2011 Dodge Durango

The 2011 Dodge Durango has been redesigned for this model year, and it looks better than ever. I used to wonder why the Durango was so popular with its odd angles, protruding hood and bulging eyes, I mean, headlights. Now, with softer edges and a more uniform body, I get it. The interior has also been redesigned and offers a no-frills, yet attractive design.

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This three-row SUV is big, makes some noise and has an engine that won't quit, but it's ultimately likeable and seems like it just might be able to handle anything, including a family.

With all of this new styling, I think 2011 is the year that the Durango is finally growing into its own skin. This is the genesis that I've been waiting for, turning the Durango from an otherwise brutish vehicle into an almost charming one.

I write "almost" because the Durango is not a car for everyone. Driving the 2011 Durango is a trucklike experience. Like a Mack truck. A new V-6 engine is the standard for 2011, but my test car had the optional V-8. While the V-8 was powerful, it never let me forget it was there, which was a good thing when I needed some extra power and a bad thing when I wanted some extra quiet.

Despite the noise, I must admit that the Durango's V-8 engine was extremely capable. Acceleration came easily to it, and plowing up hills, over gravel and dirt, and around city streets were all easily accomplished.

The Durango starts at $29,195, and my test car, an all-wheel-drive Crew trim, had a price tag of $46,975.

After my weeklong test drive, I decided the 2011 Durango is a double-edged sword. It looks better than ever both inside and out, and the size can work to your advantage when hauling lots of people and things. However, its large size can be problematic for people with small children or people who are just small themselves.

EXTERIOR

The 2011 Durango is better looking than its predecessors, with its soft, Rubenesque edges. It seems more put-together than in years past. The 2011 Durango shares its unibody design with the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee; it's easy to notice the similarities between the two, though the Durango is still almost a foot longer than the Cherokee.

The Durango's size is also evident in terms of pure heft. The car's curb weight is around 5,000 pounds, which makes for heavy doors and a heavy liftgate. Of course, the standard power liftgate helps alleviate any strain in getting it up and down.

None of my children could open the Durango's doors on their own, but this was both a product of their size, the door-handle height and the door weight. The step-in height was also reflective of the size of the Durango. My 4-year-old could climb into the SUV with some struggle, but needed a lift to get in the third row, and my 2-year-old needed a lift either way. My infant always needs a lift, so her experience, in this case, was irrelevant.

My test SUV had the optional 360-horsepower, 5.7-liter V-8 that uses regular gas. There's also a standard 290-hp, 3.6-liter V-6. If you need to tow anything, the V-8 can haul up to 7,400 pounds. The standard V-6 can haul up to 6,200 pounds.