2009 Chrysler Aspen

It is still hard to believe it even when you are experiencing it first hand. A huge Chrysler Aspen SUV manages to skirt around town at low speeds with but a hum of the electric motors. No doubt a selling point for the greenhand, Aspen will make a seamless change to four cylinders, then six cylinders, and then as power is required it goes to the full eight cylinders. The wonder of it all is that it only engages when the demand is there. And that's good news for the environment and for owners looking to cut trips to the gas station.

One might be tempted to compare Beauty and the Beast with the new Chrysler Aspen Hybrid. While the beast is easily identified as the legendary Hemi V8 delivering outstanding power on demand, the beauty is just as easily appreciated in the new green-friendly hybrid model.

Chrysler has teamed up with General Motors, Mercedes-Benz and BMW to develop a 2-mode hybrid system that is now offered on the Aspen. The Aspen Hybrid is only offered with an all-wheel-drive system.

Chrysler's Aspen shares its underpinnings with hybrid cousin Dodge Durango. Impressive is the dual-mode hybrid systems that simultaneously operate electric motors and gasoline powered engines. The best of both worlds? Not quite. But let's call it the best in a world trying to go a little greener.

It sounds strange to say it, but the real story on the Aspen Hybrid is NOT the eight cylinder power from the legendary 5.7-liter Hemi, Rather, the real story resides in the Hemi's flexible displacement that allows it to operate on 4, 6 or all 8 cylinders. The ability to call on the big power only when it is needed is the reason for the improved fuel economy.

If the variable displacement is impressive, then the two electric motors that work with the transmission to balance full electric power with Hemi power are going to make you shake you head and ask to see it (or maybe try and hear it) for yourself.

I found my Aspen Hybrid tester to be absolutely a whisper when I drove at low speeds. I opened the window and tried to hear something, anything, it's just not there. It's that quiet. Sure, there is a slight sensation you feel in the seat, not unlike golf cart that tells you something is pushing it, but until, and even when the engine kicks in there is a seamless transition.

You can actually monitor the transition on a dashboard readout, but as my power demand rose moving from side streets to main thoroughfares, the gas engine kicks into 4-cylinder power. Throttle the engine a bit more and it switches to 6-cylinder drive, finally all 8 cylinders jump to attention under maximum load.

Passengers really do get a kick as you slow down at a stop sign and the engine again goes silent. Braking actually delivers a regenerative charge to the battery bank. The very first hybrids had a really unsavory downside, when the engine stopped, the air-conditioning and power steering went into a docile, shutdown mode. Not the case with Aspen. All is good even when you are standing still.

The Aspen Hybrid has a well-appointed interior that is comfortable with a sense of durability. Standard features you expect, like front and rear air conditioning; tilt steering wheel with audio controls; cruise control and power windows and doors, are just the beginning. Look for remote keyless entry and 8-way power driver's seat with memory (4-way passenger seat).

Aspen owners need not look far for high-tech treats. An Alpine AM/FM/CD stereo with auxiliary input jack and Sirius satellite radio delivered outstanding quality for every part of the roomy cabin.

The Aspen's cabin has three rows of seating. Big cozy seats engulf the driver and front passenger. The Hybrid model comes with leather interior (and heated seats). The second-row offers a 60/40 split bench while a 3-passenger split-folding third-row bench will be best suited to kids, though I found it to be surprisingly roomy.

Additional standards for the Hybrid were a much-needed rear back-up camera, MyGIG Multi-Media Infotainment System with 8-inch touch screen and a navigation system with voice activation and real-time traffic. With the Aspen rated to tow 6,000 pounds, the back-up camera will come in very handy for towing.

Overall, at a starting price about $45,000, Aspen's body on frame construction will not deliver the cushy ride many competitors can bring to the show. Three rows of seating and the Hemi power are for-sure stars while the hybrid motors make driving a big SUV a little more tolerable at the fuel pump.