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In order to compile this comprehensive review of the 2009 Chrysler Aspen, TheCarConnection.com researched the best professional reviews on the Internet. Then, after driving the Chrysler Aspen for themselves, TheCarConnection.com's editors incorporated their own observations.
Likes:
- Abundant standard features
- Upscale, luxurious look of instrument panel
- Excellent front seats
Dislikes:
- Not much more maneuverable than bigger trucks
- Soft, bouncy ride
- High cargo floor
- Lousy fuel economy (except Hybrid)
The 2009 Chrysler Aspen is a full-size SUV with three rows of seating and rear- and all-wheel-drive variants. It’s closely related to the Dodge Durango. New for 2009 is two-mode hybrid model of the Chrysler Aspen that offers a welcome, if not spectacular, boost to fuel economy.
With a traditional body-on-frame design, the Aspen is a truck underneath; this doesn’t do wonderful things for ride quality, but it does make the Aspen a great choice for heavy towing needs. The Aspen is capable of towing 8,950 pounds when properly equipped. Four-wheel-drive variants include a tow/haul mode for the five-speed automatic transmission, while Chrysler's exclusive Trailer Sway Control helps to maintain vehicle stability while towing.
A 303-horsepower, 4.7-liter V-8 engine is standard on the Aspen, while a 345-horsepower, 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 is optional—and worthwhile for those willing to pay for the performance boost, as it doesn’t make the fuel economy any worse. The HEMI also includes Chrysler's Multi-Displacement System (MDS), which can shut off four cylinders during low-power situations, which makes its highway fuel economy ratings actually 1 mpg better than those for the 4.7-liter. Both engines achieve an unimpressive 13-mpg EPA city rating with 4WD—no better than full-size models.
There is an alternative for those who can’t swallow the idea of driving a guzzler. 2009 also marks the debut of the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid, which boosts fuel economy by 25 percent overall and up to 40 percent in city driving. The Aspen Hybrid puts out a combined 385 hp and 380 pound-feet of torque and pairs the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8. The engine drives a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that helps the Aspen Hybrid achieve an EPA-estimated 20 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway—not bad for a vehicle that can carry seven or still tow up to 6,000 pounds.
