Since the new Durango, which has continued to help tow Dodge's sales since entering the market late last year, isn't your ordinary vehicle, MLive decided to do somewhat of an unconventional review of the vehicle.Watch video
DETROIT, MI- The 2014 Dodge Durango isn’t your typical sport utility vehicle.
Don’t believe me? Just ask “Anchorman” Ron Burgundy who has starred in an onslaught of commercials talking about everything from the glove box's gum stick-capacity to the sheer horsepower of the engine being 360 times more than an actual horse.
Since the new Durango, which has continued to help tow Dodge’s sales since entering the market late last year, isn’t your ordinary vehicle, MLive decided to do somewhat of an unconventional review of the vehicle.
Here are 10 things Burgundy didn’t tell you about the full-size SUV from the brand:
10. Magic Buttons: Burgundy may have talked about the “woman” stuck in the vehicle’s UConnect infotainment system, which tried to help Burgundy try and find a police station, but he didn’t mention a few “magic” buttons on the vehicle’s instrument cluster.
The new Durango features numerous unique features, including a back headrest disabler that knocks the third row seat headrests down faster than Burgundy after a fifth of scotch and an easy to manage infotainment system that can control everything from the climate in the vehicle to your phone.
9. Imported from Detroit: Although the“Imported from Detroit” is for the Chrysler brand, the Durango is literally imported from Detroit.
The Durango is built at the Chrysler’s Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit, which I believe was discovered by the Germans in 1904 and named after a whale’s fins.
8. ECO mode: An all-new Eco mode in the vehicle contributes to better fuel economy for the vehicle by optimizing the transmission’s shift schedule and cylinder deactivation, which turns off cylinders when not needed in V8 models.
All the technology, including an eight-speed transmission that bumps fuel economy up to 9 percent, adds to more savings for some fine scotch and pajamas for your Spanish-speaking dog.
7. Sinister: Like a majority of the current Dodge lineup, the vehicle’s exterior – particularly thanks to redesigned front and rear facias and LED lamps – just gives the vehicle a stylish, sinister look. It’s smooth, yet sporty.
6. In the rear: The vehicle’s sinister look is escalated to a new level thanks to 192 LED lights in“racetrack” tail lamps of the vehicle.
The lights are a new direction for Dodge. Unlike vehicles in the past, where you can see every single little LED light, the Durango features a new technology that blends the individual LEDs into one seamless looking ribbon of light. 5. Engine lineup: Chrysler offers two engine choices for the vehicle: A standard flex-fuel 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine generates an impressive 290 horsepower (295 horsepower on Rallye) and 260 lb.-ft. of torque and a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine produces a best-in-class 360 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque.
The Durango’s two AWD systems – one for the Hemi V8 and one for Pentastar V-6-powered models – also greatly enhances the vehicle’s traction and handling.
Overall, not everyone essentially needs the AWD system or Hemi V8, but they are two great options for customers in Michigan – particularly with the current weather conditions.
4. Raising the bar? On models equipped with the Pentastar V6 engine, the Durango can tow up to 6,200 pounds. When coupled with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine, the new 2014 Dodge Durango offers trailer tow capability of up to 7,400 pounds – enough power to rip the beard off of Zeus.
Will Ferrell as popular character Ron Burgundy advertising for the new 2014 Dodge Durango from Chrysler. (Courtesy image)3. Shifters: Standard on all 2014 Durango models new eight-speed automatic transmission with rotary shifter and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
More shifters mean more than Burgundy announcing a cannonball into a pool.
2. Pricy? The Durango starts at just under $30,000, but can really get up there in pricing when you add safety and technology packages.
The top-line Citadel model starts at about $41,000, but can easily top $45,000 with the addition of all-wheel-drive ($2,400) and a 5.7-liter V8 Hemi engine ($2,795) and
1. Craftsmanship: In an interview with Conan O’Brien, Burgundy (I’m guessing after a few scotch drinks) said some pretty bad things about the Durango.
“They gave me one free, you know, and I drove it four feet and the thing cracked in half,” Burgundy said.
Although said in jest, Burgundy went a bit too far. The 2014 Durango is a great example of how far the Chrysler and the SUV segment has come since the first-generation Durango was introduced for the 2008 model year.
Overall, the vehicle is everything it should be for the full-size SUV segment, which has increased 82 percent since 2009.