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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  nice while it lasted - 2009 Dodge Journey
  By hannahbgreat - February 28 - 8:18 pm

  This was a high school graduation gift in 2009. I was excited to get a brand new car that I could depend on lasting for a long time. Within 2 years, there was a "re-call" on the breaks. This worked out just in time, because I was looking into buying new break pads. My break pads were squeaking so bad, I had to do something about it. I dont think I misuse my breaks. And surprise! One year later, they are squeaking again. The interior parts are falling apart (just getting in and out normally). The tire hubcap/covering paint is chipping off and discoloring. final complaint: there is too many bind spots. I literally have to get out of my seats to see all around me. Very unsafe

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  So far so good - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By jzartman - February 28 - 1:16 pm

  I have had my Magnum for about 4 months now and it is one of the best cars i have ever owned. The 2.7L motor has plenty of go, and havent had any problems with the car so far. The design is nice and it is a fairly comfortable car, even for a guy like myself that is 6 foot 1 and 295 pounds. The seats took some getting used to (my other car is a 1983 Cadillac Deville, so the seats are like couches) but otherwise, i have no complaints. My wife uses this as her daily driver, and after adding a set of Firestone Winterforce studded tires to the car, we had no problems getting through the snow or ice in the winter. Overall, very satisfied and looking forward to owning this car for a lot of years.

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  The best overlooked crossover on the Market... - 2013 Dodge Journey
  By jmacd79 - February 25 - 2:40 pm

  Me and my wife purchased a 2013 Journey 4 cyl. about 3 weeks ago, and absolutely love it! We got it out of neccesity as we took in our 2 nephews and 1 niece, on top of our daughter, so we needed a vehicle with 3rd row seating. We dont want to spend a boat load of money, and we really didnt want to take a risk on something used. So after much research I found the Journey is the most affordable new SUV with 3rd row seating on the market. Dodge is definitely on the way up, and this vehicle doesnt disappoint with features of interior, even in a base model. It has touch screen interface, keyless entry and keyless engine start. Plenty of storage all things considered with the 3rd row.

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  I love my car so much its probably unhealthy - 2011 Dodge Caliber
  By bakergirl9 - February 25 - 3:15 am

  I bought this car with 63 miles on it in December 2011. I love the orange color, how it looks like a transformer, and how the dash is set up. For what it is it is a great little car. I live in Colorado and have taken my little Caliber up Jeep trails without issue, so long as I have the clearance I have had no trouble. The manual transmission is really nice and makes it fun to drive. I love driving my car and it does decent in the snow. I have the most basic model you can get and it is comfortable on long trips. This is a fun little car but it is that, a little car. It is not a high performance sports car but it is fun to drive and has been totally reliable.

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  2002 Intrepid ES FWD 4-Dr Sedan V6 - 2002 Dodge Intrepid
  By d0dg3_l0v3r - February 23 - 8:19 am

  Bought this car brand new - had 90 miles on it. Have maintained it well. Has 225 hp and is close in power to my 2008 Charger. I LOVE this car. Still have it, had a custom paint job done. After owning this car for 11 years only issues Ive had: Power window motors (under warranty) replaced. Sometimes the lights dim inside the dash area (might be from amp for speaker?) and check engine light comes on once in a while - might be electrical issue? I change the oil and the light goes off - so this car has oil changes more often than recommended. I know those things sound bad, however it has 70,000 miles and is very strong and beautiful still. - Intrepid Lover!

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  Attitude of its own - 2011 Dodge Journey
  By badcarday1 - February 21 - 1:28 pm

  The car in general is the perfect car for my family. Unfoutunatly the last month, the Front passenger door refuses to close. I believe it is the cold weather causing something to freeze up and cause a died door syndrom. After about 20-30 minutes the door "resets" itself. It has been to the dealer four times now and they dont understand what is wrong. They have contacted a Dodge engineer, they did what he instructed and it agian is acting up. Just about feed up, rather riduculous that I have to have my seven year old hold the door as I hold him to get this thing to the shop 20 miles away, for no one to know what the problem is. I can not be alone on this one, am I?

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  I just got it. 1.4L turbo - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By kendaddy - February 21 - 12:04 pm

  This is a nice car, and the lease they have now is great. I got the 1.4L turbo. It is a little sluggish of the line, but has plenty of power. Ive been averaging 33-34mpg in it. I got the automatic. It takes some getting use to, but is fun to drive once you get the hang of it. I have no idea really about Reliability, I have 300 miles on it.

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  My review was on the AWD Hemi 5.7 not the SE V6 - 2013 Dodge Charger
  By lloboblanco - February 20 - 11:04 am

  As long as Im making the correction to the model, Ill add some additional thoughts. I cant imagine any complaints on the Hemi other than the mileage. If you want great MPG, why buy the Hemi? My mixed driving MPG is 19.7. Highway MPG is 25.1. I believe this will improve as the car breaks in but I see little chance of the 30+ that some are claiming. Using regular gas gives me a 15% cost advantage over the small turbos I drove in the past so given the breathtaking performance, gas mileage is fine. I imagine a 10 - 15% improvement when the 8 speed is available later this year. On the road the ride is glass smooth & Lexus quiet. With the monster sound system the trips all seem shorter.

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  1.4 liter turbo Rallye with 6-speed manual - 2013 Dodge Dart
  By helilog - February 20 - 2:29 am

  Have owned for 6000 miles, averaging mid 30s mpg overall after accounting for the dash readout error. Turbo engine is gutsy and quick to rev when on boost. Turbo lag is a one-count by the time you count to two the lag is gone. Car has a couple of mild interior buzzes that come and go according to road texture. An exterior trim piece or two are slightly misaligned. Car is good for us for a 500 mile day but the comfy seat cushions could be a bit longer in length to be perfect. Quiet interior, smooth ride, great handling, strong easily modulated brakes, quick and tactile steering. Roomy back seat. Big trunk and the back seat folds down. No maintenance issues.

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  Best of the Best - 2002 Dodge Durango
  By action_nad - February 18 - 11:02 pm

  Have had my Durango for over 4 years now, put over 50,000 miles on it, and to this day with over 148,000 on the odometer, it is still a monster. Never had any major issues outside of what is to be expected. Plenty of get up and go for a land yacht, more than enough room for 7 people or 2 people and some luggage. Perfect for joy riding or road trips. Towed a 26 trailer with no issues, and have never gotten stranded off road or in bad weather. The 360 V8 not only does a great job with working, but playing also. Have embarrassed more than a few ricers at stop lights.