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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  Great 4x4 - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By beecuzz - December 20 - 6:17 pm

  Well I have had quite a few vehicles in my time 56 to be exact --- most of them Chrysler products and my current aquisition is a great one. Comfort, power, room ---- what else can some one ask for?

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  Glad I Bought - 2002 Dodge Dakota
  By New Fan - December 20 - 4:51 pm

  We needed the functionality of a truck, but also needed to carry four or more people. I spent many months researching and driving different trucks which would fill our needs included the 05 Tacoma, 05 Frontier, Sportrac, Colorado, and S-10, but I kept coming back to the Dakota. Reasons: solid feel, comfortable interior, tight turning radius, looks, power, pleasant ride, and plentiful options. We have not been disapointed. We knew that we would be sacrificing fuel economy, but it is still better than full size trucks. Though used with over 55K miles, it still feels new and other than a loose gas cap, have not had any problems.

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  Good "First" New Car - 2006 Dodge Stratus
  By Mike - December 20 - 3:56 pm

  This is a great car if youre new to the "new car" market. Easy to drive, has what you need, and nice safety features as well. Back seat is spacious and the flip down seat is nice as well. Overall, the Stratus is a good sturdy car for the just-out-of- college buyer (like me).

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  Beauty is only skin deep - 1999 Dodge Intrepid
  By Jim Adams - December 20 - 1:43 pm

  I bought my 99 Intrepid new expecting to have it for a long time. The engine siezed due to oil sludge before I hit 60,000 miles. The repair was very expensive and time consuming. Since replacing the engine I have had to replace numerous other components and I still havent gotten to 80,000 miles. I cant afford to sell it because of its reputation and depleted savings.

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  First minivan - 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By 6979 - December 20 - 11:13 am

  First minivan and love it have owned suvs and cars. This is the best vehicle so far. Great with backseat TV for the kids

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  Best car I have ever owned - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By rango2004 - December 20 - 2:00 am

  I recently bought a new Durango from Manhattan Dodge and the second I took it for a test drive i knew that this car was something special. Handling is extremely crisp and accurate, while the braking is also responsive and quick which makes this the perfect city SUV. After getting a chance to drive it on an open highway I was equally impressed with the performance and power. The suspension is the best I have ever seen in an SUV and the combination of power and handling makes it feel like I am driving a car. The cargo room is also extensive. I am looking forward to a lifetime of happiness with my new Dodge.

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  Love my Durango - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By Reesie - December 19 - 6:08 pm

  My Durango has EVERY available option, and I absolutely love this car, its a good family car without looking like a family car. The HEMI does use a lot of gas and the gas mileage could be better but I think its worth the little extra it costs to get the powerful engine.

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  Caravan - 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By hawk - December 19 - 6:00 pm

  We have had a 90 grand caravan for 8 years and liked it so much that we bought a new one, no complaints about either one. It is not a small car but gets good gas mileage for its size.

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  Great Pickup - 2005 Dodge Dakota
  By Craig - December 19 - 3:02 pm

  Awesome truck, bast improvement over prev. generation Dakota. Interior could use better quality materials. Glove box is extremely small considering size of dash. Cloth material on seats looks and feels cheap, love the heated part though. Dont like the vast sea of plastic on the dash and doors, that could change without hurting my feelings one bit. The V6 is a vast improvement over the 3.9. Much more responsive, smoother, and quieter (until you get above 3500 RPM). Plenty of get up and go for around town driving and adequate passing power for the Interstate. Instrument panel is well lit at night and easy to read during the day. Base sound system is excellent as well. A very good truck to own

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  Great Fuel Mileage - 2006 Dodge Magnum
  By Perry Greene - December 18 - 4:37 pm

  The fuel mileage has been great. Im getting around 26.5, about any way I drive it. I usually carry weight in back (books). I do Vocational Sales. It really gets the looks and the students like it. Always getting great comments about appearance,or saying, "that thang got a Hemi?" I think my next will be a Hemi, just for the bragging rights. I really enjoy driving it. The 2.7 is getting great economy, but I drove a 3.5 and it has a lot of punch. I havent driven the Hemi. Ive owned several Chysler products over the years and can truly say, I believe each year they get better. Im sold on Chysler.