2007 Chrysler Aspen

Chrysler hopes its new “full-size” SUV will keep customers who might otherwise defect to cousins Dodge and Jeep

by Gary Witzenburg

To its credit, DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group has made a profitable practice of creating new vehicle niches, astutely going where the competition isn't. And where a new Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicle's type isn't new, its size or architecture often is. Witness the venerable PT Cruiser, the Chrysler 300 bunker-look sedan, the Dodge Magnum gangster wagon, and the more recent Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass mixed-message compacts.

Now come the 2007 Dodge Nitro and Chrysler Aspen, an interesting pair of segment-buster sport-utes tossed bodily into the crowded - and shrinking - SUV market. But while inventing new niches can be savvy business, reinventing segments might be a tad misleading.

Reinventing segments? Chrysler's marketing minds march to their own internal segmentation somewhat different from your and mine - based on price and perception, as well as size - to determine which competitors their vehicles confront. Thus the likeable new Dodge Nitro, based on Jeep's compact Liberty , grows slightly longer and morphs into "mid-size" - though it's substantially smaller than Chevy's TrailBlazer, Ford's Explorer, and the rest that most of us know as mid-size. And they label their new Chrysler Aspen, a nicely done luxury take on Dodge's 'tweener-size Durango , "full-size" - though it's smaller than the Chevy Tahoe/Suburban, Ford Expedition, etc., that we've long known as full-size.

So Chrysler is stretching its definitions to position these vehicles as larger than they are, a relatively harmless trick that rental car companies (whose Focuses are "mid-size" and Malibus are "full-size") have been getting away with for decades. But wait, there's more.

When Chrysler marketers define their "full-size" SUV segment, they list a raft of mid-size, mid-priced models that includes Honda's Pilot and Mercury's (Explorer-based) Mountaineer and one actual full-size entry, Chevy's Tahoe - then boast "class-leading" power, torque, interior room, and towing capability. And they tout the Aspen as more maneuverable and fuel-efficient than "large" SUVs, a Chrysler class above full-size that apparently includes everything bigger than Aspen except Chevy Tahoe. But doesn't "large" equal full-size?

Right-size alternative?

Segmentation aside, this first Chrysler-brand SUV may be a right-size alternative for buyers wanting substantial towing and hauling capability from an SUV somewhat smaller and more garageable than traditional full-sizers. And it may be a viable choice for luxury truck intenders unable or unwilling to ante up for a Caddy Escalade or Lincoln Navigator. Either way, it fills a hole in Chrysler's line and should prevent some folks from defecting to competitors.

Like its new Sebring mid-size sedan stablemate, the Aspen wears a big, bold Chrysler-trademark grille and a Crossfire-like straked hood. Inside, it's a healthy step upward from Durango in refinement, craftsmanship, and quietness. The seats are upholstered in a choice of two-tone leather or ultra-stain-resistant premium cloth, while the rich woodgrain trim, leather-wrapped armrests and other tactile surfaces send a quality message. Adult-size three-row seating is standard, and cargo room with the third row folded is a "best-in-class" 68.4 cubic feet.

Unlike the Dodge Durango, the Aspen has no base V-6. A 235-hp SOHC 4.7-liter flex-fuel (E85-capable) V-8 is standard, while the optional 335-hp OHV 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 with fuel-saving MDS (Multi-Displacement System), which deactivates four cylinders under light load, delivers respectable EPA economy of 15 mpg city and 20 highway with standard 2WD. Both drive through a five-speed automatic, and 4WD models get standard full-time all-wheel drive and an available two-speed (high- and low-range) transfer case. Both transfer cases split torque 48/52 front/rear in all-wheel drive.

The hydroformed frame provides a rock-solid platform for the surprisingly competent independent front and coil-spring, solid-axle rear suspensions, while the rack-and-pinion steering feels well-connected to the road. Maximum tow capacity (with the 5.7-liter HEMI, 2WD and 3.92 axle ratio) is an impressive 8950 pounds vs.