2009 Dodge Durango
The Dodge Durango, a truck-based 8-passenger SUV, gets an available hybrid system for 2009. According to Dodge, the new 2-mode hybrid system boosts city fuel economy by 40 percent and overall fuel economy by more than 25 percent. The Durango Hybrid is offered with all-wheel drive (AWD) and comes only in Limited trim, adding a universal garage door opener and Dodge’s UConnect GPS navigation system and hard-drive radio to the standard equipment list. The Hybrid’s interior has a power gauge that shows when the electric motors are aiding acceleration or being charged. The power gauge has a green “economy” zone that drivers can use to aim for optimal fuel economy.
Developed with BMW, General Motors and Mercedes-Benz, the Durango’s 2-mode hybrid system is shared with the new round of big hybrid SUVs and pickups from General Motors, as well as the Durango’s sister, the Chrysler Aspen. In the Durango, it features the Hemi 5.7-liter V-8 engine, now in more potent tune, teamed with a new electric continuously variable transmission (ECVT). The ECVT has two electric motors and four fixed gears. One of the motors aids power at low speeds and the other at highway speeds. The Hemi V-8 engine also has Dodge’s Multi-Displacement System, which shuts down four cylinders under light load conditions to conserve fuel. Total output is 385 hp at 5300 rpm and 380 lb.-ft. of torque at 4200 rpm. Regenerative braking charges the batteries. Dodge says the Durango hybrid can run on electric power alone up to 25 mph. The 2009 Dodge Durango is rated to tow up to 6000 pounds compared to the 8700 pounds for a standard AWD model.
The news for non-hybrid models starts with the next-generation 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 engine. Available for SLT and Limited models, horsepower is now up from 335 to 356, and torque rises from 370 to 390 lb.-ft. Dodge’s MyGIG hard-drive radio changes its name to UConnect Tunes and UConnect GPS when paired with a navigation system. Hard-drive storage space also grows from 20 to 30 gigabytes. In addition, the available rear DVD entertainment system is now offered with Sirius BackSeat TV. Finally, the base SXT model is now called SE.
