It is now nearly two and a half decades (1997) since the Durango name first made its debut and since then, it has been the choice for those folks looking for an edge three-row family SUV. While the Durango is riding on an aging platform, it has a few strengths that play out in its favor, that make it an obvious choice for some new car buyers out there.
The third-generation model seen here, first went on sale in 2011, and to keep things current, the Durango has gone through several facelifts and makeovers over the years. This latest refresh came in 2021 and Dodge gave it some subtle exterior styling tweaks along with some updates to the powertrains. Here's what's new for 2022.
Performance and Capability
The 2022 Durango is available in eight trims:
- SXT
- GT
- GT Plus
- R/T
- R/T Plus
- Citadel
- R/T HEMI Orange
- SRT 392
Now given that the Durango is the only mid-size SUV on the market to offer powerful V-8 engines as an option, it continues to have an edge over the competition off the bat. A 3.6-liter naturally aspirated Pentastar V-6 with 293 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque is standard in the base SXT and GT models with start-stop technology. A 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 is optional in the Citadel ($3,995), which is the most luxurious trim level, and produces 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque.
The SRT 392 has the largest and most potent V-8 engine in the group. The 6.4-liter naturally aspirated HEMI V-8 produces 475 horsepower and a maximum torque of 470 pound-feet. The SRT 392 is also the fastest of the bunch, with a 0-60 mph time of 4.1 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 12.7 seconds. Both V-8s feature cylinder de-activation technology, shutting off four cylinders when not under sustained load.
All Durango features an eight-speed automatic transmission. All trims also come standard with rear-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive ($2,000). The SRT 392, only comes with all-wheel drive. The Durango Hellcat with the 6.2-liter mill with 700 horses, was on sale for just a year and is now discontinued. with all 3000 units spoken for already.
Despite its age, you’ll find decent chassis dynamics on the Durango, thanks to its unibody construction. You’ll get a sports suspension with the R/T, which will stiffen things up but not too much. Because it has a more potent engine, an adaptive suspension system, and a center limited-slip differential, the top-of-the-line SRT 392 is primarily aimed at the enthusiast crowd who also wish to haul.
One area where the Durango falls behind is with fuel economy, you will have to put up with it being a gas guzzler. The Durango’s excellent towing capacity though is what makes up for this, which is up to a whopping 8,700 pounds with either the 6.4-liter mill in the SRT 392 or the 5.7-liter V-8 with the Trailer-Tow Group IV Package ($1,195).
This Package includes:
- 7- and 4-Pin Wiring Harness
- Class IV Receiver-Hitch
- Full-Size Spare Tire
- Heavy-Duty Engine Cooling
- Rear Load-Leveling Suspension
- Steel Spare Wheel
- Trailer Brake Controller
So if you’re someone who does a lot of towing with your rig, both the V-8s are more than up to the job of handling pretty much anything you throw at it, with ease.
Exterior Design
Age is just a number. This is a phrase that you can certainly apply to the Durango’s form, which has certainly stood the test of time. It borrows some exterior design cues from its Muscle car siblings, i.e the Charger and Challenger, which don't just make the Durango look more modern, but also the front end is a lot more aggressive and purposeful now.
Dodge made numerous exterior stylistic modifications to the Durango with last year's refresh, including new sharper LED headlights with daytime running lights and a redesigned grille, which depending on the trim you choose will feature chrome or black surrounds. The Dodge emblem has moved to the right side of the front grille. Standard equipment for the base SXT includes a roof rail and a rear roof spoiler. You can spruce up the SXT with the optional Anodized Platinum Package ($995).
A vented hood with heat extractors and sharp side creases makes it onto the R/T and SRT trims. But unlike all the fake venting that's going on across the industry, the ones you'll find on the Durango are real and they genuinely help those V-8s breathe better.
The rear includes wraparound LED brake lights set up in the standard Dodge fashion along with every model except the base packing a dual exhaust setup, while sportier trims also pack a purposeful diffuser. The GT, R/T, R/T Plus, and the SRT will also allow you to choose from four different colors of stripes and decals by Mopar ($1,195).
While all grades come with 20-inch wheels in a variety of designs, the base Durango rides on a pair of 18-inch wheels. You can also choose between two optional exterior packages to suit your style. The Blacktop Package ($1,995) gets you bigger 20-inch Black Noise Aluminum wheels with all-season tires along with gloss black badges.
Also, unlike many other three-row mid-size SUVs the Durango has always featured wider rubber. Even the base SXT is rocking 265-section tires. This doesn’t just aid with ride and handling, but it also gives the Durango a nice stance on the road. The SRT packs super-wide 295s.
Also, since the Durango sits on a rear-wheel-drive platform, it is considerably longer than many of its contemporaries. The SUV has an overall length of 200.8 inches and a wheelbase that is 119.8 inches long. Including the 8.1 inches of ground clearance, the height is 72.1 inches, that's comparable to a standard seven-seater.
Interior Quality and Technology
While the exterior received a subtle makeover with this latest refresh, Dodge made some pretty significant changes to the Durango’s interior, and it now features an all-new driver-focused dashboard, inspired by the Challenger. The 2022 Dodge Durango interior, brought with it, re-designed air vents and the retention of buttons, which perfectly suit the old-school nature of the Durango.
You’ll find soft-touch areas on the dashboard and door trims. Like other Dodge muscle cars, the R/T and SRT 392's steering wheel is leather-wrapped and equipped with paddle shifters. Regarding the seats, you get a pair of proper buckets up front with either a captain's chair (available on the GT and RT) or a bench layout in the middle row. With the 2022 model year, a power-adjustable driver seat comes as standard equipment.
You can choose from six available colors for the seats, black, light frost cloth seats. Radar red, Vitra gray, Ebony Red, and Black leather seats. The base SXT offers fabric upholstery seats. The GT Plus package comes with leather seats as an option, and the Citadel comes with enhanced leather upholstery. Demonic Red leather seats are exclusive to the SRT 392.
The addition of the seven seats (top-end trims only have six seats), which was previously only available as an option, is now standard and represents a significant improvement over the outgoing model. However, with just 37.8 inches and 33.5 inches of head and leg room, that third row is pretty tight. Accessing the third row is also tricky. With all seats in place, you get 17.2 cubic feet of cargo room, behind the third row.
Automatic three-zone climate control, keyless entry, and keyless ignition come as standard. Although higher models offer more amenities including a power-adjustable front passenger seat, memory settings for the driver's seat, a heated steering wheel, and heated front and back seats.
Another area where the 2022 Durango sees an improvement is with the onboard tech. The upgraded 8.4-inch infotainment screen with Uconnect 4, is now part of standard equipment. The GT trim has a 10.1-inch display as an option, but the R/T, Citadel, and SRT 392 get it as standard with Uconnect 5.
The newest Uconnect systems feature a user-friendly interface along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for wireless phone connectivity. The gauge cluster packs a part analog part digital setup which is alright, but might not be to everyone’s liking considering that full-screen instrument panel is now becoming the norm across the industry.
A few of the notable interior features available with the 2022 Dodge Durango are as follows:
- Three-zone automatic climate control
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel with heating options
- Leather upholstery with multi-level heating options
- Power-adjustable driver and front passenger seats with driver seat memory settings
- Sunroof
- Second-row multi-level heating options
A few of the important infotainment system features would be:
- Tom Tom Navigation system
- SiriusXM
- 19-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Wireless charging pad
2022 Dodge Durango Price and Availibility
The base model 2022 Dodge Durango with rear-wheel drive starts at $37,760, with an additional $1,595 in destination charges. Do note that every trim in the Durango range is available with all-wheel drive for an extra $2,000 however the top-of-the-line SRT only comes in AWD guise.
You can configure your Dodge Durango here.
Safety
Dodge’s only SUV doesn't perform well when it comes to safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), has not yet rated the 2022 Dode Durango. A "Moderate" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for driver-side small overlap and a "Good" rating overall for all other crashworthiness tests.
However, the latest Durango for the 2022 model year has received a few significant safety upgrades. The lowest SXT grade now includes rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring.
The following are a handful of the most useful driver assistance features offered by the Durango:
- Forward collision mitigation
- Adaptive cruise control
- Lane-departure warning
- Lane-keeping mitigation
- Automatic high beams
Main Competition
The Durango range competes with a vast array of rivals depending on what you want from your mid-size SUV. The most obvious competitor is the Ford Explorer, you can also count the new Jeep Grand Cherokee. From Asia, you've got the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, and the Korean twins in the form of the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride.
The lower trims of the Durango might not be able to compete well against some of the newest entrants in this highly competitive segment for space, interior quality, technology, or features. But if you start looking at towing capability and driving dynamics, then the Durango truly does stand out in this company.
The SXT with the 3.6-liter V-6 with RWD can tow up to 6200 pounds, while the SRT 392 with AWD can haul a respectable 8700 pounds. You get the same tow rating with R/T + tow package with the 5.7-liter V-8 and AWD, so you don't have to go all in.
While its fate remains uncertain, the 2022 Dodge Durango is a sizable, comfortable SUV with respectable numbers. However, its poor EPA ratings and lower safety ratings may make it seem out of place in a market where the competition excels in these areas. But the Durango still remains one of the less expensive mid-size three-row SUVs still offered with punchy V-8s under the hood. Check out our driven review of the 2022 Dodge Durango here.