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2011 Dodge Durango First Drive Review: As we know, Chrysler has gone through difficult times in the last few years and is now busily rebuilding with a slew of nicely upgraded 2011 products and some very good all-new ones. Among the latter is this new 2011 Dodge Durango SUV,a three-row, unibody, rear-drive platform-mate of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee we reviewed very favorably earlier this year with little but its name in common with its truck-based SUV predecessor.

2011 Dodge Durango Crossover SUV

Dodge Durango appeals to customers who need the versatility of a crossover and the capability of an SUV, but want the refinement and characteristics of a premium performance vehicle, says Ralph Gilles, Dodge president/CEO and Chrysler Design senior vice president. Durango owners love to drive and relish the feelings it evokes, but also want a vehicle that stands out from the crowd and expresses their individuality.? We believe the new 2011 Dodge Durango does that.
This vehicle represents where this brand is going, adds Fred DePerez, who heads up Dodge Durango, Grand Caravan and Journey marketing. It's youthful and fun, with good ride and handling and connectivity.

2011 Dodge Durango Exterior Styling

Dodge design chief Mark Trostle says the handsome new body of the 2011 Dodge Durango was shaped by the same passionate designers who did the muscular 2011 Dodge Charger. It?s all about proportions, he asserts, and its purposeful but pleasing proportions begin with a 10-inch-longer body on a five-in. longer wheelbase vs. the Grand Cherokee's.

The new look of the 2011 Dodge Durango begins with a forward-leaning, deeply recessed new interpretation of the Dodge-signature crosshair grille, browed headlamps, a sculpted hood and standard four-inch fog lamps. Its side profile has a powerful coke-bottle shape (like the new Charger's), accented by aggressive fender arches. The greenhouse of the 2011 Dodge Durango blends seamlessly into the body, and a body-color rear roof spoiler contributes to a low 0.35 drag coefficient (Cd) an aero improvement of more than 14 percent compared with the previous Dodge Durango that improves both fuel efficiency and interior noise. The rear fascia of the 2011 Dodge Durango is sculpted around twin-3.5-in. exhausts on V8 models, a single three-in. outlet on V6s.

2011 Dodge Durango Interior Amenities

Most Chrysler Group LLC vehicles of late have been correctly criticized for cheap interiors. But starting with the redesigned 2009 Ram pickups and continuing through that new Jeep Grand Cherokee, this new 2011 Dodge Durango and most other 11 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram cars and trucks, its upgraded interiors are competitive with anyone's.

The commodious new cabin of the 2011 Dodge Durango offers premium soft-touch materials front-to-rear regardless of trim level. Interior design chief Klaus Busse calls it friendly all the way back to the third-row seats, with nice, soft edges throughout. An interactive Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) provides a variety of useful information, and the new instrument panel offers a choice of monotone or two-tone trim with dark upper and lighter lower colors.

Twenty-eight different seating configurations are available in the 2011 Dodge Durango, and cargo room extends to a maximum 85 cubic feet with both second- and third-row seats folded flat. The 2011 Dodge Durango front seats offer four-way lumbar adjustments and can be warmed or cooled with heating and ventilating options. A fold-flat front passenger seat can be combined with the 60/40 split-folding (and reclining) second-row and 50/50 third row to accommodate long items.

Noise-killing laminated glass in the 2011 Dodge  Durango is standard, and a double sound-insulated wall separates the engine compartment from the interior. The 2011 Dodge Durango adult-size third row is easy to access, and when it?s unoccupied, its headrests drop away with the push of a button to open up rear visibility.

2011 Dodge Durango Chassis and Powertrain
 

The new unibody structure of the 2011 Dodge Durango is substantially stiffer than the previous body-on-frame thanks to a strategic selection of high-strength and ultra-high-strength steels. Its short/long arm front and isolated multi-link rear suspensions mount to isolated cradles, while fairly aggressive shock and spring rates and large sway bars limit body roll in hard cornering. Working with a surprisingly precise new electro-hydraulic performance steering system, this combination provides an excellent balance of on-road handling and ride comfort in the 2011 Dodge Durango.




Base engine in the 2011 Dodge Durango is Chrysler's new 3.6-liter DOHC, 24-valve, variable valve timing (VVT) all-aluminum Pentastar V6. It delivers a substantial 290 ponies and 260 lb.-ft. of torque, along with best-in-class V6 tow capability (up to 6,200 pounds) and 14 percent better fuel economy 16 mpg EPA city and 23 highway with rear-wheel-drive, 16/22 with available all-wheel drive vs. the old V6 it replaces.

Optional in the 2011 Dodge Durango is Chrysler's legendary 5.7-liter HEMI V8 with VVT and fuel-saver  (cylinder deactivation) mode. It cranks out 360 horses and 390 lb.-ft. of torque and delivers best-in-class tow capability (7,400 lbs.) and fuel efficiency at 14/20 EPA mpg with RWD, 13/20 with AWD. Both are coupled to standard 5-speed (not 6-speed) automatic transmissions, and HEMI-powered AWD Durangos have a low-range transfer case for light off-road use and towing challenges such as pulling a boat out of the water on a steep angle or backing up with a trailer attached.

2011 Dodge Durango Models and Features
 

The 2011 Dodge Durango is offered in four lifestyle models targeted at different users, Express, work-oriented Crew, performance-themed R/T and luxury Citadel. Even the cloth-seat 2011 Dodge Durango Express comes well equipped, so there's no stripper base model. The 2011 Dodge Durango Crew features remote start, a rear back-up camera, memory seats and a power liftgate, while an uplevel CrewLux adds 20-in. wheels, heated leather (2nd and 3rd-row) seats, Garmin navigation and more.




The Hemi-powered 2011 Dodge Durango R/T sits lower on 20-in. performance wheels and tires and a sport-tuned suspension. The Citadel boasts perforated Nappa leather, blind spot monitoring, HID headlamps, 20-in. chrome wheels and a unique chrome grille. Other available features include adaptive cruise control, rear park assist and state-of-the-art navigation, communication and entertainment options such as SIRIUS Satellite Radio and Backseat TV, and Uconnect Web.

The more than 45 standard or available safety and security features of the 2011 Dodge Durango include standard electronic stability control (ESC), which incorporates electronic roll mitigation (ERM) and available Hill-start Assist (HSA) and Trailer-sway Control (TSC), plus Blind-Spot Monitoring (BSM) and Rear Cross Path (RCP) detection, which can be a blessing backing out of parking lot spaces. Standard seat-mounted side air bags and active head restraints help protect front-row occupants, and the side curtain bag extends protection through all three rows.

2011 Dodge Durango Driving Impression

We test-drove a Hemi-powered 2011 Dodge Durango R/T on a variety of California roads, including narrow, twisty two-lanes and found it surprisingly quick, quiet, comfortable and almost sport-sedan fun despite its three-row SUV size and substantial 5,100-lb. curb weight. No question the 2011 Dodge Durango is fully competitive with such able competitors as Chevy?s Traverse, GMC?s Acadia and Ford?s excellent all-new (also unibody, but car-based FWD/AWD) Explorer.