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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  Durango - 1998 Dodge Durango
  By Max Weltzin - March 10 - 2:00 am

  Excellent design, agressive looks.

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  4 Door Viper & A Daily Driver! - 2003 Dodge Neon
  By SRT-4-Life - March 9 - 2:00 am

  My first "10 minute drive to the park"...took 4 minutes! I tapped the gas & the turbo smoothly launched this black beauty to hyper-space. Two cop cars did U-turns...just to get a closer look at it & my license plate. Want to reverse a bulging disc in your lower back? Four "snicks" thru the gears with a twitchy right foot & the appropriate amount of turbo boost... should do it! Awesome!!!!!

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  Nice SUV - 1998 Dodge Durango
  By Pac_man - March 9 - 2:00 am

  I have had very good luck with my Durango. I love the flexibility and styling. The ride can be a little rough and the gas mileage is terrible, but other than that its a great SUV. If they sold the same truck with a diesel, I would buy it in a second.

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  Intrepid Small but mighty - 2002 Dodge Intrepid
  By Steven Kirschner - March 9 - 2:00 am

  This is my company car. I drive it 3000 miles per month and have not had one single mechanical issue on this car or its (2000) predecessor. I think the intrepid is a wondeful car for the right sized person. I am 6 2" and it is tough to get in and out of, but it is ok when you settle in. The low roof line can be a pain.

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  Wow, was I surprised! - 2004 Dodge Intrepid
  By Racin Roxy - March 9 - 2:00 am

  The Intrepid had never caught my eye before, however once behind the wheel, I was hooked. This is my first Dodge, and so far, I would purchase another. This car is responsive, handles incredibly well, rides like a luxury car and looks great. The pearl black finish and chrome wheels are a real eye catcher. The interior is roomy and comfortable. The sound system is above average. I hate to arrive at my destination when driving this car... Id like to keep on driving.

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  Serves purpose well - 2001 Dodge Durango
  By vt_mom_of_4 - March 9 - 2:00 am

  We are not mini van folks so the Durango was an obvious choice for us having our third daughter on the way. The gas milage is about average however, it does great on long trips.

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  I love this truck - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By mike - March 8 - 11:43 am

  I enjoy my new Durango. This truck rides smoothly. It has horsepower and I enjoy my Infinty sound system, DVD, CD changer, and also my third row. My children say "we look down on people in the cars we are big." Im very proud of Chrysler/Dodge. They finally stepped up and made a large SUV. Keep up the good work.

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  Bad Buy - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By ron - March 8 - 10:20 am

  I am very unhappy with my Nitro. It misses out. Tranny is very sloppy and they say this is normal. Bad gas mileage and under powered. I would not reccomend to anyone.

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  Very nice - 2002 Dodge Neon
  By GoodFriendOrion - March 8 - 2:00 am

  I havent had the car long, but it has been wonderful so far. The body design is sleek, the car runs beautifully, and the interior is quite comfortable (my last car was a 72 VW Beetle). Very much worth the money.

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  Christine - 1999 Dodge Durango
  By picsbyron - March 8 - 2:00 am

  Great except for the gas milage.