- Durango GT now available with functional SRT hood
- Citadel, RT and SRT models now available with 825-watt sound system
- Citadel model gets standard second-row captain’s chairs
- Optional tow package has integrated trailer brake
- All Durangos available with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-path detection
- SRT available with upgraded Brembo brakes with two-piece rotors
- Pricing starts at $29,995
The Dodge Durango occupies a sweet spot in the SUV world. On one hand, it has the capabilities of a large people-hauling crossover with three rows of seats. On the other, it’s a durable unibody SUV with the towing abilities you’d expect of a full-size truck. And for 2019, it has been improved in several ways to enhance its self-proclaimed position as “the Dodge Charger of the three-row SUV segment.”
What’s New for 2019?
There are five Durango models for 2019: the SXT, GT, Citadel, R/T and SRT.
The entry-level Durango SXT, powered by a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with 295 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, is rated to tow a 6,200-pound trailer. For 2019, the SXT has a customizable 7-inch full digital infotainment display, pushbutton start, Uconnect 4 and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. While a leather-wrapped steering wheel is standard on the SXT, leather-covered seats are newly optional.
Another V6 Durango, the GT, receives a new look for 2019, courtesy of the front fascia and LED foglamps from the sporty R/T and SRT models. More significant: The functional SRT hood, which features a center duct flanked by two heat extractors, is now optional on the 2019 Dodge Durango GT. Other options on the 7-seat GT include paddle shifters, a power liftgate, Capri leather-trimmed seats (with suede inserts) and heat for the leather-wrapped sport steering wheel and first two rows of seats.
The Durango Citadel can be ordered with the 360-horsepower, 5.7-liter Hemi V8, which saves fuel via automatic cylinder deactivation on the highway but still endows this Dodge SUV with an impressive tow rating of 7,400 pounds. For 2019, the Citadel has standard second-row captain’s chairs, plus an optional 825-watt Harman Kardon sound system with 19 speakers (for those times when 18 isn’t enough). The Citadel, with 20-inch polished aluminum wheels, also has HID headlamps and an 8.4-inch touch screen.
Also: Get your first look at the new and redesigned cars of 2019
The 2019 Dodge Durango R/T continues to be powered by Chrysler’s 5.7-liter Hemi V8, which is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. This R/T, which shares its aggressive front fascia with the SRT (and 2019 Citadel), has performance-tuned suspension and brakes, as well as HID headlights and 7-passenger seating with second-row captain’s chairs. The 2019 Durango R/T also is available with Sepia leather seats and the powerful Harman Kardon audio system.
Firmly ensconced at the top of the Durango performance heap is the 2019 SRT, which continues to be powered by a 392 cubic-inch V8 with 475 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. For an idea of just how potent this Durango is, consider this: the SRT hits 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and blasts through the quarter mile in 12.9 seconds.
While red seatbelts are now available as fun eye candy inside the 2019 Dodge Durango SRT, far more significant are the available upgraded Brembo brakes with two-piece rotors. While the stock Brembos are up the task of slowing this 5,500-pound all-wheel-drive SUV with confidence, the optional brakes are better able to handle the high loads this SUV can produce, given its performance-tuned suspension with stiffer springs, larger sway bars and active damping.
Inside, the Durango SRT is fitted with Performance Laguna leather, carbon-fiber trim on the instrument panel and attractive suede on the headliner and A-pillars. Additionally, it has a flat-bottom steering wheel, paddle shifters and seats embossed with SRT logos.
The 2019 Dodge Durango goes on sale this fall, with a starting price of $29,995, excluding destination. While the other prices aren’t known at this time, we do know this: All 2019 Durangos, rear-drive or all-wheel-drive, will be fitted with an integrated trailer brake when ordered with the optional Trailer Tow Package. Also, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-path detection is now optional. Lastly, when the 2019 Dodge Durango leaves the Detroit, Michigan, assembly plant, it will be available in 11 colors, three of which are new: F8 Green, Destroyer Gray and Reactor Blue.
