Press Kit: 2014 Dodge Durango

New York City March 27, 2013 - When it came to making the ultimate no compromise sport-utility vehicle (SUV) even better, Dodge designers wanted to convey just how technically advanced the 2014 Dodge Durango has become. They redesigned the Durango using the latest in lighting technology, and maintained Durango’s attractive proportions while implementing new wheel designs and color palette.

When the Dodge Durango debuted in 2011, the design was inspired by the popular Dodge Charger with its muscular “coke-bottled” body sides and classic rear-wheel-drive (RWD) proportions. Its well-proportioned unibody platform separates the Durango from its boxy, truck-like SUV competition with a lower profile and aggressive curves that are still turning heads today.

“The Dodge Durango is one of the most expressive and well-proportioned SUVs in the segment, and through design, we want to convey how advanced Durango is for the 2014 model year,” said Joe Dehner, Head of Dodge and Ram Design – Chrysler Group LLC. “New LED and projector lighting technology coupled with new full-width headlamp and tail lamp graphics, convey an enhanced width, while the all-new front and rear end themes add a touch of refinement.”

Available in five different trim levels, including SXT, Rallye, Limited, R/T and Citadel, the new 2014 Dodge Durango delivers a technical and agile exterior profile with available 20-inch wheels in polished or class-exclusive Hyper Black, and a premium, technologically advanced interior.

New “aero-dramatic” design
With a new eight-speed automatic transmission, a programmable 7-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) gauge cluster and the latest Uconnect Access suite of technologies, the 2014 Dodge Durango is one of the most technologically advanced SUVs on the market. The Dodge design team went to work and created a new exterior that conveys how advanced the Durango has become, 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. 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.

Three unique grille appearances are available on the 2014 Dodge Durango. Standard on SXT and Limited is a chrome surround with black “Split-Hex” texture, while the Rallye and R/T receive a body-color grille surround with black “Per-Form” texture. Citadel features a chrome grille surround with bright chrome “Cross-Hex” texture.

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

The 2014 Dodge Durango features projector beam headlamps with LED daytime running lamps standard on Limited, R/T 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 and available on Limited, turning the night into day. Auto-leveling technology adjusts headlight beam aim for slight changes in elevation.

Keeping with the technology theme, all Durango models now feature standard projector fog lamps that provide additional low, wide-beam lighting.

The revised lower front fascia now features a new design with new fog light 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 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 Durango blends seamlessly into the body, and a body-color rear spoiler significantly reduces drag while adding visual drama to the side profile.

The rear of the Durango sees the addition of the dramatic LED racetrack tail lamp design inspired by the Dodge Charger and Dart. Still immediately recognizable as a Durango, the new tail lamps incorporate cues from the previous Durango with the latest designs seen on the newest Dodge vehicles. 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 that makes it instantly recognizable as a Dodge. Also on the tailgate is a revised hatch release featuring a hidden soft-touch button found in the hand recess.

The rear fascia also 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 and the Rallye; other V-6 powered Durango models have a 3-inch single tip.

Durango’s efficient overall body design is a contributor to its increased fuel economy numbers.

The 2014 Dodge Durango offers a choice of seven all-new wheel designs for every trim level.

SXT and Limited models include standard 18-inch aluminum wheels. Featuring a 10-spoke design, the 18-inch wheels are finished in Tech-Silver on SXT and are polished with Mineral Gray pockets on Limited. A five-spoke, 20-inch aluminum wheel is available on the SXT with a Satin Silver finish or a fully polished finish on Limited.

Rallye and R/T feature standard 20-inch Hyper Black aluminum wheels with a twin five-spoke design. Optional on the R/T is a 20-inch aluminum wheel featuring a polished face with gloss black painted pockets.

Citadel features standard 20-inch polished aluminum wheels with a 15-spoke design.

An innovative roof rack side rail system is standard on Limited and Citadel models, and available on SXT. The system features integrated stowable cross bars to deliver improved fuel economy and convenience.

The 2014 Dodge Durango is available in the following colors: Billet Silver Metallic, Bright White, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat, Sandstone Pearl Coat, Deep Cherry Red Crystal, Granite Crystal Metallic, Maximum Steel Metallic, True Blue Metallic and Redline 2 Coat Pearl (Rallye and R/T only).

A study in craftsmanship and technology
When the Dodge Durango debuted in 2011, critics and customers alike gave rave reviews on the high levels of craftsmanship and design bestowed upon the interior. Durango‘s soft interior materials allowed for reduce gaps where components meet – greatly elevating interior quality. For 2014, the designers wanted to bring Durango to the forefront of technology in the seven-seat SUV segment, while taking nothing away from the utility and build quality Durango is noted for.

"For 2014, we brought the highly regarded interior of the Dodge Durango to the forefront of technology," said Klaus Busse, Head of Interior Design – Chrysler Group LLC. "The craftsmanship and quality materials we employed are still present, but they are now accentuated with the latest Uconnect touchscreen systems, a programmable gauge cluster, class-exclusive rear-seat Blu-ray entertainment system, rotary shifter and new, paddle shift steering wheel."

The Durango’s 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 touch screens 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 RCA jacks. The 5-inch touchscreen is standard on SXT and Rallye, while the 8.4-inch is standard on Limited, R/T and Citadel and available on SXT and Rallye.

The center console features a new rotary shifter for the new standard eight-speed automatic transmission that adds another level of refinement when compared with a traditional gated automatic shifter. Manual shift functions have moved to paddle shifters on the back of the new steering wheel. These paddle shifters are standard on all 2014 Dodge Durango models, adding an enhanced sense of sportiness and control.

The instrument cluster has also been given the high-tech treatment and now includes a 7-inch TFT screen similar to the one found in the Dodge Dart. Standard on all models, this screen allows for drivers to customize more than 100 different ways how information is presented with different speedometer styles, plus information for navigation, fuel economy, audio and warnings about the Durango’s condition, such as tire pressure and door ajar.

Framing the new instrument cluster is a re-designed three-spoke steering wheel with the previously mentioned standard paddle shifters. The buttons to control the 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. The rim is sculpted so that the driver’s hands have a sure grip at the 3- and 9-o’clock positions, and new paddle shifters are located on the backs of the upper spokes. As before, Durango’s highly praised audio controls are still found on the back of the upper spokes.

This new steering wheel has a power tilt and telescoping function with memory on R/T and Citadel models. It is also heated and leather-wrapped on Limited, R/T and Citadel, with the leather available on SXT and Rallye.

A two-tier storage system is found in the Durango’s center console. A center storage bin inside the console has an interior volume of six liters and features a liner on the bottom to prevent items from sliding around and keeping it easy to clean. The top tier delivers an additional half-liter of storage for easy access to personal items such as a wallet or iPod, while the underside of the lid also incorporates a tissue and pen holder.

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

Seat configuration flexibility
With standard seven-passenger seating and luxurious second-row captain’s chairs available on all models, the seats in the 2014 Durango can be converted to as many as 50 different configurations. 

• Premium cloth seats are standard on SXT, available in Black or two-tone Black / Light Frost
• Rallye features premium cloth seats in Black
• Limited offers standard Capri leather seats, available in Black or two-tone Black / Light Frost
• R/T includes standard Black Capri leather seats with red accent stitching. Available on R/T are premium perforated Nappa leather with ventilated front seats and red accent stitching
• Standard on Citadel are premium Nappa perforated leather with ventilated front seats, available in Black, two-tone Black / Light Frost and Black / Tan

Available on all trim levels are premium second-row captain’s chairs with an innovative flip-and-fold feature and integrated soft-touch armrest. Between the seats is a floor-mounted console that can hold drinks and small objects, and was designed so passengers could easily walk from the second to third rows between the captain’s chairs. Customers can also opt for a larger center console that has more storage space and class-exclusive features, such as illuminated cup holders and a USB jack, as well as a 12-volt outlet for charging phones, video games and the like.

The optional second-row captain’s chairs can be folded flat for optimal cargo volume and utility, and are available with cloth or leather upholstery depending on how the customer equips their 2014 Dodge Durango.

A fold-flat front passenger seat is standard on models that aren’t equipped with the ventilated seat option. By folding forward, the passenger seat provides more utility allowing long objects to be loaded inside. Once flat, the seat back panel serves as a convenient utility table. A new active head restraint system adds to the long list of available safety and security features.

A versatile 60/40 split-folding second-row seat conveniently folds and tumbles. Transporting long items, like 10-foot 2x4s, is not a problem as the left side of the second row folds 60 percent, allowing the versatility of folding the 40 percent seat in tandem with the front passenger fold-flat seat. Longer items can be stowed even with passengers in the second row. To make passengers more comfortable, second-row seats also are available with heat and recline 18 degrees.

Industry exclusive, recycled foam pad contours are shaped to provide comfort in the cushion and seat back with firm foam padding in the side bolsters and softer foam inserts. Dual firmness foam is used in selected areas to give occupants added comfort and support. The seat cushion is supported by a formidable but supple spring suspension, while cushion length is designed for thigh support. The seats are tuned to make Durango passengers exceptionally comfortable during long trips while making it easy for everyone to get in and out of the vehicle.

Mounted on the back of the front seats is an available all-new class-exclusive Blu-ray video rear entertainment system. This new system features a screen on each front seat back and will play standard DVDs as well as Blu-ray discs. It has inputs for high-definition media interface (HDMI) cables or RCAs for each screen integrated into the seat backs. Wireless headphones are included, as well as a wireless remote.

The third-row seat features a 50/50 split and is easily folded from the rear of the vehicle. For even more utility, both the second- and third-row seats fold to provide a flat load floor to haul a 6-foot couch with room for a coffee table. Clever touches abound, including a switch in the instrument panel to remotely lower the third-row headrests when not in use.

An overhead console also includes a covered storage bin, button for the available universal home garage door opener and switches for the available power sunroof and power liftgate. The sunglass bin has a push-push latch to provide a smooth, controlled rate to prevent contents from falling out.