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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  Disappointing experience - 1998 Dodge Dakota
  By Eric - December 4 - 2:40 pm

  Overall, a missed opportunity for Dodge to come up with a great truck. Paint and interior holding up well. Nice ergonomics in passenger compartment. Good size for work/commuter truck, but build quality too poor to recommend. Cab leaked through rear weld (fixed a couple of times under warranty, then on my dime), water pump went out, AC drain poorly designed causing condensate to drain into passenger compartment. Most significant were front end problems. Upper and lower ball joints replaced twice, now have replaced front steering mechanism. DC customer service non- existent. Fuel mileage acceptable on hwy, poor in town. I wont be looking at DC vehicles again, based on this experience.

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  Just Awesome! - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By Ragefire10 - December 4 - 8:10 am

  I saw this vehicle on a TV ad, and I had to have one! Ive never seen an SUV quite like this one. Its a blast to drive and very aggressive looking. The gas mileage isnt the best, but thats alright. This is the first Dodge Ive owned, and Im very happy with this truck! If you like it, but it! You wont regret it!

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  Dodge Nitro RT 4.0L 4WD - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By Drake20 - December 4 - 4:56 am

  Had the car for a few days so far, and it is awesome. I love it far more than my GMC Sierra 4wd i owned previously. First off, the looks of the RT are fantastic, the Grill shines with chrome, as do the wheels which fit great, also the two tone dark bottom half and white upper half interior really sets it off. Guages, and all components work well, and premium sound system is excellent. Room for me in back, and I am 63, even with front seats all the way back, perfect if they are slightly forward. RT has plenty of power and a aggressive growl from the engine. I have averaged a little over 21 mpg so far, and it turns heads.

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  Junk SUV - 2000 Dodge Durango
  By Junk - December 3 - 11:30 pm

  Bought SLT+ with 38000 miles in 01. Engine died at 105,000 miles. Required a completely new engine (alternative? a 6000 pound paper-weight). Many others have complained about the oil pressure dropping - google "oil pump failure Dodge Durango" and see the results for yourself. If you buy one, you will regret this purchase. I personally will never buy Dodge again. JUNK SUV.

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  Hemi 4 real - 2006 Dodge Magnum
  By hemi4fun - December 3 - 10:54 pm

  We love this car. We had a magnum Rt and when this car came out with the 6.1 we had to go get it. If youre worried about gas then maybe you should buy a Honda, but the braking and performance of this car is outragous. Much better than the rt. Nothing on the street can touch you. The power is unbelievable, you will be impressed. I hope this will help you and make sure you haggle to get that mark up down. They will do it. We got the car for 41 and people were out there paying 60, so make sure you are ready to walk. They wont let you leave.

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  I love my car - 2003 Dodge Stratus
  By I love this Car - December 3 - 9:55 am

  Ive had this car 18 months. Its fun to drive and beautiful. Mine is red and got me two tickets shortly after purchase. Since the warranty expired I have noticed quite a bit of wobbling in the front end, and during a traffic jam it over heated. Not sure its going to be economical in the long run. But maaaaaaaaan I love this car.

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  The thrill is back! - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By Jeff Bryan - December 3 - 4:26 am

  Dodge? I actually bought a Dodge? I couldnt be happier! The Magmun RT AWD is great on snow, looks fantastic, and gets 22 MPG highway. It fits my three kids with room to spare. The climate control system is great! The styling is the envy of my friends! Did I mention its got a Hemi? Ive died and gone to Dad heaven!

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  106,000 strong and still going - 1995 Dodge Neon
  By John - December 2 - 8:11 pm

  I bought this as my first car back in may 2001. This can be a good first car for a teenager, college student or anyone looking for affordable transportation at a low price. The fuel economy is very good for this car. It has been very reliable for the 5 years that I have owned it so far. I had to replace the cylinder head gasket, rotors, brakes,electrical soleniod, and pcm. I regularly maintain it with oil changes, tire rotations, and tune ups. Even though certain things may break in this car, the maintenance costs sre very low. The acceleration is good and the braking and turning radius are good.

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  Durango Review - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By Theresa - December 1 - 9:02 pm

  Even with the low gas mileage I have been very happy with my Durango. Not only is it a comfortable ride, it is also very capable in bad weather. The interior has a lot of room for extra passengers and with the 3rd row of seats folded down there is a lot of cargo space. Going on vacation with 2 adults and 2 children we had plenty of room for everything we packed along with a couple coolers. When extra space is needed to haul bigger items, the 2nd row also folds down. With both the 2nd and 3rd rows folded down we have even slept in the back when weather got bad while camping. Would highly recommend the Durango.

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  Weather king - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By mmmggg - December 1 - 7:03 pm

  There is almost nothing not to like about this vehicle-performance is outstanding with the 5.7 hemi. In bad weather, this car is a dream: heat is excellent, including the seats, handling is stable, snow drifts are no problem. The controls are simple, including the steering wheel radio buttons. Visibility is excellent. A month after purchase I had a head-on collision with a huge deer at seventy mph, the front end got crushed, but I simply braked and got out.