The Dodge brand is upping the ante in the fast-growing full-size sport-utility vehicle (SUV) and crossover segments, introducing the new 2014 Dodge Durango at the 2013 New York International Auto Show. This new SUV is built on the Dodge brand’s pillars of performance, style and innovation, delivering a new standard state-of-the-art class-exclusive eight-speed automatic transmission that improves fuel economy up to 9 percent, the Chrysler Group’s award-winning Uconnect Access easy-to-use touchscreen technologies and the Dodge brand’s signature racetrack LED tail lamps to driving enthusiasts in the market for a three-row family performance SUV.
When Dodge re-introduced the Durango in 2011, it immediately earned accolades from customers and critics alike. Its combination of sleek yet muscular lines, comfortable three-row seating, large cargo volume, class-leading power, driving range and towing capability and overall driving enjoyment was unlike anything ever seen in the SUV segment before. For 2014, the engineers and designers at Dodge have made the ultimate “no compromise” SUV even better.
The new 2014 Dodge Durango takes everything that customers love about Durango and adds the latest advancements in technology to enhance its design, capability and functionality. With a new standard eight-speed automatic transmission, improved fuel economy and performance, new LED exterior lighting, two new interior touchscreens, a new programmable instrument cluster, and an available high-definition dual-screen Blu-ray entertainment system, the 2014 Dodge Durango reaches even higher levels of sophistication building on its proven performance, utility and comfort.
“When the Durango was first launched in 1998, it represented a breakthrough in power, size and style,” said Reid Bigland, President and CEO – Dodge Brand. “Now for 2014, we’re upping the ante by making it our most technologically advanced, fuel efficient and dramatically styled Durango ever. With countless class-exclusive features and best-in-class attributes, the new 2014 Durango represents the ultimate no-compromise full-size SUV.”
The 2014 Durango is available in five trim levels: SXT, Rallye, the new for 2014 Limited, R/T and Citadel. It will be built in the United States at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit. Production is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2013.
Unique, yet appealing to all
Dodge is introducing the new 2014 Dodge Durango just as the SUV segments in the United States are showing tremendous growth. The new Durango competes in the full-size SUV segment, which with 900,000 units sold in 2012, has jumped 82 percent since 2009. With its standard three rows of seats and interior seating flexibility, Durango also appeals to shoppers looking for a full-size crossover. The two segments combined are up 48 percent since 2009, outpacing the industry. And of those full-size SUV and crossover sales, approximately 60 percent are three-row vehicles, placing Durango squarely in the heart of the market.
Durango customers are tech-savvy, youthful and full-of-life, with one of the youngest demographics in the segment. Their active lifestyles keep them on the run, and they depend on technology to keep them connected. The Durango delivers with the latest Uconnect Access technology and connectivity in an agile, flexible vehicle that is spacious with versatile three-row seating for passengers and their gear.
When the Dodge Durango debuted in 2011, it had a distinct advantage over the competition as an SUV designed to deliver performance, without compromising fuel economy. With the addition of the new eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters standard across the lineup, Durango ups the ante delivering improved efficiency, as well as a more refined and engaging driving experience.
The 2014 Durango offers a host of premium features, such as high-end interiors, the latest infotainment technology and impressive powertrain options, along with the exterior design that is distinctively Dodge.
Feature highlights on the 2014 Dodge Durango include:
– Segment-first eight-speed automatic transmission with rotary shifter allows for up to a 9 percent improvement in fuel economy and a more refined driving experience
– Class-exclusive Dodge “racetrack” LED tail lamps with 192 LEDs
– New front fascia with floating signature Dodge crosshair grille
– New projector headlamps with available LED running lights
– 5-inch or 8.4-inch touchscreens with available class-exclusive Uconnect Access and navigation with 3D mapping
– The latest available Uconnect Access system with Wi-Fi capability and mobile apps, including Pandora and iHeartradio
– Available voice command, Uconnect handsfree calling, handsfree texting, streaming music via Bluetooth and remote USB port
– Class-exclusive standard 7-inch customizable thin-film transistor (TFT) full-color instrument cluster
– Available class-exclusive Blu-ray / DVD rear entertainment system with new dual 9-inch screens in the driver and front passenger seat-backs
– New three-spoke steering wheel with standard paddle shifters
– Available second-row captain’s chairs with a standard pass-through center console that makes for easy travel between second- and third-row seats
– Available second-row full center console with additional storage – available at all trim levels
– New available fully integrated tow hitch
– New Limited model with standard leather seats, heated seats, heated steering wheel and standard 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen
– Rallye Group with a sinister monochromatic appearance and class-exclusive 20-inch Hyper Black wheels
– All-new wheel lineup with a choice of seven wheels featuring 18-inch and 20-inch wheels with finishes ranging from silver painted to polished aluminum to class-exclusive Hyper Black
– New standard capless fuel fill making for easy fuel fill ups
– More than 60 available safety and security features, including
Auto crash notification/911 call button
Adaptive cruise control with stop function
Forward collision warning with collision mitigation
– Ten exterior colors, seven different wheels, nine different interiors, including premium cloth, Capri leather and perforated Nappa leather with three different (black, gray and red) stitching accents, unique bezels and headliners.