2005 Dodge Magnum Road Test

Surprise! Dodge Reinvents the "Midsize" Market Again

Just look at it. Have you ever seen anything quite as dramatic from a domestic car manufacturer? The new Dodge Magnum is a bold, ambitious undertaking for Chrysler Group's performance division, but one that should pay off financially. Read on and decide for yourself.

Chrysler Group has definitely made a bold statement with the release of the dramatic Dodge Magnum. Here Jeff Gale, Chrysler designer and son of ex-Chrysler head of design Tom Gale, walks the gathered media around the car on an airfield in Borrego Springs, CA. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

The basic premise of the Magnum, as far as I see it, is a sports car that fits a family lifestyle. I've owned a minivan and appreciated its functionality, but now facing the choice of buying another one or opting up to a sport utility, just to get the livability needed to transport three children, two of which are still in car seats, followed by an entourage of two parents and the requisite bags of diapers, clothes and toys, isn't pleasant.

The Magnum is a sports car that fits a family lifestyle. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

My wife Jennifer, being just barely thirty, isn't ready to play the soccer mom in a minivan role. For that matter she hardly relates to the stigma of luxury SUVs. I have to admit to being a little SUV'd out myself, if you know what I mean. While I appreciate the functionality of a large capacity vehicle, I like to drive for the sake of driving and sport utilities rarely reward those with on-pavement aspirations.

Premium marques such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo have long since offered any number of sport wagons, with Subaru and Suzuki often the only economy brands to follow suit. But now there's an up swell of "shooting brakes," some higher end, including Jaguar's most recent Estate, to a variety of compacts from Ford, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Pontiac, Toyota and Volkswagen.