2006 Dodge Magnum SXT AWD (Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123.com)

What about a station wagon? It has room for your skis, your family, your buddies, and your pet, while offering car-like ride and economy because it's built off of a car frame rather than one from a heavy truck. Add all-wheel drive and you get that go anywhere anytime attitude to boot.

"Ewww, a station wagon?" I can hear you say.

"Didn't those die off in the seventies?"

No, not quite.

At least, not according to Dodge, anyhow. Not only do its choice of drive wheels and affordable Hemi power break the mould of what a people hauler will deliver, but its blocky and athletic styling instantly set it apart from the droves of menial imported competition, most of which is not available in a wagon anyhow. The addition of all-wheel drive to the package only makes things better--offering enhanced traction for winter driving as well as benefits to year round performance. It reacts quickly, and smartly disengages power from slipping wheels as the ESP system applies braking as necessary to maintain composure. The all-wheel drive transfer case underneath the car allows the output shafts to spin at different speeds when needed, meaning if you are accelerating over a surface with varying degrees of traction, the tires don't wind up slipping

2006 Dodge Magnum SXT AWD (Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123.com)

and grabbing repeatedly, jolting your back and pulling the car all over the road. All-wheel drive is offered with the gentle and subdued 3.5-litre V6, as well as with the 5.7-litre HEMI.

Though applying HEMI thrust via four wheels would certainly be a frightfully entertaining experience, my tester was powered by the V6--a 3.5-litre unit that develops 250 horsepower.

A V6-powered Magnum is like a V6-powered Mustang, four-cylinder powered Tiburon or a non-turbocharged Subaru. Though opting for the smaller engine isn't necessarily a bad thing, the question arises: does this V6 engine live in the shadow of its bigger brother, the HEMI?

No, it doesn't.

The HEMI is a fantastic mill, and one that is also quiet and efficient as far as V8 engines go. But it is more of a novelty than a realistic choice for many. Sure, hardcore fans will choose nothing but, however the 3.5-litre unit has more than adequate grunt for your daily chores and has a pleasant top-end kick when you get onto the throttle hard. Its low-end output cannot match that of the V8, but when you hear its high-RPM snarl over about 5,000 rpm, it's just as satisfying. This engine has an energetic character when pushed, and the rest of the time, it's a gentle and subdued unit which barely makes a peep.

2006 Dodge Magnum SXT AWD (Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123.com)

Interestingly, my fuel consumption was incredibly close between the HEMI-powered Charger I drove last year and the V6-powered Magnum. In fact, on the highway, the fuel consumption was all but identical. (Note the AWD uses a bit more fuel than the RWD model) Once you get the HEMI out of your system and drive realistically, you can no longer make an argument against it in terms of fuel consumption. Don't get me wrong, when pushed, the HEMI guzzles unleaded at a distressing rate. However, the MDS (Multi Displacement System) allows for six-cylinder fuel consumption and eight-cylinder pavement consumption, allowing owners to economically generate piston envy in their minivan-driving neighbors.