Even though there isn’t much changes made to the new Dodge Durango aside few tweaks to the face-lift and other additions but luckily, there won’t be any subtraction from this car and being in its third generation, the 2021 model of the Dodge Durango has had a decade-long share of love from its consumers since it’s debut.

The tough SUV comes with a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine that’s also present in other Dodge models like the Chargers and the Challengers since 2015 in which case, all have added a unique experience thanks to the family-oriented design aesthetics of these cars which are usually bigger and more comfortable.

For a 2021 model, the Durango doesn’t look very aged thanks to the design aesthetics such s the headlights which are designed to be much more aggressive as well as a chin spoiler for a little extra disposition.

The base model of the Dodge Durango comes with a V6 engine but you can pay to spice things up a little bit which takes the speed capacity up a notch. But enough of the exterior as the interior is also well made with some cool gadgets.

There is a new dashboard which better integrate with its infotainment screen with a full climate-control system that can be accessed via the display. Underneath the screen are a couple of physical buttons because the world haven’t entirely gone buttonless as far as cars are concerned.

The buttons provides an easy access to HVAC settings and also the heated seats and steering wheel. The leathered seats are well designed making it easy to rest your back on. Headrest’s adjustment as well as being able to tilt to whatever angle that’s best comfortable for you is a big deal.

The premium look and feel of the interior is packed with some suede headlines with fancy materials on the instrument panel and other carbon interior accents.

The revised center console is swell, too, with more space for a wireless device charger, a decently sized under-armrest cubby and four USB ports (two USB-A, two USB-C).

While the Durango isn’t necessarily a massive SUV, it can often feel like that sometimes to the point that the beltline can feel like its on the high side. For passengers on the second-row captain’s row, there is enough space for both the head and legs which can comfortably contain a 6-foot-tall adult.

Dodge cars are known for speed and their elegance and the same goes with the 2021 Durango SRT which is a cruising model fitted with a modern technology that enhances this to the max.

Just pick a direction, wrangle this sufficiently large brute onto any local on-ramp and sit back and relax. The Durango eats up miles and returns comfort in spades, thanks in part to an adaptive suspension that, in its most comfortable Auto mode, more or less eliminates any nastiness underfoot. The steering is just direct enough for a light touch to maintain heading, although in blustery conditions, this slab-sided machine may require a few more minor course corrections. The gas pedal is entirely too touchy, even at its most muted, sending heads bobbing a bit more than I’d like in around-town driving, but the brake pedal is fantastic in its modulation. For an extra $1,295, you can slap on some SRT performance front brakes with two-piece rotors that will scrub speed at an impressive rate, which can spell the difference between overcooking a corner and coming out the other side all squeaky-clean like.

The car’s 6.4-lter Hemi V8 engine of the 2021 Durango SRT produces a whooping 475 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque which goes through towards all of the four wheels giving it a powerful eight-speed automatic transmission. In contrast with the Challenger or the Charger, that’s a little less than what they’re capable of but don’t judge the Durango just yet.

Normally, I wouldn’t so much as mention corner-carving in a three-row family hauler review, but this is no pedestrian sport-ute. The 2021 Durango SRT’s 6.4-liter Hemi V8 produces 475 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, which is sent to all four wheels by way of a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission. That’s a little less than what the engine makes in the Challenger and Charger varieties of the same name, but make no mistake, this is plenty of motive force. Cold starts will probably irk the neighbors. The sound that permeates the cabin is addictive; it’s enough to make you want to goose the throttle at every opportunity, and the sound and fury that results only reinforces that decision as the right one. If, for some reason, this is not enough power to sate your desires, there’s a limited-edition 710-hp Hellcat variant, too. But the joke’s on you, because that one’s already sold out.

The sport mode of the Durango SRT enhances the body of the car to be well prepared for the speed as its suspension stiffens, the throttle gets more sensitive which therefore shuttles the vehicle to a much faster speed.

But there is also a Track mode which turns off the car’s traction control and many do not like this fact because when it’s 32 degrees Fahrenheit and the vehicle is wearing 295/45ZR20 Pirelli Scorpion Zero all-season tires which is able to tow a massive cargo.

The 2021 Dodge Durango will set you back

With the base price that could reach as much as US$64,490 using the entire power of the vehicle could still send you back to the gas station more often than none. The car’s rough weight is estimate to be about 5,378 and can achieve a paltry EPA-estimated 13 miles per gallon city and 19 miles per gallon on the highway.

If you have even a remote enjoyment of what the gas pedal does, and you’re not constantly swapping over to Eco mode, good luck ever reaching those figures. My city economy in end-stage winter is pushing closer to single digits, with highway mileage pegged out around 17ish. Even with its 24.6-gallon fuel tank (with a theoretical max range of about 465 miles if you never leave the highway), you’ll watch the Durango’s needle move in near real time if you’re not delicate on the go-pedal.

One of the upgrades within the interior in terms of tech is the Uconnect 5 infotainment system as ell as a better graphics and faster responses. The display is a 10.1 and come with a load of features as well as support for wireless systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with satellite radio, over-the-air updates, 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotpot and finally Alexa.

Uconnect has always been a good system, and its freshest iteration only gets better. Six USB ports are standard between the first two rows, with a seventh on offer if you opt for the second-row center console upgrade.

On the safety front, things are a little sparse to start with: The Durango 392’s standard safety kit just consists of the federally mandated backup camera plus front and rear parking sensors with automatic low-speed emergency braking. For $495 you can add blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while another $2,395 brings the rest of the available features, including advanced automatic emergency braking, full-speed adaptive cruise control and lane-departure warning.

However there are a number of competitors of the Durango SRT such as the Ford Explorer ST but only makes 400 hp and 415 lbs with a starting price US$10,000 lower than the Durango. Then there is the Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride which in terms of performance doesn’t match up with with the Dodge’s capacity.

The 2021 Dodge Durango, then, is in quite a sweet spot. Throwing a potent V8 into an already solid three-row family SUV creates a special kind of machine that is just flat-out fun all the time, full stop. You’ll love it and your kids will love it, but your poorly packed groceries now scattered all over the trunk might have a different opinion.