Road Test

Andy Stonehouse
October 25, 2007

When you live on the I-70 side of the Central Rockies, you get to spend a lot of time hearing just how sensitive people in Aspen are about their Aspen-ness – much like Front Rangers get to hear about Boulder and its own deliciously pushy yet easily bruised collective self-identity.

Last year, when Chrysler announced that it was going to resuscitate the Aspen name (last used in the 1970s on a sedan and station wagon that was the sister vehicle to the Plymouth Volare) and apply it to the brand’s first large SUV, the Roaring Fork folks were, predictably, up in arms.

Former Aspen Mayor Helen Klanderud wrote Chrysler a letter suggesting that the company instead market a vehicle that “represented our environmental values … the name Aspen would be more suited to more fuel-efficient vehicle.”

Basically, what they were saying was that if Chrysler had simply named the big eight-passenger vehicle the Chrysler Vail, they would have been smugly happy about it, but unless the new “Aspen” was a hybrid, or a Prius-sized vehicle, 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 last weekend in the Vail Valley, where absolutely nobody said anything about it. The big galoot of a machine, which is based on the Dodge Durango but bulked up to comfortably accommodate more passengers, fits in nicely with a community full of Suburbans and Escalades and Expeditions and Navigators.

Had I made my way over to Aspen itself, I’m sure the reaction would be completely different, for, as you 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 were tasked to do a makeover of the Durango. With gleaming 20-inch aluminum wheels, broad running boards, a cabin full of blonde wood grain highlights and a high level of attention to detail, the Aspen is indeed a very 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 which open at an almost 90 degree angle make for easy passenger access (the second row seats 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 Aspen didn’t actually have one.

What it did have was a ride that was very nice for what I so typically 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 complains were the marginally light feeling 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 Sunday’s rather unpleasant five-hour drive to DIA. I don’t mind the snow, just all the other people trying to drive in it in cars with bald summer tires.

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. 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 actual Aspen folks? A hybrid version of the Hemi will be available 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. In the meantime, just be careful while driving Hwy. 82 – them’s some mighty sensitive folks over there in Glitter Gulch.