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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  like my truck - 2003 Dodge Dakota
  By dorothy koprowski - June 2 - 2:00 am

  I needed a truck to haul stuff without asking to loan one in the family all the time. I traded in my beloved new yorker but I love the dakota. Its a good truck for a woman

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  Excellent truck - 2002 Dodge Dakota
  By sogospfan - June 2 - 2:00 am

  I just dont like the 15mpg gas mileage. I have only had the truck for 3 weeks and have put over 1000 miles on it. It is so fun to drive. I love it.

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  Mash The MOFO pedal...and go ... - 1994 Dodge Intrepid
  By Zoom Zoom - June 1 - 2:00 am

  This car in the 10 years since introduction.. has become the vehicle of choice for cabbies.....whats that say?. Ill tell ya...Roomy inside..lots of trunk space..starts ..runs...handles... (in the snow and rain ..even) ..and..oh yeah .. Mash the MOFOing GO pedal ..and the beast goes..(crushing any cute little honda\toyota\mazda\tofu eating v4 car youd care to name).... All the fun stops/runs out/becomes a little spooky.. around 112/118 mph on the stock set up ..depending on the condition of the car. Staying on top of the recalls is/was mandatory..all work done on mine was under warranty ..currently 100,000 miles..with all recall work done...runs great

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  95 Dodge caravan - 1995 Dodge Caravan
  By Bill Adams - June 1 - 2:00 am

  Great van... very reliable, good fuel economy... 3.0 engine has been great. Trans. had a few problems early on however was taken care of by dealership. Van has only been back once to the dealer.. Changed oil every 3,000 and does not burn oil between changes. Exterior is in like new condition.. the champagne color is OK.. not particularly my first choice however in view of whats available.. its fine. Liked it enough to buy another. have owned 3 so far.

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  Dont waste your money on a Dodge - 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By jonlynn - May 31 - 7:40 pm

  I did a lot of research prior to buying my minivan. Somehow this thing came up good. I shoudve trusted my instinct and walked away from the dealer. No wonder Chrysler is going under. Like everyone else: 16k- new brakes and again at 31k! I finally did not go to a dealer and found a great mechanic who said Dodge is notorious for it. Chrysler does not stand behind its product. It has been in for TSBs about 5 times. No good when we tote kids. I sunk a lot of money into this thing and I wish it would sink into mud and never be seen again. The only good thing: sto and go is great, it is pretty comfortable, gas mileage not too bad. If I werent so much into debt in it, I would trade it in!

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  Fast Car V6 141+ HP - 1994 Dodge Shadow
  By cenva - May 31 - 2:00 am

  3.0 L Very fast and low Q! Smooth engine.

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  My Friends Cant Believe What I Paid - 2003 Dodge Intrepid
  By LuvToDrive - May 31 - 2:00 am

  I started out looking for an inexpensive compact sedan. I couldnt believe it when I stumbled upon the price of the Intrepid. It cost virtually the same as an upgraded compact sedan, except that it came standard with far more features. Once I took it for a ride, I was sold. The standard engine is extremely powerful and this car corners like a sports car. To top it off the car looks fantastic. My kids love the spacious and comfortable rear seats and a/c vents. Even though its a base model sedan it feels more like Im driving a flashy sport coupe!

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  My Friends Cant Believe What I Paid - 2003 Dodge Intrepid
  By LuvToDrive199 - May 31 - 2:00 am

  I started out looking for an inexpensive compact sedan. I couldnt believe it when I stumbled upon the price of the Intrepid. It cost virtually the same as an upgraded compact sedan, except that it came standard with far more features. Once I took it for a ride, I was sold. The standard engine is extremely powerful and this car corners like a sports car. To top it off the car looks fantastic. My kids love the spacious and comfortable rear seats and a/c vents. Even though its a base model sedan it feels more like Im driving a flashy sport coupe!

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  Happy Dodge Owner - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By Happy Dodge Owner - May 30 - 4:30 pm

  I have generally owned Fords. After the normal ups and downs of life, I decided to reward myself with a new vehicle. I had been researching for a year and half, looking at Explorers and Escapes, etc. I decided to take a visit to look at Dodge trucks since I have always liked the way they looked. I probably wouldnt have given the Durango a thought, but I really liked the redesigned look over the earlier versions. It is fun to drive and it gives me the leg room that I need. I settled for the standard model, because I prefered the color they had in stock! My only wish is that I had purchased the SLT with the 3rd row seat, running boards, steel rims, and moon roof! Otherwise, it is a joy!

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  Not so hot Neon - 1998 Dodge Neon
  By carrie - May 30 - 2:00 am

  Head gasket problems seem to be normal for this car ours had to be replaced around 35,000 miles (and the head remilled to boot). No recall for this problem, but Chrysler did kick some cash back to the dealership for repairs after a considerable amount of complaining. Also, trunk has always leaked -- friends of mine had the same problems with their Neons. After five years of misc. mechanical problems, Im happy to be getting rid of it!