Dodge Durango Review 2011

The Dodge Durango is available in the all-wheel drive, front wheel drive and the four-wheel drive. This SUV has five trim levels; Express, Sport Heat, Crew, R/T and the Citadel trims.

Standard features on the Express model include heated side-view mirrors, cruise control, eighteen-inch alloy wheels, remote engine start, foglamps, full power accessories, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, automatic tri-zone climate control, rear air conditioning, mounted audio controls on the steering wheel, fold front passenger seat, sliding second-row seat (60/40 splitting and folding), 50/50 split third row seat, auxiliary audio jack, satellite radio and a 6-speaker CD audio system.

The Heat trim does not have the third row seat, rear air conditioning and the roof rack. Standard features include the sport suspension, twenty-inch alloy wheels, performance steering calibration, unique grilles, bumpers and wheel lips,  rear wheel load leveling suspension, a rearview mirror (auto-dimming) , digital music storage, iPod/USB port, 9-speaker sound system, Touch-screen display, voice activation and Bluetooth connectivity.

The Crew upgrades to include new features such as driver memory functions,  8-way power adjustable drivers seat,6-way power adjustable passenger seat, power folding mirrors, power liftgate, keyless entry, leather inlaid steering wheel, 115-volt power opening, rearview camera and a rear parking assist.

Equipment in the R/T includes improved features of the Crew without the rearview camera and the parking assist.

Step up to the Citadel, additional features include twenty-inch wheels, automatic bi-xenon headlamps, rain sensing wipers, chrome grille, leather seating, sunroof,8-way power adjustable passenger seat, heated seats (both front and rear), cruise control, Sirius Travel Link navigation system and a heated steering wheel.

Luxury features in the Citadel model come as optional packages in the lower models. The back-up camera and sunroof are optional in the Express and Heat trims. Additional options include a skid-plate and towing package and a back seat satellite TV/DVD entertainment system.

Standard on all Durango 2011 trims except the R/T model is the 290 horsepower 3.6-liter V6 engine that produces 260 lb-ft of torque.  The R/T comes with a 360 horsepower 5.7 liter V8 engine that can produce 390 pound-feet of torque. Apart from the Express V6, all other rear-drive models have an option of a V6 or V8 engine.  Both the V6 and V8s engine are paired to 5-speed automatic transmission. The AWD is comes with the V6 engine only. The four-wheel drive has a V8 engine that has a low-gearing making it suitable for challenging terrain. The V8 engine comes as an option for the Crew and Citadel.

EPA estimates the fuel efficiency at 16 miles per gallon within the city, 22 miles per gallon for the highway and a combined fuel efficiency of 18 miles per gallon for the AWD V6. Fuel efficiency for the all-wheel drive V8 is estimated at 13 miles per gallon in the city and 20 miles per gallon on the highway.

The Durango 2011 has a cargo space of 17.2 cubic feet with all seats in use, 47.7 cubic feet with the third row seats folded down and a maximum space of 84.5 cubic feet when the second and third row seats are folded down.

Standard safety features include stability control, antilock disc brakes, traction control, front side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags, and trailer sway control. Cross-path warning and the Blind Spot information system are standard on the Citadel.

Average cost of the 2011 Durango may range between $28,481 and $42,638. It has a basic warranty for three years and a powertrain warranty for five years.