2007 Dodge Magnum review, image gallery, wallpapers and prices

Dodge Magnum gets better gas mileage than full-size SUVs. The base Magnum SE comes with a 190-hp, double overhead cam V6 that gets 21 to 28 miles per gallon, at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $23,095 including destination. And the 340-hp, 5.7-liter Hemi in the R/T boasts technology that shuts down four of the engine's eight cylinders when the car is just cruising, delivering up to 30 miles per gallon during those moments. Put in everyday terms, if you used it to commute on the freeway at a steady 60 mph, you could average 25 miles per gallon.

The Magnum SXT is better, with some 30 percent more horsepower and torque on tap, plus a five-speed automatic, in a car weighing barely 50 pounds more than the base SE. The SXT's 3.5-liter V6 makes 250 horsepower and, in these days of high horsepower V8s, that number might have lost its meaning, but 250 horsepower is a lot, and it's especially effective with the 250 pound-feet of torque this engine offers. The SXT is more fully featured for the money, too, including sharper wheels and tires more befitting the car's abilities. It's rated to tow 2000 pounds and gets an EPA-estimated City/Highway 19/27 mpg. The SXT uses a five-speed automatic with AutoStick for manual gear selection.

2007 Dodge Viper review, wallpapers and picture gallery.

The Dodge Viper SRT10 convertible is pretty sleek with its top up or down, but the new coupe is simply stunning, with its double-bubble roofline for helmet clearance, tucked-in taillamps and bawdy side exhausts. There is more bump to the rear fender tops, and the Viper sits nose-down and ready to rock with its big, big stickies mounted on five-spoke 18- and 19-inch wheels built for maximum brake cooling.

The Dodge Viper is really, really quick, able to cover 0-60 mph in well less than 4 seconds flat, with 60-0 braking distance of less than 100 feet, better than a Porsche 911, and a 0-100-0 time of 12.5 seconds, which is 0.7 seconds quicker than the previous Viper and leads the league in under-$100,000 sports cars. It's got massive amounts of torque from 1000 to 6000 rpm, then you might as well shift up a gear and try it again. The new viscous limited-slip differential means both tires will leave rubber behind if you get too aggressive. The engine pulls from almost any rpm in any gear and will drive away in sixth from 1500 rpm.

2007 Dodge Durango SUV review, and picture gallery!

Boldly styled, the Dodge Durango is big and powerful, but surprisingly refined. That's right, refined. Dodge and refinement haven't always gone together, but the Durango is quiet and it rides smoothly. Its handling is stable and relatively agile. Inside is a quiet, roomy, comfortable and technologically sophisticated cabin.

The base model has been dropped for 2007, so the Durango SXT is the entry level for the Durango line-up. For 2007 the optional 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine is now equipped with the new Multi-Displacement System (MDS) that disables four cylinders when cruising to improve fuel economy.

The Dodge Durango feels spacious inside. Large amounts of glass contribute to that feeling along with lots of cargo space. Durango is officially classified as a mid-size SUV, like the Ford Explorer, but it's bigger than that and inside it feels like a full-size SUV.

The 4.7-liter V8 engine is competent, powerful and very smooth. It is rated at 230 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque, but it only gets 14/18 mpg with 4WD, using 87 octane.

The 5.7-liter Hemi is rated at 335 horsepower and 370 pound-feet of torque. That's a lot more power than the 4.7-liter, with around-town mileage suffering only slightly at 13/18 mpg with 89 octane recommended, 87 acceptable. For 2006, fuel economy is enhanced with the introduction of Chrysler's Multi-Displacement System on the Hemi, which disables four of the eight cylinders when cruising by deactivating the valve lifters. In our tests of variable displacement on other Chrysler products, we found the transition between cruising and power modes was nearly indiscernible. The Hemi seems like a good value. Plus, it can tow up to 8,950 pounds with the optional 3.92 rear axle, compared with 7,400 pounds for the 4.7-liter. Also, the two-speed transfer case comes standard with the Hemi 4x4, optional with the other engines.

2007 Dodge Nitro review, wallpapers and picture gallery.

The 2007 Dodge Nitro is an all new mid-size SUV. Dodge redesigned the full-size Durango in 2004, and since then has been planning the Nitro, which is 22 inches shorter. There are many mid-size SUVs out there, and Dodge wanted the Nitro to be distinctive, in order to keep up its reputation for bold styling. The result is a very squared-off vehicle, with exaggerated fender flares.

The Nitro comes in either two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, with a choice of V6 engines, one old and one new. The new 4.0-liter V6 is better than the old 3.7-liter, with 50 more horsepower and fuel economy that's only one or two miles per gallon less. However the 4.0-liter engine only comes in the top-of-the-line R/T model, which costs about $2700 more than the most popular SLT. But a five-speed automatic also comes with the R/T, and that transmission, too, is better than the standard four-speed in the SLT. The R/T has a more comfortable ride, as well.

The SXT comes in a basic cloth, but the cloth in the SLT and R/T is something called YES Essentials; it claims to repel stains, control odors and reduce static electricity. The optional perforated charcoal leather with red stitching in our test R/T was beautiful. The front buckets were very comfortable and supportive, with excellent bolstering.

From the front, it's unmistakably Dodge. It's got that big crosshair grille, which looks much better in body color (R/T) than chrome (SXT, SLT). The horizontal headlamps, turn signal slits and foglamps are a tidy fit in the massive face.

2007 Dodge Dakota review, picture gallery, prices, accessory and more...

The Dakota looks big. Completely redesigned for 2005, it's larger than before and looks almost as big and tough as the full-size Dodge Ram. With sales of basic small trucks in steady decline, the market is headed toward bigger, more powerful, better-equipped pickups.

For 2007, the rear doors on Club Cabs have been redesigned to open wider. Otherwise, changes between 2005 and 2007 are limited to packaging: A new sunroof and new sound systems are options for 2007 Club Cab models. An auxiliary audio jack has been added to allow playback from personal audio devices, such as an iPod. Sirius Satellite Radio now comes standard on 2006 Laramie models. Special-edition packages have been added to personalize your 2007 Dakota.

The new size came with a new look, with sharper edges on the grille, roof, fenders, doors and bed; and fender lines deliberately extended halfway along the length of the door. The Dakota retains its family resemblance to the Dodge Ram and Durango, though it looks crisper and the grille is laid back, not vertical. The intersection of the front fenders with the multi-element, twin-lens headlamps and raked chrome grille makes the whole design work beautifully.

The V8 is worth every penny. The V6 feels a bit light on power for this big, heavy pickup and it doesn't offer a big fuel economy advantage.

2007 Dodge Caravan review, image gallery, prices and more info...

The Dodge Grand Caravan and the shorter Caravan are family friendly vehicles offering the features and flexibility most buyers want. Smooth riding and responsive, most come with a powerful V6 engine that delivers strong acceleration for merging onto hectic freeways. Anti-lock brakes and side-impact airbags are available. And there's a model for every budget.

Models with power sliding doors on both sides add convenience when moving passengers. They're particularly useful when you find yourself herding children while carrying two armloads of gear. Press the button on the remote transmitter twice and the door slides open; press it twice again and it slides closed and seals. From the second-row seat, the power sliding door can be opened and closed by pressing a button; it can also be opened manually. A safety lock switch hidden on the trailing edge of the door can be engaged to prevent a child from opening the sliding door from inside. The power sliding doors can be fussy when passengers are in a hurry to get out, however, and passengers usually are in a hurry. Pulling on the outside lever opens the power door manually, with just slightly more effort than opening a regular manual door.

The 3.8-liter V6 in the Grand Caravan SXT delivers strong power. This big V6 employs a traditional pushrod overhead-valve design rather than the more contemporary overhead-cam setup found on many imports. Dodge is advertising lower horsepower and torque numbers for this engine this year, but it's only the numbers that have changed. The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) recently revised its test procedures for determining horsepower and torque, and nearly everyone's figures are coming out smaller. Numbers for the Caravan's four-cylinder were affected only slightly and for the 3.3-liter V6 not at all, but the 3.8-liter is now rated 205 horsepower and 240 pound-feet instead of the 215 horsepower and 245 pound-feet advertised last year. What's important to remember is that the engine itself is as strong as ever, even though its strength is now measured more conservatively.

2007 Dodge Caliber hatchback image gallery, specs, wallpapers and review!

Dodge has introduced a remarkable replacement for the Neon. The new 2007 Dodge Caliber draws the best elements from hatchback, wagon and minivan designs, delivering a vehicle that doesn't truly fit in any existing category but does a lot of things quite well.

A five-passenger, five-door hatchback-cum-small station wagon, the Caliber offers a choice of four-cylinder engines. There's also a choice of front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, the latter making the Caliber a capable winter vehicle. The Caliber is relatively affordable. Its starting price is below last year's Neon, and fuel economy is respectable, achieving 28/32 City/Highway miles per gallon in its most frugal form, according to federal government estimates. At the other end of the scale, an SRT4 version is expected in spring 2007 with a turbocharged engine generating 300 horsepower.

The 2007 Dodge Caliber offers a choice of three four-cylinder engines, a 1.8-liter rated at 148 horsepower, a 158-hp 2.0-liter, and a 165-hp 2.4-liter. The first two are available with a five-speed manual or an automatic Continuously Variable Transmission.