New Wheels: Dodge Reincarnates the Durango

Feb - 22 | By: Trucks Plus | no comments.

Filed under : 2011, New Wheels

Solid Intentions

Review by Budd Stanley, photos courtesy of Dodge Canada

Only one short year ago, we thought the Durango had gone the way of the Dodo bird, as Chrysler’s owners struggled to stop the hemorrhaging of finances. However, with Fiat coming to the rescue, the Dodo lives again and this time it’s come back as a Peacock, sporting a fresh new design and performance enhancements.

While the Durango has returned, it bears little in resemblance to the outgoing Durango. Built on a brand new platform that was part of a joint program with Mercedes for the GL, the unibody architecture allows the Durango to have a much lower stance, increasing on-road handling and aerodynamics. As a result, the high-riding Durango of old is now replaced with this ground hugging brute. While the design is all-new for the Durango, the bold crosshair grille and Magnumesque rear greenhouse still ushers back traditional Dodge traits.

Inside, the Durango’s story mirrors that of every new Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler we’ve laid eyes on in the last six months. A massive interior redesign has taken place offering up heaps of high quality soft-touch materials and a heavy dose of a attention to detail. The whole atmosphere inside the Durango is one of comfort and refinement, as Dodge has taken a weakness and turned it into an advantage, knocking on the doorsteps of luxury car makers in refinement. Although, I still think the steering wheel could use a little work as a full grip at the 3 and 9-o'clock positions is interrupted by a thick angled side spoke.

Up in the business end of the vehicle is another large enhancement, the inclusion of Chrysler’s latest darling, the 3.6L Pentastar V6. Not only does this engine give the Chrysler brands a much needed step up in power for their V6 option, but it also increases both fuel efficiency and emission performance. When mated to the Durango, the little Pentastar pumps out 290 hp and 260 lb-ft, which, like the Grand Cherokee, will need some high revving, as it can struggle to get up steep hills.

Of course if you’re one that just wants raw V8 muscle powering your Dodge, not to worry as the 5.7L HEMI is still an option on the two higher level models, the Crew Plus and Citadel. With the addition of the new unibody platform, Dodge has been able to save a large amount of weight, with the SXT model coming in at a not too shabby 2,157 kg. As a result, fuel efficiency is rated at 13.0L/100km in the city, 8.9L/100km highway when equipped with the new Pentastar engine. However, be warned, when adding AWD and opting for the HEMI, the Durango starts to get pretty pudgy and those numbers rise to 16.6L and 10.1L respectively.

The new body is really doing wonders for the reincarnated Durango. Not only are the looks and efficiency of the vehicle improved drastically, but the drivability and use of space has also made me do a double take. The added space has allowed the Durango to keep its seven-passenger rating with a third row of seats, which can comfortably seat an adult and not just be used to punish children. The super-stiff body also makes the handling more shocking than the interior improvements.

I’ve experienced this before, when I had the pleasure of testing the latest Jeep Grand Cherokee, which also shares a platform with a Mercedes SUV, and the improvement was profound. Here in the Durango, the handling was equally as shocking as the big truck drove like a large car. The absence of body-on-frame construction means that Dodge could lower the Durango without disrupting suspension travel. When matched with a tight body and the AWD system that comes standard, the Durango is a well-planted vehicle that is connected and lets the driver feel the road much more efficiently. Even a soccer mom could have fun driving this one.

All these improvements all add to the competitiveness of the Durango against its competition. With a starting price of $37,995 for the SXT, the Durango now comes into line with other similarly-equipped large three-rowers like the Ford Flex, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, Honda Pilot, and Mazda CX-9, all of which are V6-powered with output and fuel-economy figures similar to the Durango V6.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Base Price (MSRP): $37,995

Price as Tested: $49,995

Type: 7-passenger full-size SUV

Layout: Front-engine, all-wheel drive

Engine: 3.6L V6 and 5.7L V8

Horsepower: V6 290, V8 360

Torque: V6 260, V8 390

Transmission: 5-Speed Automatic

Brakes: Four-wheel discs

Fuel Economy (L/100km): V6 – 13.0L city, 8.9L highway

V8 – 16.6L city, 10.1L highway