2012 Dodge Durango: What's New

Vehicle Overview

The Dodge Durango is now in its second year after a major overhaul for 2011. The complete redesign for the SUV included all-new exterior styling, a new interior and a new base V-6 engine. The Durango seats up to seven people in three rows. Competitors include large crossovers like the Chevrolet Traverse and Ford Explorer.

New for 2012
The 2012 Durango can have optional second-row captain’s chairs and a storage console in place of a bench seat. Also, the automatic transmission that works with the 5.7-liter V-8 now provides six speeds for driver-initiated gear changes, though it still operates as a five-speed automatic normally.

Exterior
The Durango’s design is enhanced by a vertical crosshair grille that gives the SUV an intimidating stare. The sides and rear are less memorable — and the design seems to sag slightly aft of the rear wheels — but on the whole it’s attractive. Exterior features include:

• 18-inch aluminum wheels standard; 20-inch rims optional
• Standard front fog lights
• Standard automatic halogen headlights; high-intensity-discharge headlights optional
• Standard heated side mirrors
• Optional SmartBeam automatic high-beam headlights
• Optional power liftgate
• Optional power sunroof
• Optional roof rack with storable cross rails
• Optional rain-sensing windshield wipers

Interior
The Durango shares its platform with the Jeep Grand Cherokee, so it’s not surprising that the interior is reminiscent of the Jeep’s. The design is tastefully understated, with a look that should hold up well over time.

With three rows of seats standard, the Durango has room for up to seven people. Unless you’re eyeing a Chevrolet Suburban or Ford Expedition EL, most three-row SUVs and crossovers don’t have a lot of cargo room behind the last row of seats. In the Durango, the space measures 17.2 cubic feet — a little bit more than what you’d find in your average family sedan. You have to clear a tall rear bumper when loading luggage, but the third row folds easily into the floor to expand the cargo area to 47.7 cubic feet. Interior features include:

• Standard fabric-covered seats; leather-trimmed seats optional
• Standard 60/40-split second row; second-row captain’s chairs optional
• Standard 50/50-split third row
• Standard tilt/telescoping steering wheel with audio controls
• Standard tri-zone automatic air conditioning
• Standard CD stereo with MP3 jack and satellite radio
• Optional touch-screen stereo with hard drive for storing music
• Optional Alpine premium stereo
• Optional Garmin-based in-dash navigation system
• Optional front- and second-row heated seats
• Optional heated steering wheel
• Optional Uconnect hands-free phone system

Under the Hood
Buyers have a choice of a 290-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 or a 360-hp, 5.7-liter V-8 that features cylinder deactivation for thriftier fuel use under light loads. Both engines work with a five-speed automatic transmission, though the V-8’s transmission provides six speeds for driver-initiated gear changes. Mechanical features include:

• Four-wheel independent suspension
• Rear- or four-wheel-drive versions available with either engine
• Both engines can run on regular gas
• V-6 towing capacity is 6,200 pounds; V-8’s is 7,400 pounds

Safety
Available safety features include:

• Standard antilock brakes
• Standard side-impact airbags for the front seats
• Standard three-row side curtain airbags
• Standard electronic stability system with roll-mitigation technology
• Standard trailer-sway control
• Optional rear parking sensors
• Optional backup camera
• Optional blind spot monitoring system
• Optional rear cross-path detection
• Optional adaptive cruise control with forward-collision warning