It seems that such is the case now, however, with the much improved Durango possibly serving as a base for the upcoming luxury
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| The closest Chrysler has come to an SUV is its Pacifica crossover, more of a heightened wagon than a 4x4 capable sport ute. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
variant. It would feature up to seven-occupant seating if built, just like the Durango, and go up against the GMC Yukon Denali, Envoy Denali, recently updated Ford Explorer Limited, Expedition Eddie Bauer Edition, Toyota Sequoia Limited, Nissan Armada, and other large, body-on-frame sport utilities.
While at first glance it looks as if Chrysler would be up against some pretty tough competition, it's entirely possible it will enter the market with a vehicle as progressive as its 300 sedan, featuring bold styling, a variety of powerful drivetrains, and most importantly, a strong value proposition. The
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| Upon outfitting the new Chrysler SUV with more luxury appointments than its Durango donor SUV, Chrysler could end up with a credible competitor for Cadillac's Escalade, the official "bling" SUV for the nouveau riche. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
300 has done as well as it has because it offers more style, performance, luxury and size for the money, than any rival. The formula could work extremely well in the luxury SUV market segment too.
If so, Chrysler could end up with a credible competitor for Cadillac's Escalade, the official "bling" SUV for the nouveau riche. What's more, its smaller size, which along with Chrysler's Multi-Displacement System (MDS) equipped HEMI V8 going head-to-head with GM's Displacement-on-Demand (DoD), would make sure its fuel efficiency was class leading - vital within a market segment that is shifting towards midsize models.
