Is 2020, the last year we will see a crosshair grille on a Dodge? It’s starting to look that way and 2021 maybe the year we see the big change.
When the Ram Truck brand separated itself from Dodge back in 2009, the FCA design team eventually wanted to differentiate the brands from one another. In 2019, a decade after separating, the Ram Truck brand revamped its lineup to feature just a “RAM” text on its vehicle’s grilles. Vehicles like the new Ram 1500, updated Ram Heavy Duty, refreshed Ram ProMaster, and updated Ram ProMaster City models all ditched the crosshair grille for the model year.
There has been only exception, the aging Ram 1500 Classic, which continues production as an important part of the Ram Trucks sales strategy for the next couple of years. However, not even every model has worn the traditional crosshair grille. The most popular vehicle in the Ram 1500 Classic lineup – the Warlock, sans the crosshair for the Rebel grille design.
While the Dodge Challenger has been the only vehicle from the Dodge brand in modern history to not feature a take of the crosshair grille since its conception in 2008, the rest of the lineup has. Vehicles like the popular Dodge Grand Caravan (which is scheduled to end production in May) and the Dodge Journey (which more than likely won’t be around after 2020) still wear the grille on all of its model lineups.
For the past several years, vehicles like Dodge Charger and Dodge Durango has been getting away from the crosshair by using their SRT-influenced front fascia designs. The Dodge Charger currently offers its SRT-influenced styling on every model except its entry-level SXT and SXT options. Even the re-introduced 2020 Dodge Charger GT AWD features the SRT look for the first time on an all-wheel-drive car. So we wouldn’t be surprised if Dodge decides to offer the non-crosshair accented fascia on its entry-level models for 2021.
The Dodge Durango, on the other hand, gets a completely new front fascia for the 2021 model year amongst other upgrades. Our spy photographers have been catching several of the new Durango prototypes running around with heavy black vinyl camouflage covering the fronts of the updated three-row SUVs. So far, we haven’t seen any pictures pointing to the fact, there is a grille underneath the camouflage, even on the lesser trim models.
Thanks to various sources, we have actually gotten a sneak peek at the new front bumper unexposed and it tells us that like the new 2020 Dodge Charger Widebody models, it will also be getting away from the crosshair grille. The Dodge Durango has already allowed its SRT front fascia design to be available on most of the lineup, leaving out only the entry-level SXT and the premium-level Citadel absent from getting the SRT styling cues.
But 2021, is looking like it might be the first year in over three decades that Dodge won’t have a crosshair featured on any of their vehicles across the lineup.
What do you think? Is it time for Dodge to ditch the crosshairs? Leave us a comment below.
