Dodge News: Rumorpile: Dodge Preparing A Refresh Of The Durango?

[William Maley]

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

February 18, 2013

Mopar-enthusiast site Allpar reports Dodge is readying a refresh of the Durango that will begin production in May.

The refresh will include redesigned front and rear ends, a revised interior layout with new controls and a digital instrument panel, and a new eight-speed transmission across the engine lineup.

The refreshed Durango is expected to arrive at dealers in late June.

Source: Allpar

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

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[Robert Hall]

Interesting...I thought the Durango was getting phased out since Jeep was getting a Wagoneer.

[William Maley]

Interesting...I thought the Durango was getting phased out since Jeep was getting a Wagoneer.

It most likely will, but the Wagoneer is still a few years off. It was the right time to give the Durango a refresh to keep it competitive.

[Robert Hall]

I do wonder what Jeep w/ do for a Wagoneer...since the current Durango and GC are very similar from the rear, they could just put the GC front clip on the Durango, give it a GC interior, and call it a day..

[David]

Killing off the Durango is the wrong thing, they messed up when they went from Generation 1 of the Durango to Frankenstein Durango Generation 2 full size and went down with quality. My daughter is still driving her 99 Durango saving money to buy a new Durango once the new engine / Tranny line up comes out. This should help gas mileage and with a new refreshed exterior and interior make it even more desireable. I see this as a solid cash flow product line and do not see it being killed off even when the wagoneer comes out. Just another eveolutionary change. The Durango fills a very nice mid size SUV niche that people are paying good money for. Why kill a cash cow?

[GMTruckGuy74]

Killing off the Durango is the wrong thing, they messed up when they went from Generation 1 of the Durango to Frankenstein Durango Generation 2 full size and went down with quality. My daughter is still driving her 99 Durango saving money to buy a new Durango once the new engine / Tranny line up comes out. This should help gas mileage and with a new refreshed exterior and interior make it even more desireable. I see this as a solid cash flow product line and do not see it being killed off even when the wagoneer comes out. Just another eveolutionary change. The Durango fills a very nice mid size SUV niche that people are paying good money for. Why kill a cash cow?

Didn't Sergio state that he is doing away with duplicated models? I thought the biggest difference besides styling between the Durango and Grand Cherokee was the 3^rd row in the Durango. If the Wagoneer will have a 3^rd row, and potential more sales over a Dodge version, why would they keep the Durango (based on Sergio's comment)?

I will also say that I never understood why the Durango remained with "Dodge" and didn't get put into the "RAM" lineup? If I'm not mistaken, the current Explorer is linked more to the truck side of Ford than the car side, correct? Then it would have made more sense to keep Durango with the RAM side of business. Maybe killing it off focuses Dodge on the car end, RAM on the truck end, and Jeep on the SUV/Crossover end?

[Robert Hall]

I will also say that I never understood why the Durango remained with "Dodge" and didn't get put into the "RAM" lineup? If I'm not mistaken, the current Explorer is linked more to the truck side of Ford than the car side, correct? Then it would have made more sense to keep Durango with the RAM side of business. Maybe killing it off focuses Dodge on the car end, RAM on the truck end, and Jeep on the SUV/Crossover end?

No, the current Explorer is a FWD/AWD CUV, nothing truck about it. Ram is strictly truck and (commercial) van, Jeep is SUV and CUV, and Dodge is car only sounds like the long term strategy that Fiat is pushing towards...

[David]

I will also say that I never understood why the Durango remained with "Dodge" and didn't get put into the "RAM" lineup? If I'm not mistaken, the current Explorer is linked more to the truck side of Ford than the car side, correct? Then it would have made more sense to keep Durango with the RAM side of business. Maybe killing it off focuses Dodge on the car end, RAM on the truck end, and Jeep on the SUV/Crossover end?

No, the current Explorer is a FWD/AWD CUV, nothing truck about it. Ram is strictly truck and (commercial) van, Jeep is SUV and CUV, and Dodge is car only sounds like the long term strategy that Fiat is pushing towards...

Yet people like my daughter who loves the looks and design of the Dodge Durango yet find the Jeep DNA repulsive. So then they just kiss off the hundred of thousands who supported dodge? If the durango had stayed body on frame, I could see it going into the Ram family, but as a UniBody, this SUV/CUV is fine in the Dodge family.

I suspect the dodge dealers will not be too happy about loosing out to Ford and GM with only selling cars and no SUV's/CUV's.

[GMTruckGuy74]

I suspect the dodge dealers will not be too happy about loosing out to Ford and GM with only selling cars and no SUV's/CUV's.

Dodge/RAM/Chrysler/Jeep combo dealerships are all I see in NJ & PA. I'm assuming other states have the same set-up too?

Besides the Grand Caravan/Town & Country and Durango, what other SUVs/CUVs are sold in the Dodge/Chrysler brand? The funny thing about the Durango = Dodge comment, the Grand Caravan in commercial form (RAM C/V) is sold in the RAM brand, so I can see the Durango belonging there (RAM) more than Dodge. I don't care if it's unibody or body-on-frame, if it's trying to be a truck (SUV) then it should be sold with the truck brand (just my opinion).

I can see Dodge & Chrysler covering the car end, RAM covering the truck and commerical end, and Jeep handling all SUVs/CUVs. Doesn't mean it's right or best, but it at least sets the brands up for what they are. And it fits with Sergio's no more duplicated vehicles comment (though I don't know how Dodge & Chrysler are going to work that part out).

[Robert Hall]

All I see here in AZ are combined Dodge/Ram/Chrysler/Jeep dealers...maybe in small towns there are standalone Dodge dealers, but my impression is they are consolidating. As far as other CUVs, Dodge had the Nitro and Journey, but I think those are OOP now..

Edited February 19, 2013 by Cubical-aka-Moltar