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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  Dissapointed in Nebraska - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By mcculjim - September 1 - 10:26 am

  I have had this vehicle a week short of 2 months and have 3000 miles on it. So far I have had several problems with this car. The first problem was that I was driving down the street and the car just quit. Dash startup system lights came on and it just quit. I took it to the dealer and they couldnt find any "codes" in the car showing it happened. Then a couple of weeks later the electric lock swith plate on the drivers door quit working. I am waiting for them to get one from somewhere. Now just yesterday the car quit running going down the road again. Locks popped up and it just quit. This is very annoying after paying almost 26,000 for this thing.

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  2003 SRT4 - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By SRTNJ - September 1 - 3:42 am

  The SRT4 is really fun to drive and by far the best bang for the buck in performance. Hands down. I have owned one for two years now and the car has performed beyond my expectations, leaving a long list of other "quick cars" in the dust. Just to name a few, I have embarrased drivers of Mustang GTs, Camaro V8s, WRXs, 350 Zs, G35s, Sentra SERs, and Audi TTs. Some of these cars put up a better fight than others. The SRT was even able to keep up with such hot rods as the Audi S4 (4.2L V8, 340 HP) and the new Mustang GT (V8, 300 HP). Some will doubt this, naturally, but it is true in my experience. However, the car is a hot rod and should be driven with care, especially in bad weather.

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  Best All Around SUV - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By MCH - September 1 - 12:53 am

  After 3 years of research, watching the market trends, evaluating every manufacturer and feature, I finally found the right price/performance ratio to make me part with my cash. Dodge only makes 1 SUV, and you can tell a lot of thought went into making this work for a wide range of buyers and needs.

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  Love It!! - 1998 Dodge Stratus
  By Carla - August 31 - 6:08 pm

  I have 168,000 miles and Im still getting 28 mpg. First 80,000 miles were city commute but last 88,000 have been all highway. I commute 140 miles to work (M-F). I have kept up on my preventative maintenance (not religiously) which has helped. I love the way it handles in any weather. I am concerned about the miles and how much longer my car will last.

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  Family Hauler - 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By torinoman - August 30 - 11:36 pm

  We have the 4.0 engine and it performs great. This van is the only way to travel with your family. However, Dodge needs to get some thing right. The brake rotors started going bad at 15,000 miles and Dodge would not honor the warranty. They wanted $100 to fix their problem. Next, the Bridgestone tires on the van are garbage (nearly worn out at 20,000 miles). The air conditioner fan motor goes out after a while (however it will work after stopping the van and restarting a short while later). The radio conked out in the first year. A good vehicle with some minor changes would be a great vehicle. Dodge needs to step up and cover their mistakes.

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  A Bargin for the Price - 2003 Dodge Caravan
  By Hpedigo - August 30 - 6:30 pm

  This has been a rock solid piece of machinery. Reliable and very dependable. Now has 39,000 miles and only failure has been the CD player which was warrantied.

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  2001 Stratus - 2001 Dodge Stratus
  By Skeeter - August 30 - 4:30 pm

  I love this car! It has excellent mileage for a mid size car, even around town. I trust it not to let me down on long trips too. Also get a lot of compliments on it.

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  Transmission is pathetic - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By larry price - August 30 - 2:27 pm

  Car handles well and has some pep at low speeds. Cruising on the interstate above 70 mph the car is very sluggish. The transmission has been worked on two times and the dealer service was pitifull (one dealer FORGOT to put in transmission fluid)

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  Great truck! - 1996 Dodge Dakota
  By Dave - August 29 - 1:13 am

  Ive had my 96 Dakota for 8 years, and it still looks and runs great with 98,000 miles on it. Ive replaced the water pump and the A/C system (I live in Florida), and Ive made cosmetic repairs to the interior. The 4 cyl. engine does not burn or leak oil, and the 5-speed transmission shifts smoothly and is fun to drive. The original factory white paint still looks great. I drive it almost every day, and it is still excellent transportation. With the tough plastic bed liner, this is a VERY rugged and dependable truck!

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  Nice car - 1995 Dodge Stratus
  By Josh - August 28 - 11:25 pm

  I drive a 95 Stratus with the 168hp 2.5L 24valve V6 under the hood. The car currently has 162k miles on it! Purrs nicely still. Transmission slips a little(what do u expect after 162k) Only things I have replaced(semi major) Wheel bearings, ball joints, all the way around as do many others.. water pump bearings are starting to go, a little valve lash on hot days..so what! It sure beats a monthly car payment to take care of the issues on your car.