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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  I like it. - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By A.W. - January 4 - 5:53 pm

  I bought my 07 Caliber two months ago and really enjoy the car. The interior is roomy and comfortable. The back seat is right for my tall friends and there is enough of room in the "wagon" area for my two medium sized dogs. In my previous cars, headlights from other vehicles would blind me. Not so with the Caliber. Good value for the money.

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  Satisfied owner - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Mark S - January 4 - 4:30 am

  I actually own two Dodge Calibers both 2007, one SE & one SXT. My review is on the SE. Nice car for the money, spend the extra on the new SE Plus package which eliminates all my complaints (especially the tires). A few comments on other posts Ive read: If you hit a deer in an entry level car, it will probably be totaled. The tires are bad on my 2007 SE but why blame Dodge? Dunlop built the crummy tires, direct your complaints to them. EPA established the fuel economy standards, (CAFE) not auto manufacturers. While its true the 2007 is off from the EPA estimates, EVERY 2007 vehicle & earlier was WAY off. New stds enacted for 2008 are right on about 26 city and 30 hwy.

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  Good little car - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Gordon - January 4 - 12:10 am

  Bought this car used from a Dodge dealer. I have had it 6 weeks Im 64 and use the car for work. Yes the engine is noisy and, yes, its slow but I get 24 MPG in city driving. I drive over 150 miles a week in the city and use half a tank a gas. Good second or third car or for a young person. Watch your outside mirrors they dont fold in I have lost 2 while parked to trucks. To replace them ( power) they are only 70 bucks at the dealer and you can do it yourself. I recommend the car!!!

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  Ohhh Yeah - 2005 Dodge Dakota
  By Zuproc - January 3 - 2:11 pm

  Finally a truck that is not just comfortable but has a sporty look and feel. This is not just a work horse but if you are on the highway your higher up like most trucks but you dont feel like your dancing with the steering wheel just to stay in your lane. It is a car in disguise.

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  Number 5 - 2006 Dodge Caravan
  By RichD - January 2 - 10:26 pm

  Our fifth Dodge Minivan and the best by far! Love the seats and stow and go storage! Could use more power.

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  New Muscle! - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By HJ - January 2 - 10:00 pm

  Sure the cool almost chopped look is what catches your eye, but tromp on de Hemi and visions of Trans Ams & Z28s start dancing in your head. What happened to the muscle cars? Theyre back!

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  Not Bad For What It Is - 2001 Dodge Caravan
  By Steve - January 2 - 9:38 pm

  We bought our Dodge Caravan brand new, and while I wasnt thrilled with the Dodge dealership, this minivan has served us quite well over the years. The only problems Ive had with it is a burst vacuum line that took 2 times to find and the tendency for the rubber seal on sliding door on the drivers side to pop out when the door is closed. This makes it impossible to open the drivers door. Of course, if you open the sliding door again, the drivers door opens fine. Yeah, not a great "feature," but honestly it is only a minor inconvenience. On the whole, it has been serviceable and functional - a great value for our family.

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  Great Job Dodge - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Quarter Midget Mom - January 2 - 12:23 pm

  I absolutley love my Charger. City wide my gas mileage is easily 22- 24mpg. My husband can only seem to get about 16mpg! After 11 months and 20,000 miles; people still stop me and ask how I like it, how it drives, and if Id buy another one. Yes I plan too! Ive not experienced any problems whatsoever. Great job Dodge!!

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  Fast - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By iowaSRT-4 - January 1 - 10:00 am

  I just bought mine and only have a couple miles on it. I guess some of the big things that need to change are; Add Cruise Control! If with the sporty attitude of the car, Cruise would still be nice. The front seats are very supportive and do their job very well, but they are hard to get in and out of. You have to tilt the wheel out of the way just to get in and out of the car. The Sound that this car makes is worth any of the things listed above. The way it pops and crackles in between shifts and while off the gas is unlike anything in the 4 cylinder market.

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  Replacing Tran part of reg maintainance - 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Darcy Kallus - January 1 - 10:00 am

  This car has been a real family friend and I would love it if I didnt have to replace the transmission every other year. This is my 3rd Dodge Caravan and I will never purchase one again. If your drink splashes or spills in the cup holder, be sure that the cds in cd holder will get soaked. Too bad I cant afford to keep repairing everything and the gas mileage. Id keep the car if it werent for those problems. If I ever get another minivan, which I probably will, it wont be American. What a shame.