Latest News
2024 Volkswagen Taos Review2021 Dodge Durango Review
The 2021 Dodge Durango roars to life with an impressive engine lineup, a brand-new all-power trim, and a refreshed look, inside and out!
What’s New for the 2021 Dodge Durango?
The 2021 Dodge Durango model gets a refresh that includes several impressive features. A new exterior design includes an updated grille and new headlamps Also, the very cool SRT Hellcat (with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8) debuted in the lineup. The interior refresh involves a larger standard 8.4″ touchscreen and optional 10.1″ touchscreen. Also optional are new wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, with wireless charging.
2021 Dodge Durango – media.stellantisnorthamerica.com | Shop 2021 Dodge Durango on Carsforsale.com
The Breakdown
The updates are all welcome
Great V8 engine options
Impressive towing capability
Easy-to-use infotainment system
Good seating
V8 fuel economy isn’t great
Handling is lacking
Not much standard safety until higher trims
2021 Durango Specs
- 293-710 horsepower from base engine
- 260-650 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 6 available trims
- 17.2 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 85.1 cu-ft of cargo capacity with seats down
- 6,200 lb max towing capacity
- Auto-dimming rear view mirror
- Wireless phone connectivity
- 8.4″ standard touchscreen
2021 Dodge Durango Powertrain
Dodge knows where the appeal is with the 2021 Durango. They say this SUV is “for muscle car people with families.” That’s true with the 2021 Dodge Durango. There’s a lot of might in this SUV.
A standard 3.6-liter V6 that puts out 293 horsepower with 260 lb-ft of torque. There’s an 8-speed automatic transmission here, too. That amount of power should work fine for most people, but, starting with the RT, there is a 5.7-liter V8 that makes 360 horsepower with 390 lb-ft of torque. Going up to the SRT gets a 6.4-liter V8, making 475 horsepower with 470 lb-ft of torque. Maybe that’s still not enough power? Well, there’s still the SRT Hellcat. The newest addition to the lineup has a 6.2-liter V8 that puts out 710 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque. That’s one powerful SUV!
The SXT, GT, RT, and Citadel models come standard with RWD, but AWD is available for an extra $2,600 in each instance. The top-tiered SRT and SRT Hellcat are only available in AWD.
Towing & Payload
With all that power, there shouldn’t be any issues towing a variety of things, from jet skis and snowmobiles to small trailers or campers. The SRT Hellcat, with that V8 engine, can tow up to 8,700 lbs. That kind of capacity can turn a staycation into a camping trip, or a weekend at home into a snowmobiling adventure. Even the base trim will handle 6,200 lbs. when it comes to towing.
2021 Dodge Durango Fuel Economy & MPG
The 2021 Dodge Durango doesn’t lack in this area, but it doesn’t shine. With RWD, the EPA estimates a V6 model will get up to 19 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway. That’s a pretty common range for the average midsize SUV. AWD decreases goes down to 18/25 MPG.
The Durango models with a 5.7-liter V8 get 14 MPG in the city and 22 MPG on the highway. The 6.4-liter V8 gets 13/19 MPG. Finally, the Hellcat does trade gas mileage for power. It only gets 12 MPG in the city and 17 MPG on the highway.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
When all the seats are down, the Dodge Durango has a maximum of 85.1 cu-ft of cargo space, but what about when passengers are seated? There’s 17.2 cu-ft of cargo capacity behind the third row, which doesn’t lead its class, but shouldn’t cause much stress for most people packing up a vehicle.
A two-seat third row is optional in the 2021 Dodge Durango SXT, but is standard in all other trims. If more seating isn’t essential, the middle-row bench seat can be replaced with two captain’s chairs. It doesn’t matter which format is preferred. More space is available because the bench seat and captain’s chairs fold down. Going with a third-row bench seat gets a 60/40 fold to make room for cargo.
Customization is certainly an option with 15 different seat swatches to choose from. Some include Nappa leather trim. The interior quality improves with each move to a higher trim, ending in a very luxurious cabin. Regardless of the hard plastics in some trims, the control panel and dash are easy enough to control and reach from the driver’s seat or the passenger seat. It’s a simple design that’s easy to navigate.
The seats themselves are comfortable to sit on, but amenities like power seat adjustments, memory foam, and dual-zone air conditioning are available. They are standard in some of the higher trims. Heated and cooled seats are also available. So is a heated steering wheel. Whether they are in the front, middle, or third row, passengers should have a good amount of head, shoulder, and legroom. The front row has 40.3″, the second has 38.6″, and the third row has 33.5″ of legroom.
Entertainment & Technology
Some of the biggest changes in the 2021 Dodge Durango involve upgrades to the infotainment. A standard 7″ touchscreen is now an 8″ touchscreen that is slightly angled toward the driver.
Voice activated audio control can command the features that come with Uconnect, the platform built into Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, RAM, and Fiat vehicles. The lower 2021 Dodge Durango trims with that 8″ touchscreen have Uconnect 4, which includes Apple AirPlay, Android Auto, and a six-month trial for SiriusXM satellite radio. The trims with the optional 10.1″ touchscreen and Uconnect 5 add on HD Radio, TomTom navigation services, and, for the first time, Amazon Alexa.
In all models, the touchscreens are responsive and the navigation menus are straightforward. Dodge relocated some of the switches, making it easier for the driver to use them, too.
Safety Features
The lower trim won’t offer a bunch of standard safety features. Brake assist, side impact beams, and several airbags are present though. A rearview camera is standard as well. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2021 Durango a safety rating of four out of five stars.
Available safety features expand to lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic high-beam headlights, and parking sensors in the front and rear. The Citadel trim is where some of those features become standard.
2021 Dodge Durango Trims & Pricing
SXT – $35,562
This base trim is available in RWD or AWD. LEDs are used for daytime running lights, fog lights, and brake lights. AM, FM, and Satellite radio can all be used. Electronic devices can be plugged into three 12V DC power outlets. For comfort, there is a 4-way direction driver’s seat control.
GT – $37,157
Going up a trim gets rear parking sensors added to the package. More specification is added to the power driver seat adjustments, offering eight ways to modify for comfort, including: height, recline, and cushion tilt. The third-row seating is a split-bench in this trim. The grille is black on the GT, making a more striking exterior appearance.
RT – $46,407
Moving up yet another trim, the RT adds a parking sensor to the front of the vehicle. Inside, both the driver and passenger get heated seats. The front passenger also has a four-way power seat adjustment. The seats are upgraded from cloth to simulated suede and leather. HD radio and navigation with voice activation are also added. The main infotainment upgrade on this trim is going from six speakers in the GT to 9 speakers.
Citadel – $48,812
Safety add-ons like predictive brake assist, blind spot warning, and forward collision mitigation are standard in the Citadel trim. Distance pacing cruise control with stop-and-go traffic is another new feature with this trim. Meanwhile, the grille changes to a metal-looking material. The infotainment features are the same in the RT and Citadel. The ride gets a little more comfortable, however, because both the driver and passenger now have ventilated, leather seats. Passengers receive another 12V DC power outlet to plug into as well. A sunroof is available with the SRT, so the trips into the mountains can be enjoyed with a little bit of overhead sunlight.
SRT – $65,357
In some instances, there are fewer options starting with the SRT trim. Since it’s a muscle car-inspired SUV, the SRT is only available in AWD. There is no blind spot or forward collision mitigation with this trim, but the SRT does keep parking sensors and brake assist. The seats are made of simulated suede and leather, but all of the ventilation and power adjustments are kept in the SRT.
SRT Hellcat – $81,390
There aren’t many big changes in the SRT Hellcat, outside of the powertrain and increased horsepower. That’s impressive enough, but, as a bonus, the wheels are machined with painted accents, adding some cool factor to an already very sharp-looking vehicle. There are no safety or infotainment features that are different from the SRT trim. The change in this trim level is all about the performance
Warranties
Each model of the 2021 Dodge Durango comes with the same limited warranty timeframes. The basic warranty is 36 months or 36,000 miles. The powertrain warranty is double that at 60 months or 60,000 miles. The roadside assistance coverage lasts 60 months or 60,000 miles as well. Corrosion warranty coverage lasts 60 months or unlimited mileage, whichever comes first.
What we think
2021 Dodge Durango – media.stellantisnorthamerica.com | Shop 2021 Dodge Durango on Carsforsale.com
The SXT is a more basic trim, but it does have some add-on options. It’s the most affordable, of course. The SRT Hellcat has the power that may not be needed for everyone, but if you can swing it, it’s the coolest looking of the bunch and definitely has the might to satisfy any muscle car needs.
It’s the Citadel that is has the most features, however. From safety features to additional infotainment, it’s the trim with the most to offer. It has a more luxurious interior and still has a very strong engine. With an MSRP of $48,812, the 2021 Dodge Durango Citadel is the most well-rounded of this lineup.
If that price point doesn’t quite match up with your budget goals, take a look at our list of the Best Used SUVs Under $10,000. There are several good options there as well.
Most Popular
