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:

• 

  Good so far.. - 2002 Dodge Intrepid
  By grover750 - April 4 - 3:00 am

  Was my company car, I bought personally it when it hit 60k for $6k. See below for thoughts

• 

  FOR $12,000 I GOT A STEAL - 1999 Dodge Stratus
  By SALFRAN - April 3 - 2:00 am

  GREAT DEAL FOR THE MONEY

• 

  My Magnum SXT - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By thegunny - April 2 - 10:00 am

  Absolutely the best riding car I have owned or even test driven. I like the fact that it uses supsension from Mercedes, and the ride is proof that it works as advertised. I have only 900 miles on mine so far, and have yet to take a trip with it. Biggest problem withthe car is the attention you get while driving it. People ride alongside of you just to look at it and they wont pass, or they take alot of time in passing you. Its one sweet looking ride.

• 

  I Keep Giving it One More Chance - 1998 Dodge Neon
  By neondeb - April 1 - 2:00 am

  This car is fun to drive, very sporty, great gas mileage (29-30). However, we had 22 service visits in first 3 years, 20 of which were for Service Engine Light! They never really knew why, but kept replacing things. After 50K miles, it mostly stopped. AC died at 50,300 after all our trouble, they did a courtesy adjustment. Sun roof has issues. One bad thing...slow- speed (20 MPH) front end collision (fender bender) completely crushed hood/fender/radiator/AC condenser! Too much damage to bother fixing, so sad to see it go.

• 

  A Hidden Gem - 1993 Dodge Dynasty
  By WxMan_II - April 1 - 2:00 am

  Was looking for family transport, at 64", the Intrepid on the lot didnt do it for me, so I tried the Dynasty. Boys, this baby packs performance, handling, comfort, and style into a great package. 3.3l V6 power, good economy, handling that rivals anything on the road with tight, responsive steering. This thing challenges my Daytona 2.2 Turbo off the line and holds well to the top end. A definite keeper.

• 

  Truck Guts with Beauty - 2001 Dodge Durango
  By AlphaDog - April 1 - 2:00 am

  If you dont want to buy one, dont test drive one - once you hear the guttural growl of the V-8 and feel this trucks ability to get you off the line, youre hooked. The retro, aggressive body style adds to the primal draw. But, this is definitely a truck. If you want the smooth and quiet ride of a land yacht, youll be disappointed. Less aggressive tires can help to smooth the ride of this beast, but its not domesticated. Nevertheless, if you want a go- anywhere, pull-anything workhorse with some family-friendly appointments, like a third row, leather interior and space to move around, this is it.

• 

  Sway bar problem - 2001 Dodge Dakota
  By Professorold - April 1 - 2:00 am

  I have been satisfied with the truck, with one exception... it has developed a very bad squeak due to the sway bar moving inside the outer bushings. Dakota forums expose this as a common problem, but Dodge has made no effort to help consumers with it. To date, there is no cure, just a very expensive temporary fix - have Dodge replace parts for inflated costs.

• 

  1997 avenger - 1997 Dodge Avenger
  By charlieonefin - March 30 - 2:00 am

  I used to own one of these, found it annoying to have to own a set of jackstands and floor jack just to change the oil. It was fairly reliable, with the exception of the alternator, but all around it good vehicle, a nice mix of performance and economy. And yes, get your auto transmission filter changed every 15,000 miles.The Automatic used in these are weak and if not maintained on this cycle, can cause some serious headaches. I changed the filter on mine at this interval and had no problems after over 60,000 miles.

• 

  rack n pinion - 1999 Dodge Intrepid
  By queenbee72 - March 30 - 2:00 am

  We have a 99 and it is with 50,000 miles on it and it is in need of a rack and pinion already and dealer says it is not covered under the regualr warranty this is a major repair and I think dodge needs to cover more.

• 

  Good for the first five years - 1997 Dodge Dakota
  By Rosemountguy - March 30 - 2:00 am

  After my initial purchase and subsequent visits to the dealer for various quality control problems, the truck worked very well for three years. Shortly after this a series of problems has made me question my purchase of a Chrysler product. Three sets fo brakes in less than 75,000 miles, various electrical gremlins, suspension problems, and cracked exhaust studs have jaded my initial opinion of the vehicle. The recent condition of peeling paint has made me consider selling the vehicle and purchasing one of foriegn manufacture.