Test drove a Dodge Magnum today

[KingNothing]

Sucks-----------|-----Kickass

I drove the model with the 3.5L V6, 250 HP and 250 lb-ft of torque. They didn't have any models with the hemi on the lot.

Things I liked:

[*]INCREDIBLE legroom, for driver and passenger. I'm 6'3" and the seat at its furthest extension was too far away from the steering wheel. My 6'2" roommate had no complaints when sitting behind me either.
[*]Great ride and handling. I didn't have any twisties to test it on, but there was no discernable body roll when I changed lanes, even at highway speeds. Going over some very rough pavement felt great.
[*]Looks pretty kickass

Things I didn't like:

[*]The interior felt a little weird ergonomically. Kind of hard to explain, and it might be something I'd get used to and come to like after some time with it. It's different from anything I've sat in before.
[*]No manual transmission option. Fvcking lazy American consumers.
[*]Not as much cargo space as I'd expect for a car of that size.
[*]No telescoping steering wheel. Despite the awesome legroom, when my legs were comfortable my arms were not.
[*]Exterior visibility wasn't great due to the high beltline/low roofline, but it's acceptable.
[*]Power with the 3.5L V6 was adequate. Felt a little quicker than my parent's Chrysler T&C. If I bought one it would have to be with the Hemi.
[*]$5000 dealer markup on the 3.5L V6 model.

 

[boomdart]

Looks like a winner :disgust: :disgust:

Its a pretty cool concept, but it's not for me.

 

[ElFenix]

i really like telescoping wheels. wish more cars came with them. it's something i'd expect on a car running $25,000

 

[KingNothing]

It's 90% of the way to something I'd buy. Add a manual transmission and a telescoping wheel, and drop the insane markup, and I'd seriously consider it.

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
i really like telescoping wheels. wish more cars came with them. it's something i'd expect on a car running $25,000

I can live without it if the car has adjustable pedals.

 

[KingNothing]

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: ElFenix
i really like telescoping wheels. wish more cars came with them. it's something i'd expect on a car running $25,000

I can live without it if the car has adjustable pedals.

I don't understand how adjustable pedals solve the lack of a telescoping steering wheel.

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: KingNothing

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: ElFenix
i really like telescoping wheels. wish more cars came with them. it's something i'd expect on a car running $25,000

I can live without it if the car has adjustable pedals.

I don't understand how adjustable pedals solve the lack of a telescoping steering wheel.

For my tastes I like to be as far away from the wheel as possible. Since I am short I can scoot the seat back quite a ways and scoot the pedals towards me giving me lots of room for my rapidly expanding midsection.

I never said it solved the issue, I stated that I could live without telescoping steering if I had adjustable pedals. If it had both that would be OK, but given a choice of one or the other, adjustable pedals would be more important to me.

 

[T2T III]

No manual transmission option. Fvcking lazy American consumers.

It's not necessarily because of lazy Americans. Consider:

- In this league of car, few purchasers would consider a manual transmission.
- Some of us live in quite heavily traffic congested areas. I've struggled with manual transmissions and clutches long enough in such an area - no more manual trannies for me.

Thanks for providing the impressions on the vehicle after your test drive.

 

[KingNothing]

Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech

No manual transmission option. Fvcking lazy American consumers.

It's not necessarily because of lazy Americans. Consider:

- In this league of car, few purchasers would consider a manual transmission.
- Some of us live in quite heavily traffic congested areas. I've struggled with manual transmissions and clutches long enough in such an area - no more manual trannies for me.

Thanks for providing the impressions on the vehicle after your test drive.

It's a RWD sport wagon! The closest competitor I can think of is the Mazda6 sport wagon, which comes with a manual. That's still a pretty poor match because it's smaller and doesn't have a V8 option.

I'm not saying automatics shouldn't be offered, especially for people who have to drive in heavily congested areas constantly, but I wish there were more people who enjoyed driving enough to want a manual.

 

[Gurck]

Sounds like quite a few cons. An automatic transmission in particular is a huge no-no for me when considering a car.