2011 Dodge Durango AWD CrewLux

Wow, Dodge really did a great job with the Durango. I was never blown away by the body-on-frame Durango that died a few years ago, but the new unibody version feels very solid and well executed. Having driven the Ford Explorer only a few nights before the Durango, it's difficult to find fault with the Dodge.

Comparing spec sheets you'd think the Durango and Explorer were almost exactly the same vehicle, but the execution is quite different. While the Explorer's thick A-pillars, high beltline, and smallish window openings make it feel claustrophobic (or at least like you're trapped in a cave), the Durango lets in more light and offers better visibility through its large windshield and windows and seemingly thinner A-pillars. Both of these SUVs-turned-crossovers offer touch-screen infotainment systems, but only Dodge offers honest-to-goodness physical buttons and dials to adjust the temperature or volume. I much prefer the idea of using muscle memory to adjust the volume to taking my eyes off the road and fiddling with a fussy touch screen.

This is the heaviest vehicle I've sampled with Chrysler's new Pentastar V-6, and the engine performed admirably with nearly 5000 pounds of Durango to motivate. I presume the Durango would be a lot of fun with the Hemi V-8, but there's no need for more power unless you're planning to tow trailers frequently.

Driving dynamics are at the top of the class thanks to the rear-wheel-drive architecture. Of course handling is a relative term when you're talking three-row crossovers, but I seriously want to drive the R/T model after experiencing how buttoned-down and solid the base Durango feels on off-ramps and country roads.

The new Dodge Durango's exterior styling is one of its strongest points. It is cohesive, interesting, different, and very American, and it helps the Durango stand out from the crowded pack of crossovers. The interior is also nicely designed and pretty well executed, but I don't care for the huge, tall dash and the large A-pillars, which are to me just as big and bothersome as the ones in the Ford Explorer. Outward visibility is only OK due to the high front cowl.

Dynamically, the Durango is surprisingly good for such a big, heavy vehicle. I drove 60 mph on a twisty two-lane road that I often use as a test loop, and the Dodge had good body control, nice brake-pedal feel, and accurate steering. I agree with Phil that the Pentastar V-6 provides good performance, and since it manages to achieve only 22 mpg in the highway EPA cycle, I certainly wouldn't want the V-8 (rated at 20 mpg on the highway) if I could get along without it. Although I suppose that if you are truly concerned about fuel economy but still want to haul around your family of seven, you ought to be looking at a Dodge Grand Caravan minivan rather than the Durango; the Grand Caravan is rated at 25 mpg. That said, if you get a rear-wheel-drive Durango, it's rated at 23 mpg. Our test vehicle was an all-wheel-drive model.

The nice thing about the Durango is that it was part of the joint-development program between Chrysler and its former owner, Daimler, wherein the Durango and the Jeep Grand Cherokee got a big engineering assist from the team at Mercedes-Benz, which was also developing the new Mercedes M-class. We recently met Jack Dolan, the Chrysler engineer who is responsible for the development of the 2011 Dodge Durango, and he explained that, with the Durango, "we were freed from having to make it a serious off-roader, like Jeep did with the Grand Cherokee. We were able to concentrate on optimizing its on-road performance." Dolan went on to explain that, although the Durango is based on the same platform as the Jeep, it is ten inches longer overall. Of that ten inches, five inches went into a longer wheelbase, to make room for the third-row seating. Some of the additional length also allowed the engineers to package a full-size spare tire.

2011 Dodge Durango AWD CrewLux

Base price (with destination): $36,045

Price as tested: $41,340

Standard Equipment:

3.6-liter V-6 engine

5-speed automatic transmission

Electronic stability control

Parkview rear backup camera

Parksense rear park assist

Keyless entry with remote engine start

Hill start assist

Trailer sway damping

Cruise control

Dual-zone automatic climate control

Power windows/locks/mirrors

60/40 split fold 2nd row

50/50 folding 3rd row

Sirius satellite radio

Media center 430 CD/DVD/MP3/HDD touch screen

Bluetooth connectivity

9 speakers with 506-watt amp and subwoofer

Leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls

18-inch wheels

Power liftgate

Fog lamps

Options on this vehicle:

Customer preferred package 26G -- $5000

20-inch polished wheels

Leather-trimmed bucket seats

Heated front and 2nd row seats

Power tilt/telescoping steering column

Media center 430N CD/DVD/MP3/HDD/NAV touch screen

USB port

Garmin navigation system

Rain sensing wipers

Smartbeam headlamps

Inferno red exterior paint -- $295

Key options not on vehicle:

5.7-liter Hemi V-8 engine -- $1895

Rear DVD entertainment system -- $1695

Power sunroof -- $850

Trailer tow group -- $695

Fuel economy:

(city/hwy/combined)

16 / 22 / 18 mpg

Engine:

3.6L V-6

Horsepower: 290 hp @ 6400 rpm

Torque: 260 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm

Drive:

Four-wheel

Transmission:

5-speed automatic

Curb weight: 4987 lb

Wheels/tires: 20 x 8.0-inch polished-aluminum wheels

265/50R20 all-season tires

Competitors: Ford Explorer, Chevrolet Traverse, Honda Pilot

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