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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  Best little truck - 1997 Dodge Dakota
  By Leonard McCarty - November 16 - 12:20 am

  I got my Dakota when it had 27,000 miles. It now has 127,000 miles and, except for a few minor replacements, has run great. It handles smooth and corners solid. The doors still close with a "thud" and the ashtray light still comes on when you drop it down! Ive always admired people who drove a Dakota, and now I know why. I have the 5 speed manual transmission and the clutch is still tight after all these miles. My friend has a Ranger, same year, and hes replaced his clutch twice now!

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  I traded my Dodge Ram for a Durango SXT - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By Randall Hill - November 15 - 5:09 pm

  I decided to trade my Dodge Ram for a Durango after I heard about the great deal I could get on one. It all started when I decided to stop at the dealer to take a look at one and test drive it. 2 hours later I was taking it home.

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  Wow! - 2006 Dodge Durango
  By Rick - November 14 - 11:37 pm

  The Durango is a fantastic vehicle and a great value. I bought an 05 model, got a $7K rebate and a very low interest rate. My Durango is an incredibly powerful vehicle thats very comfortable and a joy to drive. I recommend the Durango for anyone who needs a vehicle that handles like a car, can pull a large boat or trailer, seats seven, and (truly) goes off road. In the past 25 years, Ive owned a Chevy K5 Blazer, a Suburban, a Ford Explorer, and a Nissan Pathfinder, all were 4x4. I rate the Durango the clear number one with the Pathfinder second, the Ford third and the GM products last. The Durango is number one in the $25-55K price range. Definitely drive one before buying any other SUV.

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  Great Value & Practical Buy - 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Kevin Haskins - November 14 - 12:37 am

  We have owned two Caravans before this one so we are familiar with the line. I had one of the originals as a company car in 1986. We bought a base model Caravan in 1999 when starting our family. It was then a great value in a new vehicle and we drove it up until 3-years ago when the cost of fixing it was greater than the value of the vehicle. That was the 4-cylinder model with a 3-spd tranny and we put about 175,000 miles on it before its useful life ended (14-years). During that time we replaced one transmission, a couple timing belts and otherwise just normal upkeep. We bought a used one 3-years ago that was a 2005 with 90,000 miles on it because we needed a vehicle in a hurry. I only changed oil, tires and brakes on that one but the engine light started coming on (rich fuel mixture) and the transmission started doing its goofiness at about 120,000 miles. So... with the big rebates on the 2016 I took it in and exchanged it for the base model 2016. I had bought it for $5500 and got $1200 on the trade so $1433/year to drive wasnt bad. Base models sure have changed in 17-years. I feel like the base model vehicle has everything I wanted and at $16,971 after rebates, I feel it has very good value over the estimated 15-year lifespan of the vehicle. The fuel economy is actually worse than our 4-cylinder but not enough to sour me on the engine. The storage and the stow-n-go seats really make for maximum usable space and capacity. Obviously our reliability experience is minimal since we have only owned it a month. I do know that the quality differences between manufacturers have greatly narrowed. Where the Japanese machines used to have commanding quality advantages the differences are much less now. I also like to buy models that are mature and this vehicle certainly qualifies in that this is the 8th year without meaningful platform changes on the model. If you look at the reported defects/service visits on one of the online resources it shows that Dodge has improved dramatically from the earlier model years (2008, 2009) in terms of initial quality. The maintenance requirements are also drastically lower compared to older vehicles. You change the oil, tires and brakes and there is no more timing belt. The transmission is sealed and pushes out the first service to 120,000 miles, plugs @ 100,000. I think Ill preempt those numbers slightly but overall that decreases the cost of driving. Everyone who rides in it comments on how nice it is but that is the case with most new vehicles. It is a minivan, not a Porsche so I set my expectations accordingly. It drives well for extended trips, low road noise and I think the front seats are the best Ive ever seen in a vehicle. They are exceptionally comfortable. The transmission is a 6-spd which is a dramatic difference from the older vehicles. I dont know how it rates vs. the Japanese or S. Korean rivals because I didnt drive them but it strikes me as a perfectly acceptable driving experience for a minivan. I own Hyundai and a Chevy as other vehicles so I dont have a brand loyalty other than I buy mainly for value. The Dodge was $9,000 less than the nearest competitor that I could buy. Whatever flaws it may or may not have are easily overcome by that price delta. Resale value.... it doesnt hold up as good as the Honda or Toyota. But Id focus on the cost to drive, not absolute resale value. Look at the delta in price rather and consider sales tax, insurance and financing cost in the equation. If you plan to turn a vehicle over every 3-years then Id do the math using data from current model vehicles that are on the market and compare buying one vs. the other. If you buy and hold a vehicle I dont see how resale value matters.

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  Extreme fun - 2003 Dodge Durango
  By 03sxtowner - November 14 - 12:37 am

  Just bought my 03 SXT 2wd. I love it. It handles like a sports car. I own a 02 Intrepid and I have never had a problem with it as well. There are so many possibilities with this truck. I cant wait. I am a forever Dodge owner from now on. I have 4 kids and they love the comfort of the seats and the drive.

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  Dont buy this car! - 1997 Dodge Neon
  By KG - November 13 - 9:22 pm

  Like others, I bought this car b/c it was cheap. But the build quality is horrendous. Huge oil leak, squealing brakes, leaky trunk, a/c that isnt cold, turn signals dont work intermitantly, black rubber seals on door panels stain my clothes, side panel fell off after glue wore out, and such a rough transmission. Just a terribly executed small car.

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  Mean Green - 1998 Dodge Dakota
  By Chris - November 13 - 12:58 pm

  If you are a Dodge, and truck lover, consider the Dakota. It is easy to park, and fund to drive. However, only look at the V-8 the 4x4 truck is heavy, and needs the bigger engine. The paint quaility, is great, and the interior is comfortable. The transmission shifts a little slow for me, however it is designed for towing. Once up to speed it does just fine. The gas mileage is horrible, but it is a truck. If you dont step on the gas too much and drive at a reasonable speed the mileage is much better. Consider the mods below you will find these changes make the truck much better. I love the 5.2 ltr. The 2000- up 4.7 is a step back for the Dakota. Last, check the ball joints, tranny, and brakes

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  Stay Away - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By not happy - November 13 - 2:09 am

  Don’t buy this truck. This is the worst SUV! I am a big Dodge nut but this is my last Dodge! I had a 2001 quad cab Dakota better then this thing and a 95 Dodge Avenger. All brand new. Very cheap interior and poor design. I had check engine light on and throttle light. Radio will not respond to from time to time. Rotors are warped! This truck is well maintained, better than new! Only have 15000 miles on it. If you want an SUV, look somewhere else.

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  Dont believe your dealer - 2005 Dodge Dakota
  By jlharley - November 12 - 10:01 pm

  I really like the truck with the exception for the rear end vibration when you use the brakes. I asked the dealer before i bought the truck if there were any items of concern and was told no. I returnrd 3 days later to the service department to check out the vibration I felt. The service look at my truck and said oh yea you have the model that has a SRB out about vibration. We have 6 or 7 trucks waiting to get fixed.

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  I love my Caliber! - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Mindosity - November 12 - 9:23 am

  I just recently purchased the Dodge Caliber SE Plus and I love it. I think the body style and little extras (light up cup holders, cooler in glove box) are great. I get over 400 miles per tank, which is nice with gas prices. I have not driven it in snow yet but it is great on wet roads. The engine is 2.0 liters and kind of loud, but worth it. I also appreciate all of the space. Before I bought the Caliber, I was driving a small pick-up and was used to being in small space.