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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  Great Car, Great Buy - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By C baker - November 16 - 11:06 am

  I have owned my Dodge Neon for quite a while now, and it has been the best car I have ever had. The 5 speed is fun to drive. If you are concidering this vehicle I would absolutly drive it, because you can not appreciate it until you drive it.

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  Great hemi rest of it not so great - 2004 Dodge Durango
  By GMACPA - November 16 - 1:16 am

  The Durango hemi offers plenty of room and comfort, but falls way short on quality. In 4 months I am now in the process of replacing the radio for the second time, first the display was going blank and now the CD changer is broken. The trim inside looks like it is from a cheap economy car, and there are cosmetic defects everywhere. The tires are awful--these Goodyear Wrangler SR/A have limited dry traction, horrible in the rain, and I expect even with AWD to have to replace them for the winter season. AWD on lousy tires means slide with all 4 tires thats all. Gas mileage is worse than I expected-- awful around town, ok on highway.

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  Capable truck minor glitches... - 1998 Dodge Durango
  By we-dogee - November 13 - 11:22 pm

  I start by saying, I love this truck. I needed a vehicle that would be capable 4wd conveyance. And the "D" has shown its grit. From the beaches of Hatteras to the muddy farms of the MDs Eastern Shore, the D has always done the job. Things have not been perfect. First there was the mysterious cracked side view mirror. A mystery until I discovered a Durango Owners Forum online and found that the 98 D had a Mirror glass temper problem. The Dis also a bit under powered electrically. It needs a better alternator from the git go. And shes known to be heavy for the smaller brake set they opted for... Alas, it may be a wiring harness that causes us to part.

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  So far, so good - 2004 Dodge Intrepid
  By Jerome Barry - November 13 - 9:38 pm

  My wife drives this car and drives it badly. Ergo, my fuel economy when she drives around town is about 16 mpg. When I drive on the highway, I get 29 mpg. Its difficult for me to get my fat self into the front seat, so the the power seat is a plus. It handles well and runs quietly. Ive changed the oil twice so far and it hasnt siezed up yet, imagine that! Anyway, the looks of the car are superb, but looks wont hold value if the guts of the car are weak. Depreciation is a big minus on this car, so Id recommend you buy one used after one or two years and not more than 20,000 miles. The car handled our family vacation marvelously, the trunk room and back seat room were worth it!

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  Tough, Adorable and Awesome Caliber - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By Kathy D - November 12 - 4:56 pm

  This is a real winner. I love the gas mileage 1st of all. Then, I have to get into the drive and looks. Drives like a mid size car, no pings that most small cars have. Looks more like a guys car I have to admit. Definite tough look exterior wise, but drives well with great comfort. Love the glow in the dark drink holders and the shift located below the dash. Real retro and funky inside. Oh, not to mention the keep cool compartment located in the glove compartment. I definite hit from Chrysler.

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  Holy Crap - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By srt-4 lover - November 12 - 2:45 pm

  I am 16 years old it is my first car andI love it. It is fast as hell and it leaves everything behind. It is completely stock and i had it dyno tested at 252hp which is 22 more hp than what dodge says it is. I have no complaints.

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  Disappointed in Quality - 1999 Dodge Intrepid
  By vfornelli - November 12 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the Intrepid after looking at the Volkswagon Passat. The Intrepid was roomier, it cost less, and had a better sound system and climate control. However, after just 37,000 miles, I had to replace the front bearing, rotors and pads under normal driving conditions at a cost of nearly $800. At 61,000 miles, I had to do the same for the rear. I also experienced transmission problems at 61,000 miles. I have enjoyed the room, comfort and gas mileage (23mpg city, 32mpg highway), but I am very disappointed in the mechanical quality of the vehicle.

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  Unreliable Junk (My worst Nightmare) - 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By CHW - November 12 - 10:00 am

  The transmissions are poor design and only last about 12,000 miles. This Van has gremlins too. It has electrical problems too. We finally parked it at 80,000 miles after My wife refused to drive it anymore. She bought an explorer and has been happy since.

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  Never again a Dodge!!! - 1999 Dodge Durango
  By balto-man - November 12 - 10:00 am

  At first, I fell in love with my Durango. Its power, stylish looks, big tires, good handling were all fun until: The rear tailgate latch broke, a psngr. door wouldnt unlock (no fix), a loud chirping from the rear couldnt be fixed, the a/c stopped working from some electrical problem (they managed to fix this 1), then the engine stalled on several occasions and the dealer (after having my Durango for 3 wks) couldnt fix this 1! This almost got me and a dealership mechanic in a few accidents! I traded it in ASAP. I should also mention that the dealership where I bought the Durango treated me like I was some kind of criminal. Never again will I buy a Dodge!

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  Pleasure to own.......... - 1999 Dodge Durango
  By MSF_Snake - November 12 - 10:00 am

  Bought the suv on lease purchase plan and decided to keep it based on vehicle performance. Intake gasket replacement is the only issue that we have had and has over 40,000 mile on vehicle. Dont care for the gas mileage, but it WILL pull a load. Inside in comfortable, with plenty of room. Been a good family vehicle.