Gallery 2023 Dodge Durango Overview What’s New? The SRT Hellcat, which has 710 horsepower, is back. A 2011 model year vehicle belongs to Durango’s third generation. When the Durango came out in the late 1990s, Dodge was one of the first car companies to realize that SUVs could be good family cars. Nearly every car company has a three-row SUV in its lineup, so the 2023 Dodge Durango has to compete with a much more comprehensive range of vehicles for your business in its third generation. There are many good things about Durango. It speaks up more than the average car for transporting a family, which helps make a practical vehicle feel less like an appliance. With the available V8 engine, the Durango can easily pull small to medium-sized trailers, which adds to its appeal. But this version of the Durango has been on the market for a long time, so its gas mileage and overall design used to be better. Dodge says the Durango SRT Hellcat will return to the market in 2023. This Durango is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 engine that has been supercharged to produce 710 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque. The 2021 Durango SRT Hellcat was meant to be a one-year model, but it has been brought back to push the performance limits of the Durango again. There are rumors that a new model of the Durango is being made, but people have yet to determine when it will be out. In the meantime, the 2023 Durango will go up against stars like the Kia Telluride, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, and Volkswagen Atlas. Pros vs Cons Pros Touchscreen is one of the best ways to use technology. V8 engines are great for pulling heavy loads. AWD and low-range gears give the car actual off-road ability. Cons The V8s, in particular, waste a lot of gas. Many of the newest and best driver safety features still need to be standard. SUV crossovers that compete with it are more prominent and heavier. Performance How do you drive the Durango? The Dodge Durango SRT, which we tested, shows how much Dodge cares about performance. The engine is strong, and it only takes 4.9 seconds for this 5,500-pound beast to go from 0 to 60 mph. Still, the Durango is a nice car to drive every day. There are strong and smooth stopping capabilities. Also, the shifts are smooth, so you don’t feel jarred when driving in stop-and-go traffic. The steering and handling are fine for a car this size and weight, but they do have their limits. Performance and usability are rarely equal in real life. Comfort How lovely is the Durango to ride in? All of the seats in the Durango are large and comfortable. Bigger kids can sit comfortably in the third row, and the first and second rows have a lot of legroom. The climate control works well, and all three rows of seats get enough air. On the other hand, the Durango SRT might have a better ride. It’s okay for long car rides but won’t make you fall asleep. The engine and road noise is continuous, which may be suitable. You feel happy when you hear the exhaust note. Interior How does the inside look? Even though the cabin is enormous and you can see well, the front and back pillars may get in the way of your view in tight spaces. The controls are clean and easy to figure out, and the cabin is simple and comfortable. All the seats, even the third row, are straightforward to get to and get out of. Thanks to the many ways the seat and steering wheel can be adjusted, drivers of almost any size should be able to find a comfortable position. Technology How good is the tech? The 8.4-inch Uconnect 4C interface is easy to use and works well with systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that let you connect your phone to your car. If you can, get the new 10.1-inch screen from Chrysler/Dodge with the latest entertainment features and software. Every seat has multiple USB and 12-volt plugs for charging devices. Driver aids like adaptive cruise control and helps to stay in your lane are helpful, but you can only get them if you buy the Technology Group package. The new Harman Kardon audio system is worth getting because it sounds so good. Storage What about putting things away? Even though the Durango SRT puts performance first, it is still a good SUV because it can be used for many things. When all the seats are folded down, there are 84.5 cubic feet of space, which is a little more than the average for this class. Small things are easy to store in a three-row car with enough cubbies and cup holders for each passenger. Yet, this Durango’s ability to pull 8,700 pounds when adequately loaded maybe its best trick. Fuel Economy How well does it use gasoline? I’ll give you an example: Bad mpg is terrible. That’s the way things are. The EPA says the Durango SRT will get 15 mpg (13 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway). We got 15.5 mpg on our 120-mile test route, showing that some of the EPA’s predictions are true. With the V6 engine and rear-wheel drive, the Durango gets 21 mpg on the highway. That’s a significant improvement, but it’s still much less than SUVs with V6 engines that are the same size. Value Should I go ahead and get a Durango or not? What kinds of things do you want in an SUV? Before figuring out what something is worth, you must ask yourself this question. If you want luxury and comfort, you should look elsewhere because this SUV isn’t about that. The inside of the building looks and feels cheap. Still, you get what you pay for in terms of how well it works. Regarding warranties and roadside assistance, Dodge is on par with its competitors. Wildcard The Durango SRT is a solid and powerful SUV that looks and sounds like it belongs in its class. Because it is right in your face, it yells at you like a drill sergeant. It doesn’t handle well when it’s full of people, but it doesn’t lose any ground. It’s more fun to drive every day than an SUV should be. This SUV is for you if you like to make a show when you arrive and leave. People will notice the sounds and how things look. We can see why it’s appealing, even if it’s based more on attitude than logic. What is Invoice Pricing's Recommendation? Dodge has not told us anything about the 2023 Durango, so if something significant changes, we’ll change our suggestion. There are different trims to choose from, but the R/T decoration, which is in the middle, is what we recommend. It has a V8 engine, some nice extras, and high-tech driver-assistance systems that aren’t available on lower-priced models. Dodge Durango variants There are five different trim levels for the Dodge Durango. They are the SXT, GT, R/T, Citadel, and SRT 392. The Durango comes with either a V6 engine or one of two V8 engines. It also has an automatic transmission with eight speeds. Most grades have rear-wheel drive as standard, but all-wheel drive is an option and comes standard on the Durango SRT 392. 2023 Dodge Durango Review
