The 2016 Dodge Durango Citadel hasn’t changed much since TFL tested the 2015 version last year, but in the case of Dodge’s big SUV, more of the same is a good thing.
The new Durango still has the same burly, muscular styling of the old car. In fact, I dare anyone to tell the difference between a 2015 and a 2016 by looking at it. Go on, try it. But this is a good thing, as the old Durango was the best looking three-row SUV on the market. It’s the only one that doesn’t look like a minivan with the back doors on wrong.
Inside, the Durango continues the if-it-ain’t-broke theme with the same tasteful, elegant styling. It looks a lot like an upsized Chrysler 300 than it does an upsized Dodge Charger, as the faux-wood trim and chrome trim give it the air of its upscale cousin as opposed to its working-class sibling. The test car also had saddle-colored seats, door trim, lower dash and consoles, which looked good but would probably show more grime than a comparable black interior.
Despite my usual gripe about the Uconnect’s lack of an audio off button (read my reviews of the 300, the Charger, and the Cherokee for more rants), the system is still one of the best infotainment systems on the market. It’s attractive, intuitive, and customizable without inducing option paralysis. The test car was also equipped with a child quieting system, with two folding LCD screens on the back seats, a Blu-Ray player, headphones and a remote control, everything a parent needs for as quiet of a road trip as possible. The system also has HDMI and AV inputs on the seats to plug in external DVD players, Xboxes, or anything else that can plug in.
Under the hood is the same 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 that makes 290 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, although the 2016 model adds stop-start technology to increase fuel economy. The powerful, sweet sounding engine is mated to the same ZF eight-speed automatic as before, too, but this again is a good thing as the Pentastar propels the big SUV with alacrity, and the automatic shifts cleanly with only a slight hint of hesitation, remarkable for an uber-speed transmission.
The addition of electronic stop-start might explain the increase in fuel economy. The 2016 Durango is rated at 18 mpg city, 25 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined, which is 1, 1, and 2 mpg better, respectively, than the 2015 model. I’d like to say it worked, but during its one-week test period, the new Durango only managed 16 mpg, but it was almost all in-town driving.
Ride and handling, like before, is stellar in the Durango. Ride quality is superb, even over the rutted, potholed streets common in Mountain West states. But that doesn’t mean it handles like a beached whale. The Durango displays surprising poise when the roads turn curvy, with good turn in and minimal body roll for a car so heavy and tall. Steering feel is also surprisingly good, especially as it doesn’t need to be good. It feels very much like a tall Chrysler 300, as it also had the same surprising road manners.
The three rows of seats provide plenty of room for six passengers. Even moderately sized adults can fit in the rear seats, although not for long trips. The optional dual captain’s chairs in the middle row take away the potential for seven-passenger seating, but adds in some clever storage space, including a dedicated cubby for the headphones and remote control. The captain’s chairs also fold forward so rear seat passengers could put their feet up and enjoy a movie.
With all three rows of seats up, the cargo space is minuscule, but the seats fold down easily. Dodge should get bonus points for the headrests that automatically fold down when the seats are folded. However, they don’t fold completely flat, which led to a very annoying experience with cylindrical grocery items. Otherwise, the Durango has plenty of room for what most families need to haul, although it can only hold four people when used as a hauler.
One thing that did change for 2016 was the price. The base price for the top-line Citadel trim level is up $300 to $43,895, but the new model does add stop-start. Out the door, the 2016 Durango was $50,670 including destination, $795 more than the 2015 model. However, the option package – with the same code, 23J – replaces the rear entertainment center option with the premium entertainment group, adding Beats premium audio to the same list of options. Even though the new one is slightly more expensive than the old one, the additional equipment is worth the extra green. Fifty large may be a lot of cash, but its right in line with top-level trims of the competition.
Speaking of the competition, that’s another thing that hasn’t stayed the same. The Honda Pilot and Mazda CX-9 are new. So is the GMC Acadia, which means that new Buick and Chevrolet variants are just around the corner. The older Durango may not be able to keep up with some of the newer technology and features of all-new models, but none of them, new or old, can match the swagger of Dodge’s big brute.
On the TFLcar scale of:
- Buy It,
- Lease It,
- Rent It,
- or Forget It,
The 2016 Dodge Durango Citadel gets a Buy It!
The Durango is still a top choice in the large three-row SUV segment. Since Fiat Chrysler is summarily killing off the Dodge brand (or at least it seems that way), the Durango will be the last big Dodge SUV, as the replacement will become the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. So if you want a great, three-row SUV with a big Dodge grille, you better hurry.
