Photos: 2007 Chrysler Aspen

The Chrysler Aspen sits on the same platform as the Dodge Durango, and employs Chrysler's new design language.

A knob set to the lower right of the steering wheel lets the driver easily take the Aspen from all-wheel drive to differential lock mode.

UConnect buttons are mounted in the mirror frame for Bluetooth phone connectivity.

The radio display was particularly disappointing, only showing the number, and not the name, of Sirius satellite radio channels.

We think the hood strakes and the wing emblem over the grille look out of place on the Aspen.

Chrysler tries to dress up the interior of the Aspen for a luxury play, but the wood insets and other materials didn't impress us.

Chrysler's first SUV comes well after the heyday of this type of vehicle, and seems mostly offered to respond to a need for a car with three rows of seating.

The Aspen has typical SUV rear visibility, but fortunately there is a rear parking sensor.

The power cargo door is convenient, and expected in a vehicle of this size.

The interior space is flexible, and features second- and third-row seats that can be partially or fully folded down.

One nice touch is the LED reading lights, which provide a narrow cone of light that doesn't disturb the driver.

Our test car came pretty stripped down, lacking navigation or a six-disc CD changer.

The Alpine stereo system sounded very good. We were pleased with its acoustic separation.

An auxiliary input for the stereo is conveniently placed on the faceplate, making it easy to hook up an MP3 player.

Even for a big SUV, the Aspen does not handle well. It's suspension is soft, probably dialed in for comfort rather than performance.

The Aspen's gauges have a nice look to them, contributing more than most other elements of the interior to the luxury feel.

Our Aspen came with a 4.7-liter V8. Surprisingly, the available Hemi 5.7-liter V8 gets better gas mileage, due to technology that lets it shut down half its cylinders while cruising.