Volkswagen’s old-school pumpe düse diesel engines might be noisy, but they do accelerate well, which this Dodge proves by knocking off a 0-60mph time as briskly as any competitor. It’s particularly impressive from 2000rpm.
It is flexible, too. It will bound to 50mph from 30mph in fourth in just 5.3sec, which is very brisk. Yes, you’ll drop right off the torque surge if you allow the revs to drop significantly below 2000rpm, and by 4000rpm its zest is beginning to fade, but there is an effortless element to getting this car to go.
However, the noise accompanying your every move is enough that you’d trade half a second of that 60mph sprint time for some peace and quiet. This diesel never stops yammering, hammering, droning and grizzling, even in sixth on the motorway, when you still hear an ugly background hum.
If you’re familiar with modern cars, their low-profile tyres and their often crashing ways with potholed roads, this Dodge will impress within metres if you’re driving down a battered urban road.
That subframe-mounted suspension and the relatively deeply sidewalled, 60-section tyres that this SE rides on enable it to soak up small, sharp bumps with pleasing ease, and if it becomes slightly more challenged with speed, this car nevertheless musters an above-average ride.
This doesn’t come entirely at the expense of high-speed body control, either, the dampers checking its movements with more effectiveness than might be expected.
Grip, steering feel and the deftness of the chassis fall well short of the best in this class if you drive it enthusiastically. Push it hard and it runs wide with increasing determination, the nose easing usefully back into line if you throttle off, though with growing insistence if you don’t ease off.
So it’s safe, and its chassis responds to the throttle, but this is not an especially poised or athletic car, never mind those muscular looks.