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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  The hottest 4 door for the money - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By crl69 - March 25 - 9:26 pm

  Im 20 and I have had 7 cars before this one and of all the cars I have found the one that i really enjoy to drive. it gets great gas mileage and it has great horsepower. I love to see people when they look and you can tell they are saying, "what kind of car is that". I have never wanted a red car but this red is hot. if you want roominess, sporty looks, and great performance go test drive this car. Im almost positive you will not be disappointed.

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  Theres a reason there was only 1 left! - 2009 Dodge Journey
  By mopar - March 25 - 3:00 pm

  Good grief! My Canadian SE PLUS edition is a piece of junk! I was looking at Journeys and my dealer only had 1 journey left CC91601 to be exact and I know why its a piece of junk. First my doors paint peels off due to mosture. Brillant Black fades easy and Ive been fighting Chrysler about my noise when turning left.

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  Paid "idiot" dues buying a 2nd Caravan - 1998 Dodge Caravan
  By jeff meier - March 25 - 2:29 pm

  Ive owned used cars for 40 years....no car has been anywhere near the nightmare of Dodge Caravans. Bought a new one in 93...disaster...liked the dealer and heard quality had improved on Caravans, so I bet on Dodge one more time. WHAT AN IDIOT! 3 water pumps, headgaskets blew, air conditioner leaks, starter, alternator belts, struts and stabilizers replaced at 50,000 miles....was undriveable, flimsy speakers that sound like blackboard scratching and dealer service manager says....no warranty...they still "work". I should have spent the extra $ on a Honda or Toyota.....will next time.

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  Expensive to Repair - 1998 Dodge Dakota
  By Jeff - March 24 - 10:53 pm

  A joy to drive, but a nightmare on repair costs. Dodge doesnt make it easy to repair or replace a small piece or a small part, you have to replace the entire part. One example is on the Upper Swing Arm - instead of just replacing the bearing when it goes bad, you have to replace the whole Upper Swing Arm at around $300.

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  2005 Dodge Dakota - 2005 Dodge Dakota
  By Bill - March 24 - 9:22 pm

  Just bought the new model Dakota for 2005. I like the new look but wish the mileage was a bit better. This is not a commuter vehicle. I have detected a vibration at 60 MPH, and I hope the dealer can track that down for me. Beyond that, it is a fun truck to drive.

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  Great little car - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By Gil - March 24 - 6:31 pm

  Im 63" tall and I fit in this small car. It was one criteria when I purchased it. Great sounding audio system. The automatic is a bit doggy, but Im not a race driver. Easy to park with little front end thanks to the cab forward design. Taken it on long trips and even slept in it overnight. Wish it had power rear windows, though. Lots of head and legroom for tall people. Safety rating---I ride a motorcycle and no matter how it fared on the safety tests, its better than a bike. Has enough power to get out of its own way, so hopefully accidents can be avoided. Handles well in high winds and stops quickly when necessary.

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  Viper - 2005 Dodge Viper
  By Ken - March 24 - 5:36 pm

  I have had many super experiences with this car. It is the best car I have ever owned. I am a car collector and have a 360 spider and am on the waiting list for a Mercedes Benz SLR. I also have owned many different performance cars but i still live the Viper the most.

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  The not so new Durango - 1999 Dodge Durango
  By Faith Huff - March 24 - 4:14 pm

  We are a family who drives nothing but classic cars, so, buying this Durango was very difficult - but necessary. Knowing that its painful to buy a new car, this particular vehicle numbed it alot, as its good on gas, great on sleekness, and wonderful on reliability. I am a 21 year old female, and I would trust this Durango to get me across the country from California to Michigan alone without any worries. Its not new, its not a C.P.O., but its got all the space we need, the comfort, reliability and gas mileage we desire. I reccomend this vehicle to anyone, even though I generally am anti-new car. I am impressed.

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  Nice car - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By Andy - March 24 - 3:34 pm

  Very nice looking car. Even with the 4cyl car has good power. For a small car is very comfortable on a trip.

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  Dont buy this for the gas mileage - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Beep Beep - March 24 - 2:26 pm

  Just wanted to let everyone know that this is a nice little car. I would definitely not rate it as high as most of the people below but for the price its very nice. I drive a lot of miles and get around 25 mpg no matter how I drive. I tried for 2 weeks to drive slow and see what my mpg would be and it was slightly over 26. I would also suggest to stay away from the dark colors, I got black , it has a white under coat and the scratches really jump out. Over all its a nice little car for the price.