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Current Dodge Durango Will End Production in 2024

Previously based on a ladder frame, the Dodge Durango was redesigned from the ground up in 2010 for the 2011 model year in the guise of a unibody. Twinned with the previous-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee, the family-sized utility vehicle will soldier on until 2024, as per insiders.
2021 Dodge Durango 35 photos
Photo: Dodge
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Automotive News doesn’t have a clear picture of what’s next, which is pretty darn curious at first glance. It was previously rumored that Dodge will redesign the Durango with Ram 1500 underpinnings, but such a significant change seems unlikely. But if you ask me, the Giorgio platform of the Alfa Romeo Giulia, Stelvio, and the brand-new Grand Cherokee seems perfect.

Developed in collaboration with Ferrari, the Giorgio vehicle architecture will be ultimately replaced by the STLA family of all-electric platforms. Until the inevitable happens, the Giorgio platform and the plug-in hybrid setup in the Grand Cherokee 4xe appear to be just what the Durango needs.

Similar to the Wrangler 4xe, which is only available with the four-door cab, the plug-in hybrid crossover is believed to share the 2.0-liter turbo engine and 17.3-kWh battery. The 270-horsepower turbo engine is complemented by a 44-horsepower motor connected through the accessory belt and a 134-horsepower motor located at the front of the transmission’s housing.

The 2022 model year Grand Cherokee L is currently offered with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 as standard and the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 on higher trim levels. It’s not farfetched to imagine an e-Durango for the 2025 model year, but still, emission regulations in the U.S. aren’t as severe as the EU7 standard.

Given these circumstances, I would bet my two cents on a Grand Cherokee L with a different body shell, different interior, and different badge for the next-generation Durango. Whatever the future may hold for the seven-seat crossover, Stellantis Group execs should make up their minds already.

The Durango is already 11 years old, and there are many alternatives in this particular segment with similar pricing, nicer interiors, more standard kit, and better fuel economy. The rear-/all-wheel-drive Ford Explorer comes to mind, along with the front-/all-wheel-drive Honda Pilot and Kia Telluride.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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