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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  srt-4 - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By Boosty - April 6 - 2:00 am

  Best bang for the buck...literally.

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  Unreliable - 2000 Dodge Caravan
  By FamilyOf5 - April 6 - 2:00 am

  Weve been very dissappointed with the build quality and reliability. At barely 60,000 miles it feels like a 100,000 mile vehicle.

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  She had to have it - 2002 Dodge Durango
  By DavedoesntlikeDodge - April 6 - 2:00 am

  My wife loved the look of the Durango. The sale was high pressure, but we did get a very good deal $7000 below sticker price. When we got it the ground strap wasnt hooked up, the rear washer didnt work, and the folding seats stuck,lack of attention to detail. They worked on the seat twice and still it doesnt work that good, a poorly designed and finished hinge/latch piece. The battery died at 24,000 miles and it runs rough if it hasnt run for a while. I do my own maintance, the lack of a gasket of the transmission pan is just stupid. Our dealer service experiences have been terrible and we will never again buy a Dodge or Chyrsler product.

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  My second Durango - 2002 Dodge Durango
  By ozfreak - April 6 - 2:00 am

  This is my second Durango. I have only had it a few months and it is wonderful! I purchased a 2002 only after my 2001 was totaled. I was rear ended by someone going 55 mph while I was at a stand still. I did one complete roll across a highway, but I walked away. The person in the other car wasnt so lucky-alive but hurt. I wanted a Nissan Altima until the accident, now I will drive nothing but a Durango. It held up like a champ and I know I am alive because of the way it is built. Highly recommend this vehicle.

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  IN STEALTH MODE!! - 1995 Dodge Stealth
  By klinger13 - April 5 - 2:00 am

  has been quite reliable. have only needed to replace the clutch for the air- conditioner, driver side window regulator and an o2 sensor.is very fun to drive and handles exceptionally well. i would love to buy another if they still made them.

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  Good Idea, poor execution - 1996 Dodge Caravan
  By JAZZ1151 - April 5 - 2:00 am

  The design is very innovative, however the quality and reliability left a lot to be desired. We purchased a 7 year 100k mile Dodge warranty and used it. Multiple major problems with the transmission (4) including a complete replacement, cooling system, A/C (5) and a belt tenioner that fails like clockwork every 20K miles since new. Many more less critical problems too numerous to mention here. Except for being beat to death with $50 warranty deductables after 36k miles long warranty enabled us to keep the car longer than we would have if we were footing the bills.

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  Dodge Clunk - 1998 Dodge Dakota
  By mseeley - April 5 - 2:00 am

  In short, the most unreliable vehicle ever. From the beginning, quarterly trips to the dealership. At low mileage, problems of all sorts. Electrical, water pump, catalytic converter, alternator, 3 thermostats, starter coil, tie rods, steering linkage...Customer Care at Daimler/Chrysler blows too.

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  NICE AND STEADY - 2002 Dodge Caravan
  By bigducks - April 5 - 2:00 am

  We still have our 93 caravan with over 154,000 mile and decided we needed the 2002 sport for our long trips back east to see our kids. We like the ride, style, and versatility.

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  Avenger - 2008 Dodge Avenger
  By dannyboy53050 - April 5 - 1:53 am

  Car handles very nice with a fairly smooth ride. Pricing is fair market value. Car is built fairly well.

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  Love My Magnum - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By Steve S. - April 4 - 12:36 pm

  I have had the car only two months, but I feel at this time, it may be the best overall car I have owned. The car turns heads with its unique styling. It is fun to drive, and hauls a lot of stuff.