2005 Dodge Magnum Test Drive

Fierce Family Car

A fierce, fast and fun family car? You bet. Here's another hit for Chrysler.

Should You Buy This Car?

For $32,295, you can get the new L.L. Bean edition of Subaru's Outback wagon, a vehicle that is now pretty close to as fast as the Magnum (thanks to a new, turbocharged, 250 hp motor), and comes standard with all-wheel drive.

And if you live in the snowbelt, you might well think you need the Subie -- until you realize that for $31,370, you can get an all-wheel-drive Magnum RT. Yep, 340 horses, and all-wheel-drive for about a grand less than the Outback. Not too shabby.

And lest you think your mileage will suffer, it really won't be that bad. Thanks to Dodge's Multiple Displacement System that deactivates half of the engine's cylinders at idle or when you're cruising at a steady state, the AWD Magnum gets 17 miles per gallon in the city and 23 on the highway, while the rear-wheel-drive model gets 17 city/25 highway. That's at least as good as almost any SUV or crossover in this class. The Subaru? It gets 19 city/25 highway, which isn't that much better.

We also think the Magnum has a few distinct advantages over the Subaru that we haven't yet mentioned. The last Outback we drove rode plushly. Whether the new Outback has been made to handle more like its WRX baby brother remains to be seen (we'll have a test drive soon and let you know), but as we've already said, the Magnum is really a tire-smoking hoot to drive. It isn't as light as the Subaru, however, so it does tend to bog down if you're hyper-aggressive behind the wheel.

Get the notion that we really like this family car on steroids? You're right. There's little to rival the Magnum for style or all-out power for your dollar, and despite some flaws in packaging and interior design, it wins you over with performance and good exterior looks. And we'd dare say Chrysler has a runaway hit on its hands because it offers style and performance without sacrificing decent fuel-economy, and still gives family friendliness without making mom and dad feel like -- ick! -- parents.

Still think wagons are uncool? Climb into a Magnum and press down with your right foot.