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:

• 

  Fun & quality - 2006 Dodge Magnum
  By Greg L. - June 21 - 9:53 pm

  This is a very large car that handles like a sports car. Corners flat, breaks straight, very comfortable ride and considering the too small engine, it has good acceleration. It does NOT like to pull a trailer, but if youre reasonable its okay with that too. The drivers seat is far too narrow, Im a big guy and have to find just the right spot to get comfortable. Some people dont like the sparten interior, but I like the design. However, a little less of a plastic look would be nice. The exterior design is outstanding and there are lots of storage pockets and nooks and crannies. The standard tires are just adequate, but in Canada you really do need snow tires for winter safety.

• 

  One of the best cars I have ever owned - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By revan - June 20 - 7:08 pm

  Very attractive, Powerful ,Secure,Reliable and fun to drive. plenty of room for drivers over six foot,nice layout of interior plenty of everything you need excellent in all aspects.

• 

  2003 Dodge Stratus coupe - 2003 Dodge Stratus
  By jack - June 14 - 3:07 pm

  I bought my 2003 Stratus SE coupe a year and half ago. It has a little over 100,000 miles. It goes through tires like crazy and the engine squeaks on random occasions and the paint is fading all over the car. The interior is the best though. It looks and feels much sportier inside and all the electronics (cd player, moonroof, windows, mirrors, locks) all work perfectly. The clothe upholstery is also really durable. Engine is fast from a dead stop but it is impossible to pass other cars on the freeway! Gas mileage is also kinda bad for a 4 cylinder

• 

  The jurys still out... - 2006 Dodge Dakota
  By Jay - June 14 - 1:05 pm

  I bought a used 06 in 08. I wanted a V-6 for milage (traded in a Jeep Wrangler) but the V-6 is a dog. It wont get out of its own way. The rear end is super light and on rain slicked roads you really need to watch the break away factor. That could also be because of the crappy Good Year tires the truck came with. Ill be upgrading the tires to Michelins very soon. Suspension is extremely soft and bouncy, almost like driving a 70s era Cadillac. The bed could be a few inches longer but it works for what I need. I can put my Suzuki RM in the back straight on with the gate down. The mpg is decent, not great, not bad. So far, I havent had any mechanical issues.

• 

  steering column - 2004 Dodge Dakota
  By randm - June 12 - 7:10 am

  I would like to know if any one out there has had a problem with there steering column.I have replaced mine twice in 4 years.any suggestions would help.Or could it be a defect and subject to recall.

• 

  There are no other cars in this class. - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By AaronG - June 11 - 10:00 am

  The engine is fantastic. There is a bit of turbo lag, When it kicks in, look out. Handling is superb. Somewhat small turning radius. Smooth clutch. 5th gear is mainly an OD gear, going 80mph youre hanging around 2800rpm. Racing seats take some getting used to. Slightly cheap interior. Since there are only going to be 2500 of these a year, plan on not paying MSRP. At the dealership they were asking 25,500. Autonation.com: 18,756. Loads of fun for a very small price. Also Dodge has in the works Stage 1-3 upgrades which dont violate the warranty.

• 

  Good car - 2008 Dodge Avenger
  By Todd - June 11 - 12:45 am

  I love my Avenger. 4 cylinder isnt going to grab much attention but moves car with the rest of traffic. Engine design is joint venture with hyundai and mitsubishi, seems to be very reliable. Ride is qiuet and comfortble. 300 mile road trip first weekend family of 4 fit perfectly. Rear armrest with cup holder was big hit. Yes fabric is comfortable and cleans up well. I love the exterior design and sirius radio is very nice for traveling. Fold down split rear seats come in handy on a weekly basis. Car gets all around fuel economy 28 mpg mixed hwy cty driving. 30 mpg is easy all hwy.

• 

  204000 miles before retirement - 2000 Dodge Intrepid
  By tc - June 10 - 11:50 pm

  I loved this car and hated to junk it. However, I got my money out of this car. I brought it brand new with 7 mile on it. I had to buy to 2 rebulit transmissions $1900 each time. I got an oil change every 4-5 weeks because I drove 750 miles a week. I had to replace the brakes quit often and the seal around the doors would not stay on. The car was a good car but the transmissions where the only major problems that I had with the intrepid. I wish Dodge would make better transmissions. I will always LOVE the car and the 204000 miles speaks volume. R.I.P Trepy 10/18/1999-06/05/2008

• 

  Fun Car With Glitches - 2009 Dodge Challenger
  By moparfool - June 10 - 12:10 pm

  Generally a great car. I have always really liked the late 1960s Dodge B body (Charger) and E body (Challenger) cars. The new Challenger distills the old E body car design without the noise, handling, body flex, and 10 mile per gallon issues of the older muscle cars. The acceleration and handling are great, IMO. I picked the 5.7 liter R/T as the best compromise on engine power, cost, and gas mileage. There have been two glitches at 3500 miles the airbag light came on for a few seconds while cruising. And at 4000 miles the alternator / battery light came on and stayed on until I shut the engine off and restarted. The dealer checked all wiring and found nothing.

• 

  Very nice minivan - 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Wayne - June 10 - 5:46 am

  Ive owned this van for 39 months now and the only problem I have had with it is an occasional sticking rear electric hatch. Some times latch doesnt want to release. Waiting for it to do it more often before I take it in to be fixed. Outside of that, I have had no problems at all with it. I bought it mostly because of the stow-n-go seating as I carry a lot of stuff. They are great along with those deep storage bins. The van is very quiet and the ride is smooth. The A/C is a strong feature here in hot Arizona. Cools the van right down. My only wish is that the power steering gave me a little more road feel. Its a little to touchy and I have to watch I dont ease over in the other lane.