This nameplate was introduced for the 2007 model year as Chrysler’s first SUV, bringing a body-on-frame, full-size utility vehicle into the brand’s lineup. It was closely related to the Dodge Durango, but was styled and trimmed to fit Chrysler’s more upscale, family-luxury positioning. The vehicle was offered in a relatively short run and became part of Chrysler’s mid-2000s effort to expand beyond sedans and minivans into the SUV market.
For the 2009 model year, Chrysler added a hybrid version that used a HEMI-based two-mode hybrid system, giving the nameplate a notable place in the company’s electrification history as one of Chrysler’s early production hybrids. The hybrid arrived late in the nameplate’s life and was part of Chrysler’s effort to improve fuel economy in larger vehicles during a period of rising interest in efficiency. Production ended after the 2009 model year, making this a brief, single-run nameplate remembered for its upscale SUV concept and for its short-lived hybrid variant.