Overhauled for 2011, the Dodge Durango qualifies as a wholesale advance on its predecessor. It's not merely competitive. It's near the top of its class in many of the things SUV buyers want.  A new Rallye Appearance Group is available for SXT models and features a slightly more powerful 295-horsepower V-6 engine, 20-inch aluminum wheels, darkened headlight bezels, body-colored trim pieces like the R/T model, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, Bluetooth streaming audio and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.   This SUV will work best for those with varied needs: plenty of seats, good cargo capacity and great hauling flexibility, class-leading towing capacity or dual-range all-wheel drive. The standard setup is rear-wheel drive, yielding even weight distribution, a compliant bump-soaking ride, quiet cruising and good response to driver commands.  The Durango SXT is the base model, but it's far from basic, with three-zone temperature control, a full complement of power features and a decent stereo with standard satellite radio. The loaded Durango Citadel has everything you need and a lot more, including remote starter and ventilated seats. The sporty Durango R/T is bold, quick and genuinely fun to drive, despite its substantial size. Options are reasonably priced, and run the gamut from blind-spot warning to 500-watt Alpine audio to two grades of navigation. All Durango models seat seven adults comfortably in a cabin that looks better than before. Materials and fit-and-finish are miles ahead of previous Durangos, yet they remain wholly appropriate for the SUV mission. Durango can be configured to carry big boxes, a sofa, or four people plus a 10-foot step ladder or stack of lumber inside. The Durango has been rated a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. All models come with a full complement of airbags, rollover sensing and electronic stability control with trailer sway control. Optional safety features include rear cross-path detection, a rearview camera, rear park sensors and active cruise control with forward-collision warning.   If you are in search of a new Durango in the Arlington, Dallas or Ft. Worth area, Holt Dodge Chrysler Jeep is your answer, view our large inventory today.

2013 Durango Power & Handling

The Dodge Durango offers a fine mix of passenger-friendly transportation and truck-style ability to work. It starts with rear-wheel drive, in a class increasingly dominated by vehicles built on a front-drive foundation, yet it has a fully independent rear suspension and it's built with a one-piece unibody/frame, rather than a truck-style ladder frame. The Durango is easy to drive, with a comfortable ride empty or loaded, and it's quiet inside.  Both the standard V6 engine and optional Hemi V8 deliver plenty of power.  Durango responds to steering and braking inputs in a fashion that will please those who enjoy driving or go completely unnoticed by those who don't. Around town the Durango soaks up big and small bumps alike with nary a quiver. The nose drops under heavy braking, and there is a little body lean in the corners, but it's steady and predictable with no hint of drama.  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 just 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 four tires do more equal work. Front tires aren't overwhelmed pulling lots of weight while doing 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.

2013 Durango Edge Design

It wouldn't be a Dodge without a big cross-hair grille, and the Durango doesn't disappoint. Its grille is broad and tall enough to deliver presence, especially given its forward slant in a class where most front ends slope rearward for aerodynamic reasons.  The hood flows out to the fenders, and combined with a deep air dam in front, it creates a more wagon-like proportion in side view. The long rear side doors look even longer because they have no fixed quarter window at the rear. In total, Durango creates a fairly subtle shape, with chrome down low on most models and even more sprinkled about on fancy ones.  Several exterior features are intended to improve durability. The wheel-well openings and lower edges all around the perimeter are dark plastic to avoid scuffing and rock chips. The rear bumper has a top cover to avoid paint damage should you rest a heavy package or stand there to reach the roof. The low-profile roof rails have swivel-out crossbars built in so wind noise is reduced when there's no cargo up there. There is a small attachment loop at each rail end.  The cargo hatch in back is powered on all but the base model, but the glass doesn't open separately.   The lock button is camouflaged in the big chrome Dodge band across the back, and the manual hatch release is big enough to use with gloves. A rear wiper and small spoiler are standard on all.

'13 Dodge Durango Lineup

Durango SXT is powered by a 290-hp 3.6-liter V6 with a 5-speed automatic. It comes well equipped, with cloth upholstery, three-zone temperature control, cruise control, a compliment of power features, six-speaker audio with single CD, Sirius satellite radio and Uconnect hands-free phone operation, a fold-flat front passenger seat, 50/50-split folding third-row seats, 60/40-split fold/tumble second-row seats, and 18-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires. All-wheel drive is optional.

Durango Crew and Crew AWD come with the V6, upgraded Alpine audio with a 6.5-inch touch-screen media center, power driver and front passenger seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, rearview camera, Keyless Enter-N-Go proximity key, and power liftgate. Crew models can also be equipped with the 360-horsepower 5.7-liter Hemi V8, which features cylinder de-activation technology and comes with a 6-speed automatic.

Durango R/T and R/T AWD are the sportiest Durangos, powered by the Hemi V8 with a lowered suspension, bigger brakes, 20-inch wheels, body-color trim and suede-like, red-stitched upholstery. The R/T comes standard with the Alpine audio and remote start.

Durango Citadel and Citadel AWD are the top of the line. They come standard with the V6, but also with nearly all available luxury features, including Nappa perforated leather seating, heated and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, sunroof, the best audio with on-board hard drive, HID headlamps, blind spot warning, rear cross-path detection, adaptive cruise control with forward collision warning, R/T brakes and the 20-inch wheels. Citadel models are also available with the V8.

Options include a couple of packages for the lower-trim Durangos. The Popular Equipment Group for SXT adds the audio upgrade with 40GB hard drive, leather-wrapped steering wheel, auto-dimming inside mirror, rear park sensors and a rearview camera. The Leather Group for Crew and R/T adds leather seats with two-position memory in front, heated front and second-row seats, and a power tilt/telescoping steering wheel. A rear-seat DVD entertainment system is available. Stand-alone options for all Durangos includes a towing package, with Class IV hitch, full-size spare tire, upgraded cooling and load-leveling rear shocks, skid plates, a roof rack, engine block heater and the sunroof.

Conclusions

The Dodge Durango can carry six or seven people comfortably and rack up the vacation miles in quiet, comfortable solitude interrupted only by the half-kilowatt Alpine stereo. It can tow more than just about anything in its class, but it's full of the conveniences you never thought of before and now can't do without. The optional V8 is genuine fun, and its addictive sound is frosting on cake. By class benchmarks the Durango has a refined ride and solidly finished cabin.  Click here to learn more about the 2013 Dodge Durango.