Dodge Durango - Elegantly muscled and refined

Dodge Durango - Elegantly muscled and refined

Dodge Durango - Elegantly muscled and refined

The news hit SUV fans back in late 2008 – the Dodge Durango, with room for eight, two (one a HEMI) V-8s, a V-6 and even a hybrid four-wheel-drive version, was dead.
Even though dealer orders were pouring in for the new Durango Hybrid SUV and its sister, the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid, the Newark Assembly Plant in Delaware that built them stopped production Dec. 31, 2008, after some pretty big third-quarter losses.
Gone was a macho Ram-gendered SUV that could tow a boat and haul lots of people, yet wasn’t as big as a ‘Burbank or Expedition. Heck, the 5,600-lb. hybrid version even averaged 20-mpg and could tow up to 6,000 pounds.

But as the Durango was going down after only two generations, the then-new pairing of Daimler and Chrysler was dreaming of the third-generation. And despite Chrysler now being owned by Fiat, the new 2011 Durango that rises from the ashes of the Anglo-Teutonic marriage now dissolved brings a new meaning to what a full-size sports utility vehicle can look like, and drive.

· Dodge design – Like the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee we tested a few weeks ago, the new Dodge Durango’s bones were jointly designed with the current Mercedes-Benz ML-Class SUV. But while the Benz and the Jeep share the basic 114-inch wheelbase and are close to each other in length (188 Benz to 189.8 Jeep), Durango stretches those a bit with a 119.9 inch wheelbase and 199.8-inch length, compared to 119.2-inch wheelbase and 202.1-inch length of the last 2009 model. For comparison, a Chevy Suburban is 222.4-inches long, with a 130-inch wheelbase, the 2012 Ford Explorer 197.1-inches long on a 112.6-inch wheelbase, leaving the new Durango as a sort of smaller full-size. Like the new Jeep, the 2011 Durango manages to look sleek and muscular at the same time, with some serious mix of MOPAR and sophistication. The new face gets some of the old face with the big chrome gunfight grill with squared-off headlights flanking its shiny look on an edgy face with a deep lower air inlet, tucked-in fog lights and a lower air dam. There’s a flat-edged power dome hood over it, while the front fenders get a curved upper line and a flattened flare. It carries the mean look of the new Charger sedan, with some polished smooth edges. The A-pillars frame a sweptback windshield and a lower roof line as the beltline carries the front fender’s edge upward to meet the taper of the rear side windows. There’s a hint of a Coke bottle tuck in the waist over a chrome-accented sill. Then the taillights flow around the rear, hooked together with a chrome spear, while the tucked-in rear bumper with step and black lower fascia combined give it an almost BMW X5 look. It all rode on powerful-looking 5-spoke alloy wheels shod in Goodyear Fort era P265/50R20-inch rubber. Trust me, our silver Durango Citadel had people stopping and staring, one man walking up to say “That’s a pretty little beast. I haven’t seen one yet,” another in a last-gem Durango swiveling his head to gaze as he drove by. Parked at the fringe of two hot rod cruise-ins, it got appreciative nods and walk-arounds. The look is a winner – cohesive and taut in shape, with precise shut lines.

· Durango digs – The precise look outside is mirrored with an amazing leap in quality and design inside as the front doors open wide and you step up a bit into the seat. The Durango of old was full of hard looking plastic with all of the flair of a calculator. Our new black over tan design was full of flow and fresh, softer shapes accented by chrome, buff silver and even some dark pseudo-wood. The padded one-piece dash top flows over a precise and stylish gauge package with a 140-mph speedometer and gas gauge and a 7,000-rpm tach with temperature gauge bearing white numbers, orange needles and a slightly evil red glowing ring around each. The dash-central trip computer is simple, its white LCD numbers offering different info including an all-important fuel economy page with lots of info, including an almost 20-mpg rating on our 6,700-mile-old test vehicle. Dodge says the design has tighter gaps when compared to its predecessor and almost 50 percent fewer intersections of parts for higher fit and finish levels. The padded dash top continued into the tops of the doors, for a cohesive and refined look. The leather-clad steering wheel that frames the gauges is power tilt and telescope-adjustable. The trip computer, hands-free cellphone and voice command buttons are on the left, and cruise control and distance setting buttons are on the right, with stereo buttons on the underside of the upper spokes, a Dodge tradition for years. The boxy center pod puts a wide LCD touch-screen up high for navigation, audio, Sirius TravelLink with sports, ski, weather and area movie information, plus a USB/iPod port and an MP3 audio input right there. That includes a 9-speaker, 506-watt AM-FM-Sirius Satellite-CD audio system that was superb and included a hard drive to record more on-board music, or play it through your Bluetooth device. A tri-zone climate control system underneath added rear a/c with overhead vents and controls for the back seat occupants, plus heated/cooled front seats and heated outboard second row seats. The front seats, with a gold embroidered “Citadel” name in the back rests, were firm and supportive, with 8-way power adjustments, the driver getting dual memory settings. There’s a rubber padded storage nook at the base of the center stack, a padded tray with 12-volt outlet at the head of the center console, two cup holders illuminated by ice white glowing rings, and a padded center armrest with dual-level storage and another 12-volt outlet underneath. All controls are backlit in ice white, while the interior door handles and the door map pockets get white LED illumination at night. My only nitpicks – the LCD screen washes out in bright light, and our satellite navigation voice didn’t speak, just hiccup. The back doors open wide to a comfortable spot for two adults, maybe three in a pinch, with good head and leg room. They also have rear vents, a center armrest with cupholders and a 115-volt power plug. The seats flip, fold and slide easily forward to access a third row that two adults could live in with acceptable head and leg room. Cargo room is pretty good too, with decent space behind the third row, and lots of flat load floor when the second and third rows drop. Plus, a dash-mounted switch lets the driver remotely drop the third row head restraints for better rearward vision, while the second-row head restraints drop automatically when the seats are folded. There’s a storage compartment under the rear floor, some space taken up by an Alpine stereo box, plus another 12-volt outlet and a rechargeable flashlight tucked in one side. Overall, Dodge says the Durango offers 28 different seating configurations, with 84.5-cu.ft. of cargo and storage space. It can also fit a 6-foot-long item and then some. Suffice to say, this new Durango, despite a bit less interior and cargo space than its late predecessor, works quite well as a people and cargo mover.

· Dodge ball power – Like we said, the last generation Durango offered four engine options, including a 385-hp hybrid with a HEMI V-8 and electric boost. Things are simpler now, with our test vehicle’s flex-fuel 3.6-liter (290 hp/260 lb.-ft. of torque) V-6, or a 5.7-liter (360 hp/390 lb.-ft. of torque) HEMI V-8, both with variable valve timing. With 4,900 pounds of SUV to move around, our V-6 felt adequate, even peppy in some cases, gathering a head of steam at 5,000 rpm. But did work for a living to get to 60-mph in a decent 8.2 seconds. The 5-speed automatic, which could be shifted manually off the gear shift, was smooth and precise with no abruptness. The V-6 averaged 18 to 20 mpg in mixed use driving with three on board, and Dodge claims a 500-mile range and up to 6,200 pounds of towing. Based on a steel unibody platform Dodge claims is more than 25 percent stiffer than its predecessor, with torsional stiffness levels greater than the Mercedes-Benz GL, the result was a very quiet and well-mannered, even sporty large SUV. Having a longer wheelbase than its platform mate, the Grand Cherokee, added to the ride comfort, as did the new short/long arm front suspension and isolated multi-link rear suspension with well-tuned shock and spring rates and large sway bars. The result was actually a fun large vehicle to drive, tackling turns with decent manners and only a bit of understeer when pushed. It actually behaved, and did far better than the last Durangos we tested in 2008, with good body control and chassis follow-through. The power steering had a nice, precise feel to it, maybe needing a bit more weight to it, but with a tight turning radius. And the big disc brakes offered precise pedal feel and solid stopping power with minimal nose dive and no fade after some repeated hard use.

· Durango dollars – Dodge offers four Durango models - Express, Crew, R/T and our top-of-the-line Citadel. Pricing starts at $29,195 for a rear-wheel-drive V-6 Express, all the way up to $43,795 for a V-8 four-wheel-drive Citadel. Our rear-wheel-drive Citadel was $41,250 base, and $42,100 with the destination fee. That meant all above standard, plus auto-leveling HID headlights, rear video and sonar sensors, roof rails, auto-dim rearview mirror, HomeLink, leather seating, keyless entry and start, remote start, rain-sensitive wipers, heated steering wheel, power moonroof, power tailgate, adaptive cruise control and collision warning. For safety, electronic stability control, electronic roll mitigation that reacts and applies brakes during extreme situations, hill-start assist and a trailer-sway control, a blind-spot warning system joined with one that tells you when someone is crossing your path as you back up, plus front/front seat-mounted side/side curtain air bags. Competition includes the new Explorer, Lincoln MKT and the Toyota 4Runner, all of which can be had with V-6s ranging from the Lincoln’s 268-hp to the Explorer’s 290-hp, matching the Durango. The Dodge is longer, with two to seven inches more wheelbase, but the new Explorer has a bit more interior space. The Durango is also the most expensive in the Citadel level bar the Lincoln, although they all about equal in fuel mileage. Built in Detroit, the Durango, in rear wheel-drive form, is a more athletic SUV to drive, and more fun until I get my hands on an Explorer. For engine comparison, a quick run in the new V-6 EcoBoost F150 truck revealed a very powerful feel, and the same average mileage as the Durango.

· Bottom line – If you really need three rows of SUV, but don’t want a bus, this and the Grand Cherokee are some of the best driving domestic options around. The fuel mileage is decent, the ride comfortable and controlled, the V-6 acceptable in power and towing, and the living easy and well built inside. You can really use six of its seven seats for adults. Plus, the new Durango looks good.