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2004 Model Guide - Every Brand, Every Car

2004 DODGE LINE-UP
DODGE SUVS

2004 Dodge Model GuideSport-utility vehicles and minivans clustered behind the badge of Dodge include the midsize Durango and best-selling Caravan.

Durango the SUV, wearing a face that resembles the big Ram pickup, has been redesigned for a new generation in 2004 and features best-in-class power. It's now larger than the predecessor Durango - seven inches longer, two inches wider and taller by more than three inches - and it contains more rear cargo room than full-size competitors. Durango's powertrains range from a new 3.7 liter V6 to a 4.7-liter V8 and the ultra-powerful Dodge 5.7-liter HEMI V8 ripping up to 345 hp and promoting best-in-class towing capability.

Caravan, this year marking twenty years since the first edition emerged as the world's first minivan, celebrates the milestone with a limited Anniversary Edition model based on the stretched-wheelbase Grand Caravan SXT. It rolls on 16-inch chrome wheels and has two-tone leather seats, a six-disc CD/DVD changer and no extra-charge back seat video entertainment system.

Five versions of Dodge Caravan appear in the 2004 line, including two issues built on the standard-wheelbase Caravan and three for a stretched Grand Caravan.

Dodge Durango
2004 Dodge Durango

Riding on a new hydroformed frame and chassis, Durango for 2004 is new from tires to roof, and packs three choices for powertrains below its Ram-like hood.

Check out the new package design and you'll find strong muscular definition and taut but curvy lines that seem to negate the boxy styling of a typical SUV. The silhouette shows brief overhangs in front and back, bold wheel arches and a windshield tipped for improved aerodynamic efficiency.

Inside, there are three rows of seats for a capacity of seven passengers. Seats on second and third rows show more room for legs and shoulders. The seatbacks on second-row seats now recline, while third-row seats split but also fold away. With the third seat down, Durango now has best-in-class cargo capacity behind the second row and for the first time a sunroof is offered on the option list.

Trims are designated as ST, SLT and Limited. Powertrains start with the new 3.7-liter V6 rated at 210 hp and climb to the 4.7-liter V8 with 230 hp or the ripper 5.7-liter HEMI V8 soaring to 345 hp. Adjustable pedals are in place with standard four-wheel disc brakes and anti-lock brake system (ABS), while curtain-style side air bags extending above windows for all three rows of seats are available.

Dodge Caravan
2004 Dodge Caravan

Dodge built the first minivans in 1984 and in 2004 marks two decades of Caravan production with a special limited Anniversary Edition model based on a Dodge Grand Caravan SXT.

New features appear throughout the Caravan line, such as a Tire Pressure Monitor Warning Lamp standard on all models with aluminum wheels, a new easy-to-use key fob design and more audio and entertainment packages. Adjustable accelerator and brake pedals are available on any Caravan or Grand Caravan model as a bonus for safety. Power motivation for opening and closing doors applies to both sliding slabs, if desired, as well as the rear liftgate, which has a driver-controlled switch for pop-up or drop-down movement.

Five versions of Caravan this year include the Caravan regular-length wheelbase trimmed as SE and SXT or long-wheelbase Grand Caravan in SE, eX and the SXT with front-wheel-drive (FWD) or all-wheel-drive (AWD) formats.

The entry edition Caravan has a 2.4-liter in-line four-pack engine rated at 150 hp, but there are two V6 engines available with a 3.3-liter V6 worth 180 hp and a 3.8-liter V6 scored to 215 hp. Grand Caravan SXT AWD uses an inter-axle viscous coupling to automatically channel engine torque to front and rear axles.

[MORE INFORMATION FROM DODGE]