2006 Dodge Magnum Lineup The 4.7-liter engine is really good. It's powerful and really smooth. The 4.7-liter V8 is rated at 230 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque. But it only gets 14/18 mpg in 4WD, using 87 octane, and the more we looked at that versus the 5.7-liter Hemi, the more we gravitated to the bigger engine.
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 while providing almost the same economy, 13/18 mpg with 89 octane recommended, 87 acceptable. For $895 more, the Hemi seems like a no-brainer; plus, it can tow up to 8,950 pounds with the optional 3.92 rear axle, compared to 7,400 for the 4.7. And the two-speed transfer case is standard with the Hemi 4x4, optional with the other engines.
Hemi, by the way, refers to the overhead-valve, hemispherical combustion chamber design, and harkens back to the late '60s when the 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Dodge Hemi Ramcharger ruled. Chrysler modernized the design last year after it had been gone (but not forgotten) for decades. |