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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  Sleeper - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By jwoodward_78109 - November 18 - 10:00 am

  I was totally sold on this vehicle by the different car magazines that did features on it. I traded-in a 2000 Mustang GT that was putting out around 320hp to the engine and Im looking forward to modifying the SRT-4.

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  Not Too Happy about Dodge - 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Not Too Happy - November 18 - 10:00 am

  I am a sucker 3 times over. Several nagging problems. It started with the power steering. It started getting really loud and whining and I took it to Dodge and they said there was an issue with some hoses that needed to be replaced. Later it came out as a recall. The back power liftgate is quirky. Sometimes it opens and sometimes it does not. The drivers seat squeaks horribly when you go around turns or your body shifts in the seat. The brakes were done at 27000 miles and I have had to take it back 3 other times. What a ripoff!

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  You get what you pay for : ) - 1999 Dodge Stratus
  By Phat Strat - November 18 - 2:00 am

  My 99 Strat has 73,000 miles on it. Ive replaced the 02 sensor and transmission seal... thats it ($500 total). All in all, its been a trouble- free car that is plenty reliable. This car has great looks and will age well. All in all its a good car for the price. Hard to bash on a car that that was built/priced for the entry-level consumer.

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  Stratus R/T Coupe - 2003 Dodge Stratus
  By 2003 R/T - November 18 - 2:00 am

  I came from a Grand Prix GTP, 240HP 280 Torque. Im impressed with this car. Its only 200HP and 205 Torque, but with the manual, it feels faster. Its comfortable and fun. Its smaller than Im used to, and I dont think anyone will ever want to sit behind me. Its a little restrictive on the view, hard to see right behind me, but Ive adjusted. Its a great car (with my 200 miles so far) and I would recommend this to anyone (so far). Its got a new look that I like much more than the 2002.

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  Looks great, less filling - 2006 Dodge Magnum
  By Dave - November 17 - 10:23 am

  I read a lot of the reviews on this site and they helped me make my purchase. I like the car for the most part but my fiance has a bad back and cant drive more than an hour without severe pain. The rear of the car gets really hot after a couple hours of driving and my dogs roast as a result. Compared to my old 95 Vette, it corners like a pig but its got some nice power for getting around town. Ive had it one month and I have found serious problems with it that the dealer says they cant reproduce. I paid $43k out the door and dont feel the quality is worth the expense. I will never buy another Dodge!

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  Nice unit - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By J46957 - November 17 - 6:26 am

  Car handles great. The available upgrades from Mopar while keeping it "safe" under the warranty is really nice. Best buy for the money.

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  Not for everyone...but almost perfect for me! - 2016 Dodge Charger
  By Michael R. - November 16 - 2:37 am

  Awesome performance. Enough room for my family of four. Gas mileage is actually pretty dang good if you keep your foot off the floor: I have averaged almost 19MPG in the first 550+ miles of owning the car, all stop-and-go driving through town. The entertainment features are really superb, along with the general functionality of the UConnect system. I am amazed at what can be had in cars today. The interior, to me, still seems somewhat cheap in certain areas (inside door skins, for instance) for a car costing north of $40K. Do I wish I would have opted for the Scat Pack instead of just the Road & Track package? Yes and no. Sure, more power and performance could have been cool, but the performance from the 5.7L HEMI is pretty awesome for my "family car." I dont know that I would opt again for the Alcantara Seats...if I had it to do again, I would opt for the full leather.

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  BAD DODGE - 2000 Dodge Dakota
  By Chris Wesendorf - November 16 - 2:00 am

  DONT BUY ONE!! I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE. iT STILL HAS A VIBRATION THAT ITS HAD SINCE DAY #2.

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  R/T - 2002 Dodge Stratus
  By R/T Guy - November 15 - 2:00 am

  I didnt expect much when I got the car, it reminded me of an intrepid and I figured it would drive like one. However, this R/T is powerful, and has the potential to be a sports car when it wants to be, and at the same time can be a comfortable ride around town. Ive had no problems with my R/T, and no real complaints. Im extremely happy with my car.

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  Two weeks in and I love it - 2007 Dodge Caliber
  By slickerby - November 14 - 5:46 pm

  I bought the Inferno Red SXT 2.0 two weeks ago after retiring a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. Not nearly as plush as my Jeep, but still perfect for my commute to work. Roomier than expected and I even took my six-foot-plus-some- son to sit in the back seat at the dealership before I decided to buy. Once I drove and got the feel of the CVT I was hooked. Great car, great value, great sporty look.