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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  The Ultimate Ride! - 1995 Dodge Viper
  By Del - October 24 - 11:16 pm

  This has been my dream car since it was first introduced, and finally found one at the right price and took it home. This beauty is a beast, just total power once you press the pedal. Highly recommend for those who never owned a sport car, the torque is powerful! The roadster is the best as you can really let go in the wind, though I have a very cold AC, no need with the top off. Highly recommend to purchase an aftermarket hardtop and windows, as the soft top and zipper windows just dont cut it. As for attention getter, this is it, everywhere you go, people wants to see it, kids ask tons of questions and be prepared to get photgraph. Its the ultimate sportcar!!

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  What a GREAT 1st New car - 2009 Dodge Challenger
  By Spice - October 24 - 9:46 am

  I bought a B5 Blue Pearl right off the showroom floor. My wife walked in with me and said Are you serious, you like this car? I said if you dont like it, lets go. And she said Are you kidding me? Its beautiful Two hours later, I drove it away with only 3 miles on it. What a nice ride. Performance way better than the Corvette I used to have. Looks that turn heads even when sitting still. Very comfy inside, with easy to read gauges and all radio/heat controls at hand. The slap-stick tranny is nice, witch your tach and bump it to the right,...and boom, your flying at 80 MPH and still in 3rd. Nice job Dodge, you did it right!!

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  The Avenger is GREAT!! - 2008 Dodge Avenger
  By John Phillips - October 23 - 2:13 am

  I bought a 2008 Dodge Avenger with a 2.4 L engine. I am a college student, who travels over 300 miles a week. The car does an awesome job, it excels well, it drives great, is great on gas, really fun to drive. I bought the car because i fell in love with the design and how it ran. The car is roomy and i get alot of comments on it. I was worried when i purchased it becuause everyone told me that dodge was crap, but it has done very well. i am glad i purchased it, and i wouldnt have gotten anything else. this is my first car, and i gotta say it is the best car i have driven, and will def be the best car i will ever own. I have driven a taurus and a sonata, and the Avenger is the best. love it

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  Great in a Crash! - 2009 Dodge Charger
  By dlp - October 22 - 11:39 pm

  We rented this car but the next day we were in a head-on collision in rush-hour traffic on an expressway in Tulsa. (Not our fault -- a driver next to us lost control, spun out and got turned around to face us.) All of us in the Charger walked away with NO injuries. We all drive smallish imports were all giving those cars second thoughts now. I know this isnt the kind of review Edmunds likes, but I hope they do post it, as safety can be a major issue in an auto purchase.

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  Speed and Power - 2001 Dodge Dakota
  By Nick N - October 22 - 5:09 pm

  This truck is a great vehicle that I use as a daily driver and it has always gotten me from point A to B. This truck has a very nice speed for being the 3.9 V6 and has a lot of torque. The only downfall is that the fuel economy is ok for a vehicle. I get about 18mpg in town and I get almost 24 on the highway. I have over 180,000 miles on it and the only problem I have had with the truck is an oil leak at the oil pan, which I have heard is a common problem with Chryslers vehicles.

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  Excellent Rig - 2003 Dodge Durango
  By I Love My Durango - October 22 - 4:47 am

  Fine, the mpg isnt great but what it lacks in that dept. it makes up for in every other category. Had I known how great Durangos are when they were introduced I wouldnt have waited until 07 to buy my 03. Its great! Plenty of power from the 4.7 (enough to tow my 68 Charger project on a flat bed), excellent turning radius, very reliable and just plain fun to drive. From deep snow to dry pavement the Durango handles it all. A dead battery and window moulding are the only issues Ive had in more than 2.5 years of ownership. I can haul 8 people with the front buddy seat up and even managed to get a large dining table, six chairs and four people in it once. I just love it. Its a 4x4 muscle car.

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  Changed 2008 to 2010 dodge - 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Driver - October 21 - 10:30 am

  I have 2010 4 Liter SXT Plus. We were surprised It is much better than our 2008 SXT ( we leased it). A lot improvements here! The quietest van. It looks like they redesigned suspension; rear view camera had night vision (2008 didn’t), has LED lights inside, entertainment system is the best in the business. Build quality also much better. We just came back from 1600 miles trip. I got 27.6 MPG on highway! I drove 2010 Honda Odyssey, 2009 and 2011 Toyota Sienna, 2010 Kia Sedona in my opinion 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan 4L the best.

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  I enjoy it - 2010 Dodge Journey
  By givinback - October 21 - 9:56 am

  Currently have less than 1,000 miles on the car It handles well, accelerates perfectly, drives very smooth. I have took it off road and the AWD is very responsive. Cargo space is excellent if you carry equipment.

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  Bargain - cant beat it - 2009 Dodge Caliber
  By BOTA - October 20 - 10:03 am

  Car is great overall. Only complaint is the engine is a bit underpowered in certain circumstances. For the price - unbeatable

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  chop top thriller - 2005 Dodge Magnum
  By chris j - October 20 - 1:26 am

  What a blast to drive! This ride purrs at 90, and yearns to jump over 110, without any stress. A great highway cruising vehicle--and makes for a fun ride to the coast. My two 9-foot longboards fit with ease. Exterior styling is aggressive and bold- -projects its "wanna rumble" attitude with confidence. I get many Mustangs and Vettes that want to play on the highway- one light tap on the accelerator and theyre wiping the sand from their eyes...