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Prices: 2008 Chrysler Aspen & Dodge Durango Hybrids Review

June 2008
Filed under: HR Car News | HR Headlines
Chrysler announced today that it is pricing its full-size 4x4 sport-utility vehicle (SUV) hybrid electric vehicles nearly $8,000 below the competition. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for the new 2009 Dodge Durango HEMI® Hybrid is $45,340, including $800 for destination. The MSRP for the new 2009 Chrysler Aspen HEMI Hybrid is $45,570, including $800 for destination. Additionally, customers are expected to receive an estimated tax credit of $1,800.

“The new 2009 Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and Dodge Durango Hybrid deliver fuel economy up to 20 miles per gallon—a 40 percent improvement in the city and 25 percent overall—best-in-class cargo room, and are priced nearly $8,000 below the competition,” said Deborah Meyer, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer – Chrysler LLC. “Offering the unique combination of value, fuel economy, performance and capability, Chrysler’s hybrid vehicles deliver exactly what SUV owners are demanding in today’s marketplace.”

The 2009 Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid vehicles are Chrysler’s first entries in the hybrid market.

Capable of towing 6,000 lbs., the 2009 Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid vehicles deliver seamless, dependable power and performance on demand, in an efficient package. With an electrically variable transmission—featuring the best characteristics of an automatic transmission and hybrid drive—and two different hybrid modes of operation, the drive system dramatically improves fuel economy around town and at highway speeds.

The 2009 Chrysler Aspen HEMI Hybrid and Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid are coupled with Chrysler’s renowned 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine. Total output, when combined with the advanced two-mode hybrid system, is 385 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque. In hybrid form, the HEMI continues to feature Chrysler’s fuel-saving MDS technology, which allows the engine to seamlessly alternate between four-cylinder mode when less power is needed and V-8 mode when more power is in demand. The two-mode system provides assistance from electric motors, allowing the HEMI V-8 to remain in four-cylinder mode more often than without a hybrid powertrain, improving overall fuel economy.

The result: In typical use, Chrysler expects customers will reduce fuel consumption by several hundred gallons of gas per year.

Built at the Newark Assembly Plant in Delaware, the new 2009 Chrysler Aspen HEMI Hybrid and Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid vehicles arrive in showrooms this August.

2009 Chrysler Aspen HEMI Hybrid
Chrysler Aspen is a premium SUV that offers elegant styling, premium amenities and innovative engineering with the room and capability of a sport-utility vehicle. Bigger than its full-size SUV competitors, yet smaller than large SUV competitors, Chrysler Aspen offers unique benefits as a luxury SUV in a class all its own.

Chrysler Aspen exudes styling elegance with clean, angular front and rear fenders, rear doors and rear-quarter panels creating a seamless profile. Individual chromed “Chrysler” lettering adorns the bodyside on each of the front doors. Premium touches also include chromed accents on body-side moldings, door handles and side mirrors, as well as 18-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels. Chrysler Aspen’s broad, chromed grille is crowned by a sculpted hood, a signature of Chrysler vehicles.

Standard interior appointments include wood-accented door panels and instrument-panel center stack, air conditioning, overhead console with HomeLink® Universal Transceiver and Electronic Vehicle Information Center, front and rear LED lamps that may be individually aimed, uconnect gps, floor console with rear power accessory outlet, and a 60/40 third-row bench seat.

Standard equipment also includes premium leather-trimmed bucket seats, eight-way power driver’s seat with memory, four-way power passenger seat, heated front-row seats, and a second-row bench seat, providing seating for eight.

Chrysler Aspen rides on a torsionally stiff, hydroformed frame with an independent torsion-bar front suspension setup featuring rack-and-pinion steering that helps provide a smooth and quiet ride and precise handling. An isolated torsion bar crossmember helps minimize road noise. Suspension and steering are tuned to deliver optimum comfort and driveability.

In the rear is a unique suspension setup with coil springs and a solid rear axle that delivers durability and strength. A Watt’s linkage system is fitted to the rear axle, centering the axle and reducing rear-end skate over rough surfaces.

Standard safety features include Chrysler’s exclusive Trailer Sway Control, Electronic Stability Program, Anti-lock Brake System and next-generation front air bags, ParkSense® Rear Park Assist System, ParkView™ Rear Back-up Camera System, Tire Pressure Monitoring System and three-row side-curtain air bags with roll sensing.

2009 Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid
Dodge Durango offers style, comfort, convenience and superior versatility in a real SUV, with three rows of seating and room for eight.

The Dodge Durango’s styling is enhanced with a high beltline emphasizing its bold appearance, while short front and rear overhangs contribute to the vehicle’s expression of concentrated power. Crisp angles and chiseled surfaces highlight a strong and confident front-end design. Dodge Durango’s signature crosshair grille stands out prominently, flanked by rectangular headlamps with dual-halogen bulbs wrapped around the corners of the fenders. The rear design of the Dodge Durango is marked by “afterburner” taillamps, and a chromed appliqué accentuating the rear liftgate.

Standard interior appointments include premium two-tone door panels and satin silver finish instrument-panel center stack, air conditioning, overhead console with HomeLink® Universal Transceiver and Electronic Vehicle Information Center, front and rear LED lamps that may be individually aimed, uconnect gps, and a floor console with rear power accessory outlet.

Standard equipment also includes premium leather-trimmed bucket seats, eight-way power driver’s seat with memory, four-way power passenger seat, heated front-row seats, a second-row bench seat and a 60/40 third-row bench seat, providing seating for eight.

Dodge Durango rides on a torsionally stiff, fully hydroformed frame with an independent front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering, providing a turning radius of 37.5 ft.—shorter than a Honda Pilot. Suspension and steering are finely tuned to deliver superior ride and precise steering. Dodge Durango’s rear suspension features coil springs and a solid rear axle secured with a Watt’s linkage system, resulting in refined ride and handling characteristics.

Advanced safety and security features include standard Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Program with Electronic Roll Mitigation and Trailer Sway Control, side-curtain air bags for all three rows, ParkSense® Rear Park Assist System, Tire Pressure Monitoring system, Sentry Key® engine immobilizer, and ParkView™ Rear Back-up Camera System.

Chrysler Brand
Chrysler is the seventh largest brand in the U.S. automotive market. The brand’s succession of innovative products continues to solidify Chrysler’s standing as the leader in design, agile performance and innovative technology built around a customer’s needs, all at an extraordinary value.

The award-winning all-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country has 35 new or improved features that include the innovative Swivel ‘N Go™ seating system.

Arriving later this year, the new 2009 Chrysler Aspen Hybrid will give a unique option to customers who need the cargo and towing capability of a sport-utility vehicle, but want a more efficient alternative. Chrysler Aspen Hybrid is more than 25 percent more fuel efficient overall, and up to 40 percent more fuel efficient in the city. Also, for customers seeking fuel efficiency, the Chrysler Sebring sedan and Chrysler Sebring Convertible both achieve 28 miles per gallon (mpg) highway fuel economy and have been certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SmartWay program, which recognizes the cleanest, most efficient vehicles sold in the U.S.

Dodge Brand
With a U.S. market share of 6.4 percent, Dodge is Chrysler LLC’s best-selling brand and the sixth largest nameplate in the U.S. automotive market. In 2007, Dodge sold more than 1.3 million vehicles in the global market, including the best-selling minivan in 2007 total sales, Dodge Grand Caravan.

The Dodge brand’s first crossover vehicle—the all-new 2009 Dodge Journey—arrived in dealer showrooms in the first quarter of 2008, and is now available outside North America in petrol and diesel powertrains in both left- and right-hand drive. Arriving in dealerships now is the limited-edition 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 with a 6.1-liter HEMI V-8 engine that boasts 425 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. Later in 2008, Dodge will add three more new vehicles to its product lineup—the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram with game-changing exterior and interior design, innovations, best-in-class features and craftsmanship; the all-new 2009 Dodge Challenger, a modern interpretation of the American muscle car; and the new 2009 Dodge Durango HEMI® Hybrid, a hybrid-electric vehicle that combines fuel efficient advanced hybrid technology with full-size SUV performance and capability. Last fall, America's best-selling minivan, the all-new 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan, arrived in dealerships with 35 new or improved features including the newest innovation, the Swivel ‘n Go™ seating system. In 2007, Dodge Avenger and Nitro entered key volume segments outside North America, joining the Dodge Caliber, the highest sales volume vehicle for the company outside of North America.

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