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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  comfort/performance/room - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By karend - September 12 - 10:00 am

  Wow.great riding comfort,the room of a large mini-van, a solid safe vehicle,smooth and firm handling..great for a family, providing all weather handling conditions.

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  More than Satisfied - 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Detroit iron - September 10 - 10:00 am

  First piece of Detroit Iron ive owned (owned Audis (4) Volvo (3) Mazda (2) and VW (5). Grand Caravan LE Oustanding in most respects. Virtually problem free. Tires @45,000 miles, battery @ 3 1/2 years, and none other but routine maintenance. Am so satisfied that am looking at 2003 Town and Country FWD. Read other owner comments but have not had any of their problems.

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  So Far, So Good - 2009 Dodge Journey
  By New Dodge Guy - September 8 - 4:20 pm

  Im up to 7k miles on the Journey. So Far this car has been great! I was considering a Murano and after a friend bought one and had many issues, I started looking at other options. Came across this vehicle and the price/options/warranty that it offered were too good to pass up. The storage in this vehicle is awesome! Very comfortable seats for longer rides.

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  Great Minivan - 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Joe - September 6 - 4:50 am

  To be honest I had a Chevy Venture with 150K, traded that for a Ford Freestyle and had nothing but issues. So with the deals on the Grand Caravan I went with it. I work in Florida so I drove 1300 miles through the hills of Tennessee and Georgia. I averaged the whole trip 26.85. Not bad for the hills. The city I am not too pleased with since I averaged two fill ups around 15 MPG. But the car is brand new, so we will work on getting those numbers up. The car is fun to drive and the quality is better than Ford and Chevy! And to top it off I have the Lifetime Bumper to Bumper Warranty and Lidetime Rust Protection so this car is a best buy because it should be my last! I plan to keep this car!

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  Magnum SXT RWD - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By pdubois - August 31 - 12:46 am

  Excellent car. Would recommend. Good power with 3.5L. Fuel economy below advertised, but still pretty new. Very quiet ride.

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  Neon - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By challenger - August 28 - 2:00 am

  This is my second Neon, it is a much better car than my 98. Smoother, quieter,better build quality, very fun to drive,better fuel economy than my 98 Neon 5-speed, just an all around nicer car. I also have a Mazda 323, which doesnt hold a candle to my Neon. Any friends or family that have ridden in it cant get over the room, ride, and comfort, and my friends with V8 powered SUVs are embarassed after engaging in a little stoplight gran prix. Finally, take a look at the price compared compact cars of similar refinement and performance, and you will agree the neon is one of the best values around.

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  the durango rocks! - 2003 Dodge Durango
  By emanmano - August 28 - 2:00 am

  this is my first brand new vehicle and i love it! i drove a 92 ford explorer and finally decided to go w/ the durango. as a single guy, the sxt is the way to go (i saved $3,500). i love the v8 engine and the smooth ride...very responsive to quick turns! i upgraded my seats to after-market leather and i feel like im riding first class everytime i sit in it!

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  One great van - 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Numion Sizemore - August 28 - 2:00 am

  My wife and I decided that after our third child that we needed to purchase a minivan. We looked at and drove many different vans including the Toyota, Ford, Pontiac, and the Honda. The Grand Caravan had the best ride and comfort for the money. We bought the van with a factory DVD player. WOW it is amazing how quite the kids are when listening/watching a video. With the head phones on the kids my wife and I can still listen to the music we choose without disturbing them. The 3.3 is a great motor but I wish it was it had a little more pick-up. Should have gotten the 3.8 I will remember next time to get the 3.8L. What a value for only $26,000.

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  Too good to be true? - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By petshop - August 26 - 4:06 pm

  The Dodge Charger R/T exceeded all my expectations. Acceleration that leaves other cars in the dust. Smooth and quiet freeway driving, luxury features like leather, full power and heated seats at a rock bottom price and a trunk that can easily fit a large families luggage.. This isnt a normal Dodge, the fit and finish is up to par of the European imports. There is no wood but really who needs that? Telescopic steering and power pedals are far more useful

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  Mid Life Crisis - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Brad C - August 25 - 10:00 am

  The Charger is the perfect blend of family car and performance car. The base 3.5L V6 maintains good balance between ample power and decent fuel economy. The SE is well appointed, without all the deluxe options that drive up price. The Charger is the perfect car for a family man (or woman) looking for sport styling that turns heads, while maintaining low cost of ownership and a funtional family vehicle.