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:

• 

  Who Knows Yet - 2009 Dodge Challenger
  By Al Mumit - October 4 - 2:46 am

  Wife had to have it. I did not object. It drives easy and the ride is surprisingly smooth. There is plenty of power, it doesnt sound obnoxious, and the Boston Acoustics sound system is quite good. This Challenger beats the snot outta the Mustang in all respects. I drove the GT and the Bullit trying to find a comparable ride. The difference is astounding. I own a Toyota Tacoma, and have always been wary of domestic cars as there are thousands of horror stories. In all, this car is a solid winner. Retro/modern done right, if a little pricey. Never had a muscle car before, and now I know what the stink is about! People cant stop looking at it!

• 

  Bad Brakes - 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan
  By Ist Time Dodge Owner - October 3 - 2:00 am

  I am on my second set of rotors and calipers. The first set of rotors were all pitted at 20K miles. The first time the dealer covered the cost. The second time it cost me $400. Otherwise, the van has been OK. I have 50K miles now and wonder if I should get rid of it before a major problem, like the transmission going.

• 

  Brand New, its fun, jury is still out - 2009 Dodge Charger
  By ET - October 1 - 5:21 pm

  I have the Road and Track edition for 09. Lots of upgrades, but the 10 extra horse power and the Ricaaro style seats with red stitching and badging stands out the most. 20 inch chrome rims are a big hit as well with my friends. The engine is very responsive, and the ESP switch is nice when you want to burn out. I am impressed with the acceleration, although a rolling start and manual transmission mode will give you the best chance at a light to light drag. The engine performs the best in my opinion from 75 to 120. It really moves. It is very quiet in the cabin and I wish the engine would bark a little more from the factory. It does have a 8 to 4 cyl. feature for fuel consumption

• 

  Love It - 1993 Dodge Dakota
  By AjL05_06 - September 30 - 12:14 am

  I fell in love with this truck when I first drove it. My dad bought it in 05 from a friend and he gave it to me in 08. Only had a few problems but those were just from constant break ins and worn cheap parts. Mine fortunately came with a 5.2L V8 but it is light in the back so all that horsepower is useless in winter. Ive done just about everything with this truck from racing to towing and even further and this truck has proven itself tough even for its age. even though mine is starting to fall apart for lack of body maintenance, Im gonna be sad when it dies or when I have to sell it. people off the street have actually offered me 15K for it but I turned them down, Im keeping this truck

• 

  It was a good decision - 1999 Dodge Stratus
  By Greg - September 29 - 2:11 am

  Ive owned my Stratus since March of 2000, and I havent regretted the purchase even once. The most serious problem has been a recent failure of the Leak Detection Pump which caused the Check Engine light to come on - but after nearly 9 years of ownership its about time something broke! The car has been comfortable, fun, and easy to drive. In my opinion, the sharp styling holds up even today. In my mind, the only negative is that I feel it seems slightly underpowered - but my last car was an 86 Pontiac 6000 STE which was a luxury rocket. My Stratus has been a great car.

• 

  Stratus R/T is a heck of a car - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By Jules Lechter - September 27 - 10:00 am

  Though Ive only had the car for a couple of weeks, the car is an outstanding find. The ride is smooth and quiet, on both city streets and highways. With good power being generated from the 2.7l Magnum engine, acceleration and passing is no problem. The cockpit is roomy enough to allow comfort for all riders, with safety for all riders, which include airbags for driver and front passenger and complete shoulder straps for all three rear seat passengers. There are many available options which can be applied, but one of the finest is the 4 disc breaking system with ABS, for added safety. This car is a definite grand find for its price.

• 

  What Power! - 2009 Dodge Charger
  By Tom - September 26 - 9:33 am

  I have had the Charger for about 3 weeks now and I cant believe the power the car has. It is a really solid car all around. I have been driving a 6 cylinder Nissan Maxima and Altima for the past 7 years and cant get over the difference. The Nissan has the features, but the car is light, noisy, and gets 18 mpg (city). The Charger is so real, solid, quiet and secure. So far I am getting 17 mpg. Very east and fun to drive.

• 

  Great Vehicle - 1997 Dodge Neon
  By h j - September 26 - 6:25 am

  I just purchased for a sweet 16 gift, i rebuilt and went through everything on the car. i have been driving it to make sure it is a safe car for her, This is a great compact car, smooth ride, great handling, great on the gas mileage. it is a very comfortable car to ride in

• 

  Bad transmissions - 2006 Dodge Dakota
  By Justin Schafer - September 23 - 8:11 pm

  At 42k miles my transmission fluid is black when i replaced it 3 months ago. Of course they tell me i need a new transmission and of course its 6k out of warranty. Eventually i get a hold of someone at dodge who agree to help, yet they only decided to pay 50% of 2,800 to get a new one. 02-05 come with 7 yr 70k powertrain warranty and late 06 to now come with a lifetime powertrain of course i got an early 06 so im screwed with a 3 yr 36k bumper to bumper. When i turn the wheel lock to lock it squeals, fluid seems fine, mystery illness. Terrible gas mileage, center console latch stuck and couldnt get it open after awhile. The whole center console is cheaply made.Overall bad choice on my part

• 

  Certainly Worth a look - 2007 Dodge Durango
  By SM - September 22 - 11:09 pm

  We have had our SUV for about 5 weeks now & we really love it. Its crazy that many others complain about MPG. What were they expecting from an SUV this large? We have the 4.7 & get 16/20 which is not bad at all. Our SUV seats 8, which is great as we are always hauling lots of kids & family around. You can get a fantastic deal on an slightly used Durango right now with everyone overreacting to high fuel prices. Its only a few MPG less than an Acadia or Pilot etc and much lower in price. If you are looking for a good sized SUV this is certainly worth a look. There is lots of room inside and road visibility is great. The second row seats fold easily so access to the 3rd row is good.