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Remembering The 25 Worst Cars Dodge Ever Made

Cameron Eittreim October 5, 2021

8: Dodge Shadow

The compact Shadow was another excuse for the company to try and put out a compact. Based on the K-Car platform, the Shadow was a shorter wheelbase version of what was already there. Aside from that, the Shadow was lacking in quality, and that was its downfall. The interior was reduced with plenty of cheap parts (via All Par).

The performance was lethargic at best and the lower-end models were unreliable. The Shadow was a small car, and you could tell just by looking at it. There was a rare Shelby model that stood out from the crowd, yet that was about it.

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7: Dodge Avenger

Dodge had a lot of two-doors during the 1990s, and the Avenger was one of them. Based on the Chrysler Sebring, the Avenger had many unique features. Most notable was the interestingly designed body, which didn’t look like anything else. But when it came down to the performance, the Avenger was nothing special (via KBB).

In fact, the car was nothing more than a Sebring coupe with a Dodge grill. Which meant you were paying a premium for something that essentially looked sporty, and that was it. The Avenger was every bit a letdown, like many Chrysler products were around this time. The brand was later revived with a new Avenger sedan.

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6: 1990 Dodge Monaco

There was a time when Dodge sold a lot of obscure-looking cars. The Monaco was one of these cars. This sedan was released from 90-92 as a stop-gap until the Intrepid hit dealership lots. The problem is Monaco didn’t fare well in terms of sales, and there were many more appealing cars on the road (via Edmunds).

It did have a unique look and spacious interior, but that was about it. Everywhere else, the car suffered from a lack of quality. To this day, Monaco is seldom seen on roads anymore. The build quality wasn’t good enough, and the design was ridiculous when you compare it to other models.

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5: Dodge Dynasty

The Dynasty was a square-bodied sedan that didn’t look like anything else on the road. There is a good reason for that, as Chrysler was trying to appeal to luxury shoppers. The problem is that the Dynastic was not the luxury car that most hoped for. In fact, the Dynastic was undersized when compared to the competition (via Consumer Guide).

It also didn’t help things out that Chrysler sold a carbon clone of the car. The Dynasty seemed to sell well initially, but things tapered off once buyers knew of the car. There were much better options drivers could purchase for a lot less money.

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4: Dodge Stratus

The Stratus was the replacement for the Spirit, and it was better in every way. Chrysler had moved onto a modern design, which was an important step for the nameplate. But the Stratus still fell short in many areas, most notably the reliability. The Stratus was not the most reliable car, and repairs were expensive (via Repair Pal).

Dodge would attempt to supplement this with a redesign, but it never did revive the nameplate. In the eyes of consumers, the Stratus was merely a cheap domestic nameplate. The car was sold to rental fleets, and you’d see them everywhere. Surprisingly, there was a police-issued version of the Stratus that proved widespread in the South.

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3: Dodge Magnum

The Magnum was released after the Intrepid, and there was a lot of fanfare around it. Dodge was taking a gamble by releasing a wagon, but it proved well. Initially, the Magnum was a hot seller for the Dodge brand. Although things cooled off as time went on, the Magnum stopped selling (via Cars For Sale).

Still, the V8 power behind the Magnum was an interesting touch in 2005. Although most automakers had abandoned the idea of a wagon, Dodge decided to go all-in. The Magnum is a popular choice in the used car world because of the Hemi V8. The fun design is easy to build on, although one of the worst Dodges ever sold.

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Dodge Dakota Sport Convertible — Photo Credit: Hagerty

2: Dakota Convertible

The Dakota Convertible is the only truck ever made to look like this. We’re not sure what the folks at Dodge expected. Apparently, someone thought it would be a good idea to cut the roof off of a Dakota. The end result looked strange, and the sales for the thing were never enough to justify the project (via Hagerty).

Nowadays, the Dakota Convertible has become a rarity on the road. Drivers flock toward these for their attractive design. But you can find a better compact truck for the price and make it custom how you would like it. There were issues with the convertible top leaking and the questionable build quality in general.

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1: Dodge Intrepid R/T

Having a sport sedan is a fine thing, and they can be fun to drive. But when Dodge decided to sell the Dodge Intrepid R/T, it was a bit of a letdown. Released in partnership with NASCAR, the Intrepid R/T had a lot of fanfare behind it. Indeed, the end result was the attractive car, to say the least, but that was about it (via Car and Driver).

The Intrepid R/T didn’t have any performance upgrades, there was no V8. There was nothing different about the car, other than a rear decklid and a nicer set of wheels. Dodge did their fans dirty with this one, and as such, the sales were disappointing. The Intrepid R/T is truly a blemish in the otherwise storied reputation of Dodge.

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