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:

• 

  Surprisingly good car - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By Davert - February 1 - 2:00 am

  Have heard so many bad things I cant believe I drive the same car people talk about. I have a 1995 too and its been pretty reliable and lots of fun.

• 

  SRT-4 - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By Hayden Baker - February 1 - 2:00 am

  Car is a blast to drive. When you get into it and feel that turbo kick it, you will probably need new pants. Seats make it very easy to take corners fast with the side support action. Yes the stereo system is not state of the art. But you have that exhaust to listen to.

• 

  Good Workhorse (Needed de-fleeing) - 1995 Dodge Dakota
  By RJDakotaville - February 1 - 12:59 am

  I purchased this truck new and added the extended 7 year 100000 mile warranty. Good thing I did because lots of bugs needed fixing. Some of the items I had problems with was transfer case (Replaced 5 times). Transmission leak had gasket replaced 5 times. Drive shaft joint breakage. Tailgate misaligned, cruise control quit working. Replaced radio 5 times. Despite all these problems I have had the truck 11 years and it now has over 182k miles on it. With a recent tune up on the hwy I was able to get 19mi to the gallon hwy (Over 300mi on a tank of gas). That is good for this truck. Overall I have enjoyed this vehicle because it does deliver the power when needed.

• 

  Nice Ride - 2003 Dodge Durango
  By NICE RIDE - January 31 - 10:27 pm

  I bought this car about a year and a half ago. it barely had 14000 miles on it and was in perfect condition. I paid $15.5k for it and got it for a steal. I had heard a lot of bad things about the Durangos but for the price, I could not pass it up. I have driven this car across the country twice and have not had ANY problems with it.

• 

  The Ultimate Lemon - 1995 Dodge Neon
  By Andres - January 31 - 8:58 pm

  Be prepared to have it in the shop often, and be prepared for the most expensive of repairs. Beware corrosion issues with the starter cables/wires, battery, and terminals. Beware belts breaking/snapping, burning for both serpentine and timing belts. Beware having to replace the Head Gaskets, and the AC/compressor. Beware having to replace O-rings & seals for solving gas tank leaks. Beware the windshield suddenly cracking right down the middle while its parked and untouched one random day. I have to admit, when the car ran, it was a decently good car. Problem is, it doesnt run often, requires towing often, and is expensive to live with.

• 

  Honest - 2005 Dodge Dakota
  By nick - January 31 - 7:48 pm

  Good looking truck, paint excellent, fun to drive, like the way it sits with optional 265 tires, like tie down brackets in bed, very quiet on highway, good dash layout, great deal from dealer.

• 

  Fun to Drive - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By irishprincess - January 31 - 1:32 am

  We purchased our Durango about two months ago. The satelite radio is a favorite feature for our family because when you travel, you do not lose your channel. The middle row has plenty of room to seat adults, however the 3rd row seat is recommended for kids. The cargo space is adequate, but you would have to use the luggage rack if taking alot with you on a trip. We opted to get a DVD system on our own because it is less expensive than the dealerships price. The gas mileage is not great, we average 13.5 MPG. The guage in the upper console tells you your average gas mileage, which is a nice feature. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone. We love ours.

• 

  Im Glad I Got Rid of my Ford - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By Bry - January 31 - 12:07 am

  I love my new Durango! The old body style was ugly but, this one is totally hot. Im the youngest person Ive ever seen driving one. I have a powerful V8, I dont think a V6 would be enough power for so much SUV. We love it.

• 

  Good truck - 1997 Dodge Dakota
  By lil ram - January 30 - 11:10 pm

  Good power, plenty of room for gear and four wheeler. Only drawback is that the tranny is weak, 44RE tranny is not the best tranny for constant towing on a daily basis, but a good weekend warrior.

• 

  Its great for the money - 2005 Dodge Stratus
  By jarrod - January 30 - 9:00 pm

  I like the car so far. It is a little slow and loud, but thats what you get for havign a four-cylinder. The gas milege improves over time. I have noticed the tires have to stay totally balanced for a good smooth ride. Special edition package is great, looks a little classy, adds alot of value to the car