2011 Dodge Durango R/T

2011 Dodge Durango R/T 

Traditionally an SUV would need the solidity of a live rear axle for heavy-duty trailer towing, but the 2011 Dodge Durango nixes that altogether with a tow rating of 7,400 lbs.

The 2011 Dodge Durango can be powered by either the flex-fuel 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6, or in the Dodge Durango R/T that we drove, the 5.7-liter V-8. EPA fuel economy estimates for the 2011 Dodge Durango with the 5.7-liter V-8, the standard five-speed automatic transmission and optional all-wheel drive is 13 city and 20 mpg highway.

Unlike the latter’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine with an output of 295 horsepower and 260 lb/ft of torque, the Dodge Durango R/T is powered by the loaded 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine that produces an impressive 360 horsepower and 390 lb/ft of torque.

With the added power, the Dodge Durango R/T beats out the Durango Heat’s towing capacity, 7400 lbs to 6,200 lbs. On the flip side, the Durango Heat’s less powerful engine allows it to be more fuel-efficient compared to the Dodge Durango R/T. Instead of the Explorer, the HEMI-powered Durango will take on an SUV of its own size or power: the Chevrolet Trailblazer.

In terms of towing capacity, the Dodge Durango R/T has the Trailblazer by the proverbial horns with a better towing weight of 7,400 lbs to 6,800 lbs.

Hogwash. In a resurgent seven-passenger SUV marketplace, the Durango poses an interesting question, namely: Can a longitudinal-engine truck compete effectively against transverse-engine cars? Against those competitors, the previous Durango fell short in four major areas: third-row space, ride quality, fuel economy, and interior quality.

Fuel economy is no longer a problem: the new Pentastar V-6 out powers GM and Ford while delivering 16/23 for RWD trucks and 16/22 for AWD. (The Flex and Traverse both score 17/24 for FWD, with the Traverse AWD at 16/23 and the Flex AWD at 16/22.) The same obsessive attention to quality and customer satisfaction is evident throughout the Durango. Dodge hopes that the Pentastar V-6 will be the volume engine in this vehicle; in order for the Durango to have long-term success in the market, it can’t exist in customer perception as a big, heavy, HEMI-powered monster. I’ve sung the on-road praises of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee before. The Durango is longer and heavier, but in R/T form it’s also far more road-biased. If the Grand Cherokee relies on off-road prowess to stand out from the SUV crowd, the Durango depends on towing. If you’re planning on buying a Pilot, Highlander, or Traverse, the Durango offers additional capability at virtually no penalty in efficiency or space.