What did you accomplish this past year? If you're like many people, progress at home and at the workplace has been modest. Not the case for Chrysler. Since the company rose from bankruptcy flames, elevated by a partnership with Fiat and financial support from the Canadian and U.S. governments, it has been moving at a blistering pace.
You wouldn't know it from the low-profile the company has kept the past 12 months, but there has been a bustle of engineering work going on behind the scenes. Historically, the automaker has been at the center of the auto show three-ring circus. This past season the Chrysler Group opted to simply vote "present" at these vital, high-profile events while instead preparing to host its own attraction at your local dealership—assuming it survived the rapid downsizing last year, of course.
We recently had an opportunity to inspect and drive a range of products from Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, and Jeep brands, including freshened models and redesigned vehicles. There is no question that Chrysler has been busy, and what it has accomplished in so short a time is laudable.
Last year, Chrysler spelled out its
2011 product plans, with freshened interiors and corporate Pentastar V6 engines revitalizing many models, plus a redesigned Chrysler 300, Dodge Durango, and Dodge Charger. On paper, such promises feel flat. But from behind the wheel, it is clear that this is a new Chrysler.
Below, we'll scratch the surface with highlights. In future posts, we will provide a more detailed look at some of the more significant models. For several vehicles, Chrysler has requested specifics not be published just yet.
Chrysler 200: The midsized sedan formally known as
Sebring gets a cosmetic freshening, with a new front and rear appearance. The interior is updated, with a clean dash design that shares basic styling with many other corporate models and more soft surfaces. Engines are a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a 283-hp, 3.6-liter V6. Revised suspension and better tires contribute to improved ride and handling.
Chrysler 300: An evolution, rather then revolution, the new 300 is more luxurious than the outgoing sedan. There is more differentiation now between the Dodge Charger and the 300. It'll go on sale in early 2011. (Details to be revealed later this fall.)
Chrysler Town & Country: In time to face redesigned competition from Honda and Toyota, Chrysler has updated its minivans with a new dashboard, improved seats (thanks Volkswagen Routan), more tied-down suspension, and reduced noise. It benefits from the new 3.6-liter V6 engine, now the only available powertrain.
Dodge Avenger: The Avenger retains its name for 2011, though it benefits from a full host of improvements like the Chrysler 200. With the Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 engine, power is strong and smooth. An R/T version is expected to join the ranks down the road.
Dodge Challenger: An upgraded suspension transforms this car from pure boulevard cruiser to a sportier, muscle car with more responsive handling. Engine enhancements add appropriate grunt and put the Challenger in the hunt with the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang. The car feels much more focused and tied-down to our enthusiast sensibilities.
Dodge Charger: Restyled, upgraded, and made more potent, the new Charger will be unveiled later this fall.
Dodge Durango: After two generations, the
Durango has moved from a body-on-frame configuration to unibody construction, sharing a platform with the new Grand Cherokee, itself derived from the Mercedes-Benz ML. This move puts it in a better position to compete with three-row crossovers, such as the Chevrolet Traverse, Toyota Highlander, and redesigned Ford Explorer. Here, the V6 feels a bit more taxed than in the lighter cars, but the available Hemi V8 easily remedies that. Rare in the class, the third-row is hospitable for adults. Maximum towing capacity is particularly generous, making this a more refined alternative to a Chevy Tahoe for many buyers.
Dodge Journey: Based on the 200/Avenger platform, the Journey benefits from extensive upgrades much like those sedans underwent for 2011. While the current Journey has a very useful package, the devil was in the details. Scoring too low to be recommended in our last test, don't stop believin' in the thoroughly revised Journey, which shows promise with improved dynamics, powertrain, and interior.
Fiat 500: The Italian brand will relaunch in America with the subcompact 500. The small hatchback has been well received in Europe, but wasn't designed for our market. To address American consumer expectations, considerable work has been done to reduce noise, improve the ride, and better tailor interior comfort to our tastes. Many of the engineering changes made to the U.S.-spec 500 will be incorporated in the European versions of the 500.
Jeep Liberty: The Liberty ranks at the bottom of its class in our testing. In fact, even if it doubled its test score, we still couldn't recommend it. Sadly, the changes for 2011 to the Liberty are quite minor compared to the other mentioned models. It will take more than new colors, steering wheel, and stereo to rise in our rankings.
Jeep Patriot: The Patriot is updated for 2011, with new front and rear fascias, improved interior, and re-tuned suspension and steering system. Overall, the mild changes make it modestly more appealing.
Jeep Wrangler: For a vehicle known to have just incremental annual enhancements, 2011 is a
significant year for Wrangler. As the new dash-mounted grab handle reminds, this vehicle traces its lineage back to World War II when men were men and SUVs were Jeeps. There are no mechanical changes, but trim-dependent interior upgrades make the Wrangler more civilized. A redesigned hardtop has larger rear side windows and the roof is available in painted body color. Cabin niceties now include heated seats, automatic temperature control, steering-wheel controls, and an 115-volt outlet. Attention to acoustics has yielded a slightly quieter interior. The Wrangler does not yet receive the Pentastar V6.
At first blush, these vehicles are notably improved. How they will stack up in the final measure is something we won't be able to report until we anonymously purchase our own test vehicles and run them through our full test regimen. And that's something we look forward to doing.
—
Jeff Bartlett and the
Consumer Reports Auto Test Center
