A surfeit of standard features and an enhanced powertrain lineup headline the changes made to the 2014 Dodge Durango. The manufacturer announced today that the starting price of its mid-size, three-row sport-ute will remain the same as last year’s, at $30,790.
The big news for the ’14 Durango, as we previously reported, revolves around a styling refresh and the addition of an eight-speed automatic transmission to both the V-6 and V-8 models. LED-based wraparound taillights, in the style of the Charger and the Dart, make their debut for 2014, as do projector-beam headlights and fog lights. An upgraded center stack brightens the interior, centered around a five-inch touch screen. Durango offers standard seating for seven with three rows of seats.
All-wheel drive remains optional across the model line, and V-6 Durangos thusly equipped also sport a transfer case; V-8 models utilize an on-demand system. Towing capacities for the 2014 model are unchanged: rear-drive V-6 Durangos can pull up to 6200 pounds; all-wheel-drive V-8 Durangos manage 7200 pounds, while rear-drive V-8s can muster 7400 pounds.
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The Durango will be available in five trim levels, with features as follows:
SXT: $30,790; standard features include a 290-hp 3.6-liter V-6, an eight-speed automatic transmission, LED taillamps, 18-inch “Tech-Silver” aluminum wheels, a five-inch UConnect screen, and a seven-inch TFT reconfigurable digital gauge cluster.
Rallye: $33,985; adds to SXT with a dual exhaust good for 5 extra horsepower, a body-color grille, black interior trim, 20-inch black wheels, and black head lamp surrounds–get the idea? Captain’s chairs for the second row and Uconnect with an 8.4-inch center touch-screen display are optional.
Limited: $36,990; new for 2014, the Limited has all the standard features of the SXT, save for the 18-inch wheels—which have been swapped out for a different set of 18-inchers. LED daytime running lights, parking-assist technology, heated leather seats, and the aforementioned Uconnect with center touch screen are standard. The 360-hp, 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with trick cylinder deactivation, matched with an eight-speed automatic, is optional.
R/T: $39,990; features the Hemi V-8 as standard, a 506-watt audio system, as well as the Rallye’s 20-inch wheels and body treatment. The interior boasts standard leather with red stitching, heated front- and second-row seats, the 8.4-inch Uconnect with touch screen, and a heated steering wheel wrapped in leather. The R/T’s ride height is lower by 0.8 inch, giving it a sporty stance.
Citadel: $41,990; takes the features of the Limited and adds nappa leather, heated and ventilated front seats, a sunroof, power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, and a power liftgate. Also standard are Uconnect with voice command navigation and live streaming internet radio, and remote start. On the exterior, the Citadel features a unique grille with a chrome surround and 20-inch wheels in a style separate from the Rallye and R/T models. The V-6 engine is standard, and the V-8 is optional.
While we haven’t yet put the 2014 Durango through our paces, we’re optimistic that the improvements to the powertrain and the extra standard goodies are worth the wait, based on our test of the updated Jeep Grand Cherokee. It remains to be seen, however, if Dodge has created a competitor worthy of cannibalizing GC sales.
Source: CarAndDriver
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