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Dodge Durango

  • Durango features advanced design and premium class-exclusive features for 2014
  • All-new standard eight-speed transmission with rotary shifter improves fuel efficiency up to 9 percent and enhances Durango’s fun-to-drive DNA
  • Now offering the latest 8.4-inch Uconnect Access Via Mobile touchscreen with downloadable apps and customizable instrument gauge cluster with 7-inch full-color screen
  • New LED lighting technology, including standard class-exclusive racetrack tail lamps with 192 LEDs, ties Durango to the latest Dodge vehicle designs
  • Best-in-class towing of up to 7,400 pounds with V-8 engine; 6,200 pounds with V-6 engine
  • Best-in-class V-6 driving range of more than 600 miles on a tank of fuel
  • Up to 50 different seating configurations, including optional second-row captain’s chairs and 85 cu. ft. of cargo capacity
  • Available class-exclusive dual screen Blu-ray / DVD player
  • New suite of advanced technologies improves performance, safety, comfort and convenience
  • Premium features, including available heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated seats and accent stitching, highlight Durango’s attention to passenger comfort and style

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.

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Features

  • 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

Exterior

High-tech exterior look
The Dodge Design team went to work to create a new exterior that conveys how advanced the Durango is, while maintaining the muscular body and confident personality customers expect from Dodge.

The new face of Durango is still distinctly Dodge and features a new, slimmer “split crosshair” grille with mesh textures unique to each trim level. Combined with the redesigned projector-beam headlamps and a raised front bumper, the 2014 Dodge Durango has an even more sinister look than the previous model. Durango’s sculpted hood and grille complete the unique to Dodge forward-leaning profile that continues through the deeply browed headlamps.

For a more monochromatic appearance, the Rallye and R/T are equipped with dark-tinted headlamp bezels, body-color front and rear lower fascias, wheel flares, grille and sill moldings, all unique to the these packages. The R/T’s ride height has also been lowered by 20 mm, further enhancing its sporty appearance and driving dynamics.

The 2014 Dodge Durango now features projector beam headlamps, with LED daytime running lamps on Rallye, Limited, RT and Citadel. The LED lamps run horizontally along the bottom edge of the headlamp and form a unique “hockey-stick” shape. Bi-xenon high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps are standard on R/T and Citadel, turning the night into day. Auto-leveling technology adjusts headlight beam aim for slight changes in elevation.

The new front-end design features new projector fog lamps and fog lamp surrounds and matching crosshair grille texture. Combined with the taller front bumper, the new lower fascia gives the 2014 Dodge Durango a wider and more aggressive look.

In line with Dodge Charger, the side profile of the Durango maintains its powerful shape, accented by muscular fender arches and curves that flow back in through the doors, resembling the iconic shape of a coke bottle. The greenhouse of the new Durango blends seamlessly into the body, and a body-color rear spoiler significantly reduces drag while adding visual drama to the side profile.

The 2014 Dodge Durango receives all-new 18- and 20-inch aluminum wheel designs for every trim level, and feature finishes ranging from silver painted to polished aluminum to class-exclusive Hyper Black. In total, there are seven wheel designs and finishes to select from.

The rear of the Durango sees the addition of the dramatic LED racetrack tail lamp design inspired by the Dodge Charger and all-new Dart. Still immediately recognizable as a Durango, this latest evolution of the racetrack design features a new technology that blends the individual LEDs into one seamless looking ribbon of light. In total, there are 192 LEDs in the new tail lamp assembly that give Durango a presence on the street and make it instantly recognizable as a Dodge.

The rear fascia has been re-sculpted to fully integrate the trailer hitch. This gives Dodge Durango a cleaner, more premium look. Large 3.5-inch dual exhaust tips are standard on V-8-equipped vehicles, including the R/T, along with the Rallye; other V-6 powered Durango models have a 3-inch single tip.

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Powertrain

All-new class-exclusive eight-speed automatic transmission
The new 2014 Dodge Durango now features Chrysler Group’s new eight-speed automatic transmission with rotary shifter and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters as standard equipment on all models. This state-of-the-art transmission improves fuel economy up to 9 percent, along with enhanced performance and smoother shifts. All these attributes perfectly enhance Durango’s fun-to-drive nature.

Fully electronic, the eight-speed automatic features on-the-fly shift map changing, with manual shifting capability using steering-wheel paddle controls. More than 40 individual shift maps for specific conditions optimize shift quality and shift points for fuel economy, performance and drivability. The intelligent software is attuned to the performance requirements of almost any driving demand.

The transmission efficiency and wide ratio spread provide the best possible fuel economy by operating at a lower engine rpm in both city and highway environments. The addition of more gear ratios also helps reduce the gaps normally associated with upshifting and downshifting.

Gear changes are nearly imperceptible due to the evenly spaced gear steps between each gear ratio. Internally, the transmission has four gear sets and five shift elements (multi-disc clutches and brakes). Only two shift elements are open at any time. With fewer open shift elements, drag losses due to multiple parts rotating relative to one another are reduced, improving fuel efficiency.

Powertrain choices
Named one of Ward’s 10 Best Engines for three years, Durango’s standard 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine paired with the new standard eight-speed transmission delivers up to a 9 percent improvement in fuel-economy when compared with the previous transmission, not to mention improved performance. The standard flex-fuel 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine generates an impressive 290 horsepower (295 horsepower on Rallye) and 260 lb.-ft. of torque, and can tow up to a best-in-class 6,200 pounds.

The 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine produces a best-in-class 360 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque with a best-in-class tow rating of 7,400 pounds. The 5.7-liter engine’s Fuel Saver Technology with cylinder-deactivation seamlessly alternates between smooth, high-fuel-economy four-cylinder mode when less power is needed and V-8 mode when more power is in demand. This optimizes fuel economy when V-8 power is not required, without sacrificing vehicle performance or capability.

All-new Eco Mode
The 2014 Dodge Durango features a new Eco Mode that contributes to its improved fuel economy. Eco Mode optimizes the transmission’s shift schedule, as well as throttle sensitivity, and Fuel Saver Technology with cylinder deactivation in V-8 models, to maximize fuel economy. The Eco Mode also manages interactive deceleration fuel shut-off (IDFSO), which cuts fuel delivery when the vehicle is coasting to reduce fuel consumption.

Eco Mode is automatically engaged upon vehicle startup. A button on the Durango’s center stack allows drivers to disengage Eco Mode if more spirited performance is desired.

Interior

Advanced interior with premium craftsmanship
For 2014, Dodge designers are bringing Durango to the forefront of technology in the three-row SUV segment, while taking nothing away from the utility and build quality for which Durango is known.

The new instrument panel features a redesigned center stack that houses the new 5-inch and 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreens. Under these large, easy-to-use touchscreens are redundant button and knob controls for audio and climate functions. The bottom of the center stack houses a new media hub with an SD card slot, USB outlet and auxiliary jacks, as well as a storage bin.

The center console features a new segment-first rotary shifter for the standard eight-speed automatic that adds another level of refinement over the traditional gated automatic shifter. Manual shift functions have moved to paddle shifters on the back of the Durango’s new steering wheel. These paddle shifters are standard on all 2014 Dodge Durango models.

The instrument cluster has also been given the high-tech treatment and now includes a full-color 7-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) screen similar to the one found in the all-new Dodge Dart. Standard on all models, this screen allows for drivers to customize more than 100 ways how information is presented.

Framing the new instrument cluster is a redesigned three-spoke steering wheel with the previously mentioned standard paddle shifters. The buttons to control TFT driver information functions are now larger and illuminated to make them easier to operate. Buttons for Uconnect and phone access now reside along the bottom edge of the vertical spokes. As before, Durango’s popular audio controls are still found on the back of the upper steering wheel spokes.

A large lockable glove box has a viscous-dampened hinge, which helps it open and close smoothly.

 

 

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Alan Stevenson-Galvin (Skii)
Racing games is where my love for cars started. Always wanting to play more and more realistic games until I was allowed to get behind the wheel. Combine this with my love for technology and that has made me who I am today. I love to see my two passions combining and see what technologies are being used in the latest cars.

4 COMMENTS

  1. Beautiful looking SUV. Hope it will be available on the NZ market in the near future other than the Dodge Journey. Think this vehicle would fit in nicely within the NZ market, extending the choice of SUV that are currently for sale. I for one would love to have one, but of course RH drive. Citidel and R/T models.

  2. My daughter in California recently purchased a Durango Citidel [V8 Hemi] with just about all available options. It was her choice after many hours spent researching and test driving [to replace a GMC Yukon she’s had since new]. She is absolutely thrilled with her new Durango and can’t wait to do road trips.

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