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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  Fit for the family - 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By AB - June 23 - 1:33 am

  This is the familys first van and Dodge vehicle. We love the ride especially the comfort on our road trips with two kids and dog. We plan to have another child so we dont have to worry about room because there is plenty. We are certainly impressed w/ the quality of this vehicle. The gas mileage is much better than our Explorer, which we traded for this car. We looked at other brands and felt we were getting more for our money with Dodge. What made it even more attractive was the fact that it uses regular fuel and not premium like some of the other brands. We might the right choice with this pruchase.

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  It is a winner!! - 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Mike - June 22 - 7:50 pm

  This is the 3rd minivan from Chrysler that we have owned. This van replaced our 2006 Town and Country and it is the best one yet. It seems to have more power than the 2006. Ride is better and it has lots more storage.

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  Excellent Car - 1997 Dodge Intrepid
  By LauraB - June 22 - 2:00 am

  I have had my car since it was brand new. I had to replace the master cylinder and alternator last year (year five), but aside from that its been a dream car.

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  It is a Wow! Style, comfort and grear mpg! - 2013 Dodge Challenger
  By John Pagano - June 21 - 2:59 am

  Fantastic car for the price of a boring generic sedan. Looks good, sounds great - V-8 rumble. Gets 20 to 28 mpg - really! and yes I know what the sticker says. Also, goes pretty well in the snow with Blizaks and 200lbs of sand.

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  I am done with Chrysler - 1999 Dodge Caravan
  By expressrun - June 21 - 2:00 am

  The worst thing about fixing problems with this car is that they dont stay fixed. Replace a sensor and 30,000 miles later is goes bad again. Fix a leak and there will be spots in the driveway again in a short time. Are they putting the same garbage parts to repair it that it came with? Or is the dealer service bad? The biggest mistake you can make is to buy a used Chrysler minivan. It will be a head ache that will not go away. The only reason to buy a new one is the price. You can get a well equipped one for around $20,000. A Toyota or Honda will start at $25,000 and go up from there. BITE THE BULLET and spend the extra money .

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  Best Car I ever bought - 2002 Dodge Stratus
  By Todd Farally - June 21 - 2:00 am

  I love my 2002 Stratus R/T, it is hands down the best car I ever bought. I drive around town and everyones head turns to look at it. Outside and in, its style is flawless. It handles great, corners like a dream and can stop on a dime. If you purchase this vehicle, I highly recommend you get it with the autostick feature. Autostick really helps in highway driving, plus its a lot of fun on windy country roads. The sound system is top-notch for a stock system. Well I hope what Ive said helps people out who are looking for a great car at a affordable price. I can honestly say that you wont be let down by this automobile, I havent been!

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  Improved Minivan - 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By rlester1 - June 20 - 11:15 pm

  This is my fifth minivan. These are not the minivans of old. I bought the AVP with some upgrades. Just got back off long trip, got 20 mpg in the city, and 29.5 mpg highway, with 24.7 with a mix situation. Love it. Used the stow and go seats variable positions for a different need everyday. I love the handling. I love the cab forward design, easy to see the road and park. The ride can be a little bouncy, but not bothersome. I have the base seats but they are very comfortable. I had a long drive at night and can see the road much easier than in a sedan. The best value in a vehicle period. My only complaint is that the transmission wants to shift out and then back down in the hills.

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  Brake Callipers, Transmission - 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By herekittykitty - June 20 - 10:02 pm

  At 34,000 km, needed brake servicing ie cleaning which struck me as odd and cost me. Callipers were sticking and grinding brake pads. Right rear calliper was sticking off and on for some time with a thump in releasing. Trani - thumps when shifting from 2nd to 3rd on econo mode.

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  All around great car - 1998 Dodge Avenger
  By Avenger21 - June 20 - 2:00 am

  Well first of all its a affordable version of the viper :). It has a low stance with a front grill similar to that of the viper. It rides like a dream and has few flaws. I havent had any major problems, just the normal routine repairs. I love every aspect of this car, but maybe could use a bigger engine :)

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  Just give up on staying cool and its ok. - 1996 Dodge Caravan
  By looseacl - June 19 - 2:00 am

  this was the second mini-van of three owned. Why do I do this to myself???? OK, the car is VERY functional--roomy, not bad handling (next vehicle is AWD), always got us where we were going. BUT! beware of A/C problems!!! I have put over $600 into AC repairs every single year! 3 major parts, each costs $600 and they go out in rotation. Taken it to dealers, AC shops, specialists ... same story every year ... and--the next version... the 2001 AWD, just blew its first compressor. stop the insanity