Read More Customer Reviews

2011 Dodge Durango Des Moines IA

See Our 2011 Dodge Durango Inventory in Des Moines, Iowa

2011 Dodge Durango Design

It wouldn't be a Dodge without a big cross-hair grille and the 2011 Durango doesn't disappoint. It's broad and tall enough to deliver presence, especially given its forward inclination in a class where everything slopes rearward, yet with the chrome flourishes and finer detailing it's more elegant than the macho, blunt-snouted old Durango. The hood carries out to the fenders rather than sloping off like the old one, and combined with the deep air dam and bodywork gives it a much more wagon-like proportion in side view.

Dodge Durango falls right in the middle of the three-row mix of SUVs for outside dimensions, and the long rear side doors look even longer because they have no fixed quarter window within. It's a fairly subtle shape with chrome down low on most models, sprinkled about more on fancy ones. Windows are neither Hummer-slit nor overly generous, and the apparent proportions vary significantly with paint color.

Handling of the 2011 Dodge Durango

The Dodge Durango is easy to drive and delivers a comfortable, quiet ride empty or loaded. The way it responds to steering and braking inputs will please those who enjoy driving and go completely unnoticed by those who don't. Our drive time suggests the EPA ratings are not far off, though routine short trips in town on a cold engine, as many of these are used, will be lower than EPA city numbers.

Nearly all the vehicles in the Durango class are front or all-wheel drive, often derived from a front-wheel-drive based car or minivan. The rear-wheel-drive Durango is not, even if the gauges and V6 are similar to what you get in a Dodge Caravan.

If you think you need front-wheel drive for traction, think again. Most front-drive vehicles carry more weight over the front wheels, where it helps traction. The Durango carries as much weight on the back wheels as the front, and winter tires and the standard traction control will take it farther than most owners plan to go.

Durango's excellent balance and rear-wheel drive also mean the tires do more equal work. Front tires aren't overwhelmed pulling lots of weight and doing all the steering, and rear tires do more than hold the tailgate off the ground. This is one reason the Durango steers crisply and needs less U-turn space than its rivals.

2011 Dodge Durango Lineup

The 2011 Dodge Durango is offered in six trim levels, all with a 5-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive (2WD) is standard. V6 models offer full-time all-wheel drive (AWD) that splits power 50/50 while V8 models use a two-speed transfer case (4WD) with low-range gearing, automatic mode for on-highway use, and a Neutral position that allows it to be towed on its wheels, as behind a motorhome.

Durango Express is the base model and comes only with a 290-hp 3.6-liter V6 engine. It includes cloth upholstery, three-zone climate control, power windows/locks/heated mirrors, 18-inch alloy wheels with 265/60R18 Michelins, fog lamps, 50/50-split folding third row seats, 60/40-split fold/tumble second row seats, fold-flat right front seat, and Media Center 130 AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo with one-year subscription to Sirius satellite radio. Express is available with AWD. Options include a popular equipment package with 30GB HDD upgraded audio, Bluetooth streaming and voice, leather-wrapped steering wheel, auto-dimming inside mirror, rear park sensors and a rearview camera. A towing package includes Class IV hitch, 7 and 4-pin plugs, full-size spare tire, upgraded cooling, load-leveling rear shocks. Also available: skid plates, roof rails/cross bars, engine block heater, sunroof.

Durango Heat is basically a 295-hp V6 version of the R/T. It adds 265/50R20 tires on painted alloy wheels, body-colored trim, auto-dimming inside mirror, sport suspension and a 5.9-cubic-foot storage well under the floor behind the second row seat. The Heat is the only five-passenger Durango, the only V6 with dual exhausts, and has no overhead rear AC controls. Options include three-season performance tires and most Express options except the roof rails and tow package. The Heat is available with AWD.

Durango R/T, for Road/Track, is the sportiest Durango and comes with a 360-hp 5.7-liter Hemi V8, revised suspension, bigger brakes, 20-inch wheels, body-color trim, digital suede red-stitched upholstery, HID low-beam headlamps, HomeLink, keyless entry, security system, remote start, leather-wrapped wheel and the Media Center 430 audio system with Bluetooth, nine speakers, and 506-watt Alpine amplification. Durango R/T 4WD is identically equipped. R/T extras include audio upgrades, navigation, adaptive cruise control with forward collision warning. A Leather Package for 4WD versions includes leather-trimmed seats, heated first and second-row seats, power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, power front seats, auto-dimming exterior driver-side mirror, LED signal repeaters on the mirrors, and two-position memory system for seat/mirrors/wheel/radio presets. A DVD rear entertainment system is available, usually requires sunroof.

Interior of the 2011 Dodge Durango

The 2011 Dodge Durango has a pleasant cabin that combines some of the features and flexibility of a minivan with a less upright seating, usable materials and a dash of style. Above your waistline materials are soft-touch or heavily textured, while those closer to the floor are harder plastics that are easy to clean and scratch-resistant. Trim varies by model, no surprise, and the fit and finish is good. Sporty Heat and R/T models come with black upholstery broken up by red stitching, Express and Crew in gray or black cloth upholstery that negates temperature extremes, with a lighter headliner to brighten the cabin, and the Citadel offers black or tan leather. Our primary example, a Crew V6, had gray cloth with dark brown upper dash and door panels, a light putty color for lower trim, and ash-gray woodgrain trim for doors and dash. Our only nit-pick about cabin finish is generous chrome touches that generate a lot of sun glare.

The front buckets are very comfortable, supportive without being confining and able to handle many miles without feeling too firm for five-minute jaunts. The majority are 8-way power for the driver (with 4-way power lumbar) and a 6-way power cushion for passenger side, which has a manual backrest because it folds flat; the Citadel's does not fold flat, so it's also 8-way power.

A tilt/telescoping steering column fits a range of drivers, and a power column links to the driver seat/mirror/audio preset memory system. Unlike some newer models the footwell does not feel narrow, so there is plenty of room for your left leg to relax.

Engine revs and speed instruments house smaller fuel and coolant temperature gauges, with the EVIC electronic vehicle information center between. EVIC displays everything from fuel economy or oil temperature to how long the lights stay on when you park, operated via the left thumb-switches on the steering wheel. All controls, the door handles, door pockets and the cupholders are illuminated an icy-blue, the gauges off-white

Conclusion

The 2011 Dodge Durango qualifies as a wholesale advance on its predecessor. It's not merely competitive, it's near the top in many of the things that SUV buyers want. Durango can carry seven people very comfortably, rack up the vacation miles in quiet punctuated only by the half-kilowatt stereo, and is full of the conveniences you never thought of before and now can't do without. That it drives so nicely and is downright fun with the addictive note of the V8 is the frosting on the cake.

Some information for this review was obtained from NewCarTestDrive.com