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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  First kid on my block to get a new Nitro - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By John Wright - January 17 - 2:10 am

  My new Nitro had 19 miles on it the day that I purchased it on September 26, 2006. The vehicle is really a blast to drive, it has great pickup and the handling and braking make the mid-sized SUV feel like a much smaller vehicle. I have had numerous people gawking at my Nitro everywhere that I take it, I even had one guy stick his head in the window while sitting in a parking lot -- while I was still in the truck! As of this writing I now have 7 days and 345 miles of pavement under me. So far the only complaint that I have is the gas mileage not being anywhere near what the sticker indicates, averaging about 15.25 MPG (Sticker indicates 17/23). I was hoping that it wouldve been at least 19.

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  Good Truck -Reliable - 1999 Dodge Dakota
  By mike - January 15 - 6:47 pm

  I love this truck and am very pleased with its performance. Reliable, fast, and sharp looks. Decent gas mileage.

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  1996 Dodge grand caravan se - 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By chili-mac - January 15 - 10:00 am

  Good Van, in three years only maintenance item, tires and breaks.

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  2004 Dodge Neon - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By PTLJo - January 15 - 10:00 am

  I just recently purchased my Dodge Neon and so far I have been pleased with its performance. Its nice and roomie on the inside for me and my friends. I think that the front seat comfort is better than backseat comfort. Sound system is great for my ears. I like having 6 disc CD changer as well as tape and AM/FM radio capabilities. Its gas mileage is not as good as previous car (Ford Festiva), but I will get used to it. Plus, I now drive slower to keep the RPMs down and use gas more wisely.

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  consumer - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By rudy celaya - January 15 - 10:00 am

  well, all i have to say it was an excellent purchase pleasure wise, on the other hand it doesnt hold its value as much as a honda, but still smokes the hondas! not to mention i race v-8s, wow! I nearly by atleast the minimum length of half a car, i lose to corvettes, porsches, and such. the boost the turbo puts out is incredible, the suspension is a nice ride. if i had one complaint, it would be too much torque steer, but the torque comes handy off the line, especially when the lsd does its job with the support of my bf goodrich g- force street slicks. its all about mopar!!!

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  Who would have thought wed buy a Dodge? - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By cgorra - January 15 - 10:00 am

  Smooth, quiet, roomy and comfortable! We traded a Passat wagon for the Magnum, and really feel as if we traded up. the 3.5 liter engine and automatic transmission have ample performance, and the handling and ride are a revelation. Who would have thought that RWD was this good? Lots of space for a growing family, comfortable seating, good storage space and head-turning looks make this a car to be proud of!

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  2004 Dodge - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By el-rivo - January 15 - 3:57 am

  Excellent choice, fun drive with plenty of room to spare. Great entertainment center for the kids on a long travel. Smooth handling and better traction with larger tire size. After market add on turns this vehicle into an eye catcher. Competitive with other luxury SUVs at a great price. Thanks Dodge.

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  This thing is SLOW!!! - 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By tireburner1997 - January 14 - 9:48 pm

  Great for hauling stuff around and and pulling a 12 foot boat around. you can cram a lat of people in it and it is SUPER reliable we got it with 78000 mile and it now has 123000 and nothing has gone wrong with it.

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  Magnum Rocks - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By KB - January 14 - 5:56 pm

  Use the seat belt, youll need it. One awesome powerhouse. And still mid 20s for economy when you need it.

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  My used Intrepid - 2000 Dodge Intrepid
  By Tom - January 14 - 12:29 pm

  I needed a larger auto as my kids were getting too big for the back seat of Prizm. The Intrepid has fantastic legroom, drives well, is comfortable for trips and gets very good mileage (a real need) for a large car. I have had NO mechanical trouble, perform maintenance myself and have been pleased with the car. I do not regret purchasing this auto at all.