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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  Hate to say it. - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By Carlos - May 29 - 10:58 pm

  I have seen nothing but good reviews and thats why I bought this car. I have put 7k on it. Turbo leaks are infamous. The tranny is a headache also. Many many people report tranny issues and Im one of them. This car is a blast to drive but I feel like its going to fall apart anyday now. It has a stubborn transmission and shifts like crap especially in the cold. Maybe I got unlucky.

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  LOVE IT! - 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Knovice Buyer - May 28 - 11:23 pm

  My first Minivan, after a gas guzzling SUV! Love the space, the ride, the stow and go seats. First trip got 25 mpg with 2 adults, 4 kids and 1 dog onboard. Dealer was fantastic - pleasure to work with, no pressure, wanted our business. With rebates and incentives, you cant beat the Caravan.

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  Awsome and Inexpensive - 2005 Dodge Stratus
  By Hope - May 28 - 8:26 pm

  When we first got the car I wasnt so into it. Now I love it. The sound system is great, its comfortable and has a sleek design. We couldnt have asked for a better car at the price we payed.

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  Smooth Riding, Good Looking - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By Bennett - May 28 - 5:10 pm

  I much prefer the newer lines of the Durango (late 2004/2005/2006 models). After the looks, the saleman sold it to me by simply telling me to put the power down. I bought the 4.7L V8 and its great. The power in the mid-range is awesome (especially in tow/haul mode) but can be lazy to shift down at lower speeds. The ride is the smoothest Ive known. Its a fantastic road trip car, with plenty of room and it cruises like its on air. The large size isnt all that bad, as it manouvers reasonably well - and with over 100 cubic feet of luggage space it was invaluable for our recent house move! I highly recommend the towing package as it comes with larger wing mirrors.

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  Awesome car but... - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By Bryan P. - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Awesome car, I love it. Its fun to drive, sporty, and fast. Bought the bright silver, looks great in the sun, rims are nice, dont look too stock like, interior nice enough that it doesnt look cheap.

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  Great car - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By wonderwoman9255 - May 28 - 10:00 am

  It has a lot of pep for a 4 cylinder. It has a roomy back seat. Front seats are comfortable and visibilty is great for a short person like me. I like the tilt wheel and automatic door locks. The air conditioning is very efficient and the service I receive from the dealership is excellent.

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  Spring for the "hemi" - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By Lisa Cuda - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Just replaced my 99 Durango which I loved very much. I thought the new 4.7 would be more powerful. Very disappointed in pick up & performance. Should have kept my old 360 durango. They should have left the old style alone. This is not a Durango....It is your grandmas car. FIND ANOTHER NAME FOR IT !

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  Spirit - 1993 Dodge Spirit
  By CarMikie - May 28 - 8:12 am

  Purchased this vehicle as a second owner car, with 31, 302 miles. It now has 76,000 miles on it and has had not one, not two, but three automatic transmissions in it. We have also replaced the front wheel bearings twice. This car is lady driven but all in all its just another piece of junk. The power windows have malfunctioned and the air conditioner compressor is noisy when engaged, and we have had significant issues with the idling. My recommendation, they are no good.

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  Caliber problems - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By J & C - May 28 - 7:00 am

  We purchased the Caliber because my previous Dodge cars were great. The trend stops here. Since having the last routine service done, the car has been in the shop 4 times. One was for a faulty engine light sensor (this still hasnt been fixed), and most recently (and most alarming) because after plugging in the block heater overnight, the engine light came on again. The service department finally ran a full diagnostics and found that there was a "software deficiency" in that plugging in the caroverheats some component and causes the engine light to come on. They advised us not to plug in the car. We live in Canada, and it is currently -30ºC out. We must start the car every 4 hours. No ETA on a fix yet!

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  Yes - 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By William Cramer - May 27 - 5:49 pm