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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  Good at First... - 2002 Dodge Neon
  By eamin637 - June 9 - 10:09 am

  I got my neon almost 3 yrs ago, at first it was nice and it got me around. I got it with 79,000 miles on it. Within the first week the dash got bubbles in it. After that it ran okay, hard, long start and misfiring every once in awhile. 1st yr I had to replace the brakes, rotors, tires, and bushing cost $700. The next year just new bulbs $10. Recently before I got rid of it I had to replace the struts, tire rod, brakes again, stabilizer pin, emergency brake and radiator $900+. I had the final straw when I finished fixing all of that and the catalytic converter went out.. I was terrified of driving the car and I took good care of it with regular maintenance. I would not recommend this car.

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  Great car for 6 years - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By bmerrr06 - June 7 - 12:32 pm

  I got the 05 Neon SXT in 06 with 30k miles on it. It lasted until 90k miles but then the transmission blew. Other than that, it was a great commuter car, and I never had any other problems with it. Its not flashy or a luxury vehicle but if your looking for a cheap but reliable vehicle that gets about 30 miles per gallon (highway). I only paid 11,000 for it so I feel like I got my moneys worth :) I would buy another one but I need an SUV now.

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  Eight years and still glad I bought it! - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By 04stratusrt - June 2 - 7:44 pm

  Bought a 2004 Stratus R/T coupe brand new and have not regretted it. The V6 provides plenty of power and I get 28 to 30 mpg on the highway! Great looking car with zero mechanical issues.

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  GREAT CAR! - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By t_white - June 2 - 3:03 pm

  I have had this car now for three years and I absolutely love it! The design is innovative as well as comfortable. It drives great and I have never had any problems with it mechanically. I would recommend this car to anybody.

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  Not luxurious but decent little ride - 2009 Dodge Caliber
  By bryancpe - June 1 - 12:44 pm

  I bought this car new and Ive put 66000 miles on this car without a need for any repairs. The ride is comfortable but not luxurious by any means. The ride is fairly smooth and gets great mileage. Typically I get 30-31 mpg. On long interstate trips I get about 28. Why you might ask do I get lesser mpg? It has a tiny engine (2.0L) that works harder to maintain 70+ mph speeds. I keep up with the maintenance religiously as I live in the hot desert of Arizona and want this vehicle to last. The vehicle idles heavy and is weak on the acceleration. The cabin is bit small but I do have two toddler car seats in the back seat. Cargo space can be limited, especially with a big stroller. Does the job!

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  1999 Dodge Neon - 1999 Dodge Neon
  By kgodbold0873 - May 31 - 11:19 am

  I hate this car. It has to many problems. I bought this car with 91,XXX miles on it and ive already had so many problem. So far ive had to replace the transmission coolant hoses and last night when i was driving it discovered i have to now replace the water pump and the water overflow where the antifreeze goes. I would NOT recomend this car or and DODGE NEON or DODGE to any one i know or will know in the future. THEY SUCK!!!!

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  Great SUV, great buy! - 2003 Dodge Durango
  By pll4554 - May 28 - 7:35 am

  I got my 03 Durango a few months ago with 130k miles on it, and I love it. It handles great - not much body roll, feels lighter than it is. Seats are very comfortable, and it has a LOT of power. The drivetrain is very responsive & the engine feels like its bigger than 287 Cu. In. I DO wish there was more legroom for the 2nd row passengers as I am a big guy & leave my seat very far back. And yes, the gas mileage is poor (13/18 MPG), but I knew it when I bought it (probably why the car was so inexpensive). I like the styling & features of this generation of Durango. Ill write another review after I put some serious miles on it. After 5k miles so far I love it!

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  An excellent American car! - 2005 Dodge Stratus
  By leprof - May 25 - 5:32 pm

  I have driven this car since I drove it off the lot in Oct. 2005. A former rental car, it had a couple stains in the back seat and around 27k miles on it. Since then I have driven it around 80k miles with no problems at all whatsoever except regular maintenance. One bit of advice - be careful of curbs and potholes because I have ruined some tires/control arms doing this. It is quite low to the ground. Having been told "dont buy American" I was hesitant to buy it, but I am so pleased with this car! I will drive it until it dies.

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  Lots of Water Interior Rear and Front Passenger Side - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By kwicklund - May 21 - 5:08 pm

  I replaced my worn out Aurora with 197+ thousand miles on it at the end of Feb 2012. I purchased a used Dodge Caliber 2007 with 74,221 miles on it. It now has 75,690 miles on it. I guess the previous owner left out the little bit of information where the back & front passenger interior side floor leaks , and not just a little, inches worth. Then it takes forever to get it to dry and then it starts to stink to high heaven. I have been trying to find someone who will guide me to the spot that causes this leak so it wont cost me a small fortune to get it fixed. I also have discovered several other problems as well.

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  Brake & frt suspension issues - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By ndh1998 - May 13 - 8:47 pm

  Bought this car in fall of 2010 for my wife who liked the style an size with approx. 38,000 miles. At 51,000 + I noticed the frt tires starting to wear abnormally and took it to the tire shop I use only to find the tire rods/ball joints were shot. Had those replaced & 2 tires. Brakes have for a long time squeal when going backing out the driveway and especially if they are wet. Then the decorative black trim around the outside door posts started to peel and come peal off. Dodge has said these are not under warranty so I would have to pay to fix the decorative trim & they could replace the brake pads but do not think this will stop the issues with squeaking.