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Chrysler’s full-size SUV called Aspen may not make residents there too happy, but the ride proves to be a smooth, powerful one in the end.
Last year, when Chrysler announced that it was going to resuscitate the Aspen name (last used in the 1970s on a Dodge sedan and station wagon that was the sister vehicle to the Plymouth Volare) and apply it to the brand’s first large SUV, folks over in the Roaring Fork valley were, predictably, up in arms.
Former Aspen Mayor Helen Klanderud wrote the company a letter suggesting that the company instead market a vehicle that “represented our environmental values … the name Aspen would be more suited to a more fuel-efficient vehicle.”
Basically, what they were saying was that if Chrysler had simply named the big eight-passenger vehicle the Chrysler Vail instead, they would have been smugly happy about it, but unless the new “Aspen” was a Prius-sized hybrid, they wanted nothing to do with it.
As a result, it felt a little odd — and a little more fun than normal — to actually drive the aforementioned Aspen a few weekends ago in the Vail Valley, where absolutely nobody said anything about it. The big galoot of a machine, which is based on the Dodge Durango, fits in nicely with a community full of Suburbans and Escalades and Expeditions and Navigators.
Had I made my way over to actual Aspen itself, I’m sure the reaction would be completely different, for, as we all know, nobody over there drives anything larger or more expensive than a Honda Civic hybrid. Insert rimshot here.
Politics aside, the new Aspen is, in a curious way, like what might happen if Lincoln had been outsourced to do a makeover of the Durango. With gleaming 20-inch aluminum wheels, broad running boards, a cabin full of blonde wood grain-styled highlights and a high level of attention to detail, the Aspen is indeed a nice SUV. And one that’s significantly less expensive than many of the competitors (mine, a 2007, started at $33,685 and finished off, completely loaded, packed with a Hemi engine and 4WD, for $43,230).
It’s an earnest, hard-working and attractive machine with ample room — quite comfortable for six, but you’ll be able to squeeze two smaller humans into the middle spots in the second and third row seats, should you need to do so. Large back doors open at an almost 90-degree angle and make for easy passenger access (the second row seats fold over and tip up) and the 60/40 split third row offers genuine foot room for riders.
Aspen’s attention to detail shows up in suede-like inserts on the leather seating, a series of pointable LED lights throughout the cabin, an efficient multi-zone heating system (with second row controls) and a full rear DVD entertainment system. In the 2008 model, you’ll be able to get the new MyGiG multimedia system, which is a completely slick, aftermarket-styled interface that combines touchscreen navigation and satellite radio with a hard drive for burning songs and even pictures — more on that in a future review, as this 2007 model Aspen tester didn’t actually have one.
What it did have was a ride that was very nice for what I regularly describe as being a lot of vehicle, although the Aspen is really no more cumbersome than any other big ‘un, and weighs right in that very typical 5,000 pound range. With the 335-horsepower 5.7 liter Hemi V-8 under the hood, there’s a Presidential Entourage level of power, even up the very steepest of inclines, but if you keep the hammer down a lot while heading up the pass, you’ll get about 11 mpg (my overall average was closer to 15.5).
Steering and handling feel were fine, although the big 20s do jog a bit on steep ruts and holes, and the only really scary part was coming down Floyd Hill at full throttle and then realizing that gravity and momentum don’t conspire to provide sports car-styled cornering in a vehicle of this size — so keep that in mind.
Beyond that, my only other complaints were the marginally light doors and a set of B-pillar bulkheads between the front and rear doors that totally negate your ability to see vehicles in your blind spot (without moving your head a bit). The five-speed transmission performed flawlessly on the run but can only be manually shifted into a jarringly low second or first gear when trying to ease off the speed. Shift-on-the-fly 4WD also worked very well and helped the vehicle feel completely confident during a rather unpleasant five-hour drive from Vail to DIA.
Getting into the Aspen as a driver does require a bit of a stretch over the broad running boards, but once you’re in place, it’s a nice position with comfortable heated seats, wheel-mounted controls, ample up-front storage in wood-covered bins, blue-lit instruments and even a keen looking analog clock. Behind the center armrest, there’s a full 115-volt electrical outlet to help charge a laptop or, once again, run a blender.
Aspen’s looks are essentially a nicer and more chrome-heavy rendition of the Durango, with chrome on the tops of the bumpers, side mirrors, along the body accent lines and roof rails, plus a dimpled hood that looks like it was lifted from the Chrysler Crossfire (which, I might add, Chrysler announced that it will no longer be producing, nor will it make the Dodge Magnum, the convertible PT Cruiser or the Pacifica).
Proportions are large but not hideously out of scale; it’s just a comfortably large automobile, with an electronically (or manually) operated liftgate and a full, heavy-duty trailering package that can deal with up to 8,950 pounds in towing capacity.
Any concessions to the folks actually living in Aspen? A hybrid version of the Hemi will be available for the Aspen SUV in 2008, providing a small increase in efficiency; the optional 4.7 liter V-8 currently available still produces 303 horsepower and will get you better overall mileage, and is E-85 compatible.
Former Aspen Mayor Helen Klanderud wrote the company a letter suggesting that the company instead market a vehicle that “represented our environmental values … the name Aspen would be more suited to a more fuel-efficient vehicle.”
Basically, what they were saying was that if Chrysler had simply named the big eight-passenger vehicle the Chrysler Vail instead, they would have been smugly happy about it, but unless the new “Aspen” was a Prius-sized hybrid, they wanted nothing to do with it.
As a result, it felt a little odd — and a little more fun than normal — to actually drive the aforementioned Aspen a few weekends ago in the Vail Valley, where absolutely nobody said anything about it. The big galoot of a machine, which is based on the Dodge Durango, fits in nicely with a community full of Suburbans and Escalades and Expeditions and Navigators.
Had I made my way over to actual Aspen itself, I’m sure the reaction would be completely different, for, as we all know, nobody over there drives anything larger or more expensive than a Honda Civic hybrid. Insert rimshot here.
Politics aside, the new Aspen is, in a curious way, like what might happen if Lincoln had been outsourced to do a makeover of the Durango. With gleaming 20-inch aluminum wheels, broad running boards, a cabin full of blonde wood grain-styled highlights and a high level of attention to detail, the Aspen is indeed a nice SUV. And one that’s significantly less expensive than many of the competitors (mine, a 2007, started at $33,685 and finished off, completely loaded, packed with a Hemi engine and 4WD, for $43,230).
It’s an earnest, hard-working and attractive machine with ample room — quite comfortable for six, but you’ll be able to squeeze two smaller humans into the middle spots in the second and third row seats, should you need to do so. Large back doors open at an almost 90-degree angle and make for easy passenger access (the second row seats fold over and tip up) and the 60/40 split third row offers genuine foot room for riders.
Aspen’s attention to detail shows up in suede-like inserts on the leather seating, a series of pointable LED lights throughout the cabin, an efficient multi-zone heating system (with second row controls) and a full rear DVD entertainment system. In the 2008 model, you’ll be able to get the new MyGiG multimedia system, which is a completely slick, aftermarket-styled interface that combines touchscreen navigation and satellite radio with a hard drive for burning songs and even pictures — more on that in a future review, as this 2007 model Aspen tester didn’t actually have one.
What it did have was a ride that was very nice for what I regularly describe as being a lot of vehicle, although the Aspen is really no more cumbersome than any other big ‘un, and weighs right in that very typical 5,000 pound range. With the 335-horsepower 5.7 liter Hemi V-8 under the hood, there’s a Presidential Entourage level of power, even up the very steepest of inclines, but if you keep the hammer down a lot while heading up the pass, you’ll get about 11 mpg (my overall average was closer to 15.5).
Steering and handling feel were fine, although the big 20s do jog a bit on steep ruts and holes, and the only really scary part was coming down Floyd Hill at full throttle and then realizing that gravity and momentum don’t conspire to provide sports car-styled cornering in a vehicle of this size — so keep that in mind.
Beyond that, my only other complaints were the marginally light doors and a set of B-pillar bulkheads between the front and rear doors that totally negate your ability to see vehicles in your blind spot (without moving your head a bit). The five-speed transmission performed flawlessly on the run but can only be manually shifted into a jarringly low second or first gear when trying to ease off the speed. Shift-on-the-fly 4WD also worked very well and helped the vehicle feel completely confident during a rather unpleasant five-hour drive from Vail to DIA.
Getting into the Aspen as a driver does require a bit of a stretch over the broad running boards, but once you’re in place, it’s a nice position with comfortable heated seats, wheel-mounted controls, ample up-front storage in wood-covered bins, blue-lit instruments and even a keen looking analog clock. Behind the center armrest, there’s a full 115-volt electrical outlet to help charge a laptop or, once again, run a blender.
Aspen’s looks are essentially a nicer and more chrome-heavy rendition of the Durango, with chrome on the tops of the bumpers, side mirrors, along the body accent lines and roof rails, plus a dimpled hood that looks like it was lifted from the Chrysler Crossfire (which, I might add, Chrysler announced that it will no longer be producing, nor will it make the Dodge Magnum, the convertible PT Cruiser or the Pacifica).
Proportions are large but not hideously out of scale; it’s just a comfortably large automobile, with an electronically (or manually) operated liftgate and a full, heavy-duty trailering package that can deal with up to 8,950 pounds in towing capacity.
Any concessions to the folks actually living in Aspen? A hybrid version of the Hemi will be available for the Aspen SUV in 2008, providing a small increase in efficiency; the optional 4.7 liter V-8 currently available still produces 303 horsepower and will get you better overall mileage, and is E-85 compatible.
2007 Chrysler Aspen Limited 4WD
<b>Price as tested:</b> $43,230<b>Mechanics:</b> 335-horsepower 5.7 liter V-8 Hemi with multi-displacement, 5-speed transmission, four-wheel drive
<b>Stated mileage:</b> 14 city, 19 highway (13/18 by new EPA standards)
<b>Includes:</b> Power liftgate, heated front seating, leather seating
surfaces, DVD navigation system, rear DVD entertainment system, 20-inch wheels, Alpine speakers and 383 watt stereo, Sirius satellite radio, trailer towing group, remote starter, hands-free phone
connector, premium floor mats.
