trim screws loose or falling out all over the place. Rode hard when empty, smooth when full. Love the versatility, better than any SUV. It was invaluable when building my deck and toting big screen TVs home or for friends. One downside is youre always on the call list to help people move. Glad we had it, but now that the kids are grown, time to get a smaller vehicle.

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  Suckered by great styling - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By Chuck B - December 6 - 3:38 pm

  I loved the styling of this car and had to purchase it shortly after it was released. I have had buyers remorse ever since. The reliability of this car has been atrocious and has been in the shop over 10 times within 15 months. #1- the car has pulled to the right since day 1 and they cant fix it. #2- periodic fuel injection issues that took 15 months to diagnose. #3- loud rear wheel noise that they cant repair. I also have to say that dealing with the 3 Dodge service centers and corporate has been a horrible experience. Lease is up in 7 months. I pity whoever gets it after me. I will never buy a Chrysler product again!

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  Happy? - 2006 Dodge Durango
  By Frank - December 6 - 2:06 pm

  I traded in my 2002 Mercedes-Benz S500 to get a truck. I have to say that Im not 100% happy but Im also not disappointed. I have to say the Durango is fun to drive and the interior quality is better than good. The six in dash CD player and steering wheel control are easy to use and the ride is like a car. I give this one a 9 out of 10 in the truck category. The third row seat is also well suited, and the quality of the leather is also well above average.

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  A great vehicle - I hate to let it go! - 1993 Dodge Caravan
  By Roger - December 6 - 1:29 pm

  What a great vehicle. I bought in 98 with about 45,000 miles and "commuted" from LA to Vancouver - up to 10 times a year! 2 long days of driving. I am tall, lowered the drivers seat 2 inches, took out the back seats and made a comfortable, almost queen size bed, good for a "micro motor home". Good fuel economy with the 3L engine. The a/c pump is about all Ive had trouble with. Engine and tranny are great, after 13 years. Change brakes and tires, oil & tranny fluid - thats it. Thanks, Chrysler, for a great vehicle.