The Chill Zone: It Gets Hot in There, Too

If your kid’s science project calls for syrupy goo, consider leaving a can of soda in Dodge’s Chill Zone for a week in July. We had an Avenger sedan equipped with the feature a few weeks back and left a can of Coke inside for a few 90+ degree days. When it came time to return the car, the Zone was completely out of commission – the soda had apparently ruptured, and the cover was fused shut with sticky residue.

We know you aren’t supposed to leave soda in a hot car. But doesn’t the Chill Zone promote such oversight? It shouldn’t, said Dodge spokeswoman Kristin Starnes.

“People keep calling it a refrigerator and it’s not,” Starnes said. “It’s for keeping chilled beverages chilled. If you’re taking a road trip, you can put those cold cans in and drive your 15 or 20 hours and keep them chilled. That’s why it’s called the Chill Zone and not a refrigerator.”

All the same, we suspect that in the heat of the summer picnic season, more than a few Dodge owners will forget a soda or two in the Chill Zone. Fortunately, ours left no permanent damage. The cover was reportedly opened later on and the rubber liner was removed and cleaned.

Dodge owners, do you have any Chill Zone stories of your own? Leave a comment below.