Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the newest generation Dodge Durango for 2011. From the exterior, it certainly has the look to compete with the competition in a very crowded marketplace. At the same time, our first impressions upon seeing the car’s image were that of uneasiness. We’re not quite sure what to make of it yet.

For 2011, the Durango->ke1368 will ride on an all-new unibody platform. There will be three-rows of seating, but by the looks of the images, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of room in the final row. Buyers can choose from a new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 or a 5.7-liter V8. The V6 has a towing capacity of 6,200 pounds, while the larger V8 can tow around 7,800 pounds. All-wheel drive is offered with power engines.

The interior was done by the same people who did such a wonderful job on the new Jeep Grand Cherokee, but at the moment, we don’t have any real good photos of it. For those who were wondering what the new Dodge->ke28 emblem would look like, check out the photo of the steering wheel.

Updated 11/02/2010: The new Dodge Durango will go on sale in four trim levels and two versions RWD and AWD: Express priced at $29,195 for the RWD version and $31,195 for the AWD version; Crew RWD priced at $33,195 and $35,195 for the AWD model; Crew RWD with CrewLux package $38,195 and $40,195 for the RWD version and Citadel RWD priced at $41,795 and $43,795 for the AWD version.

Hit the jump to see the press release.

2011 Dodge Durango

Specifications
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  • Model: 2011 Dodge Durango
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Press release

Buckle in and hold tight. Dodge is jumping back into the sport utility (SUV) segment with the 2011 Dodge Durango, a three-row vehicle spacious enough to carry the entire crew and performance-tuned to thrill anyone who truly loves to drive. Durango will lead the Dodge brand's new product onslaught for 2011.

From its sleek exterior design to its modern, spacious interior, and intelligent, fuel-efficient and powerful powertrain options, the 2011 Dodge Durango is all-new from the inside out. And the changes are more than skin deep. The Durango's stiffened unibody structure is engineered with the driving enthusiast in mind. The end result is a vehicle that delivers premium driving performance combined with SUV capability and crossover versatility.

The all-new Durango features two engine options: the standard fuel-efficient 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine and the available 5.7-liter HEMI engine with fuel-saving, Multi-displacement system (MDS) four-cylinder mode. Both engines feature variable-valve timing (VVT) and are available with all-wheel drive. In addition to great efficiency, the engines provide exceptional V-6 and V-8 towing capability with standard trailer sway control (V-8 - 7,400 lbs. and Best-in-class V-6 – 6,200 lbs.). When equipped with the HEMI® V-8, the all-new Durango can tow more weight than a 24-foot boat and trailer.

The Durango's all-new interior is a surprise owners always deserved but never expected. Created by the same interior design studio that designed the much-lauded interior in the Ram trucks and the all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Durango's luxurious interior materials and thoughtful touches will make owners and their crews want to jump in, hunker down and thoroughly enjoy even the longest drive. Everywhere they touch, Durango passengers will feel materials that are refined and soft to the touch. Not only is it a pleasure to behold, it is extremely functional and gives owners a first-class experience, regardless of the trim level. Durango's interior is also extremely comfortable for all three rows of passengers, and there's a surprising amount of interior flexibility. With 22 different seating configurations, there's plenty of room to store and move plenty of people and their gear.

The all-new 2011 Dodge Durango also offers consumers 45 safety and security features, including standard front seat-mounted side air bags and standard side-curtain air bags that cover passengers in all three rows, as well as all-new standard active head restraints. Electronic Stability Control also is standard. Other available safety and security technologies include Blind-spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Path detection, Forward Collision Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control and Keyless Enter-n' Go.

The best part is, consumers will get all of the all-new Durango's capability, functionality and flexibility and still get excellent fuel efficiency. In fact, drivers can go more than 500 miles, that's the distance from San Diego to San Francisco or from Detroit to New York City, without having to stop for fuel.

Built at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit, Mich., the new 2011 Dodge Durango arrives in showrooms in the fourth quarter of 2010.