Chrysler didn't pull the Hemi name off of its new 2009 Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and Dodge Durango Hybrid altogether. "Hemi" no longer is in large-ish red letters: Badges on the front fenders and rear deck proclaim "Hybrid" in blue letters at the top; below it the cryptic words "Two Mode Hemi." No doubt, "that thing got a hybrid?" commercials are in the can.
The hybrid system for the Aspen and Durango, developed with General Motors, Daimler, and BMW, extends the life of the Hemi V-8 that Chrysler diligently built up into a marketing buzzword four years ago. The Hybrid Hemi should power the Chrysler 300C/Dodge Challenger/Charger R/T Hemi of the future.
The AWD-only Aspen and Durango hybrids average 19 mpg city/20 mpg highway, just short of the 6.0L hybrid, 4WD Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon's 20/20 (RWD versions get 21/20 mpg). Chrysler undercut GM on sticker prices; the Durango hybrid is $7055 less than the 4WD Tahoe hybrid and the Aspen is $7285 less than the 4WD Yukon hybrid, about 1720 and 1776 gallons of regular unleaded, respectively. You could buy even more gas with the money you'd save unloading a conventional Hemi Aspen or Durango from your local lot, but who wants to drive around in an automotive Scarlet Letter?
Unlike the GMs, the Mopar hybrids don't make you give up ground clearance or roof racks for efficiency, and their tow rating remains 6000 lb. They benefit from a freshened Hemi, including variable valve timing and redesigned intake and exhaust. The hybrid-electric transmission has two variable modes, four fixed gears and regenerative braking, and the 300-volt battery is under the second-row seat. A trailer-towing package, sunroof and a rear-seat DVD player are the only options on either the Chrysler (which fetches $230 more sticker thanks to a slightly fancier interior), or the Dodge. You can't get remote-start, because the Hemi hybrids start in electric mode when possible, sure to confound valets across the nation. It runs pure electric in reverse and theoretically up to 25 mph in drive. Further, the hybrid system allows more use of the four-cylinder mode for the Hemi's Multiple Displacement System at highway speeds.
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