cars news 10: 2019 Dodge Durango Gets Integrated Trailer Brake, Other Updates

The Dodge Durango is an edgier alternative to the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot, but it’s still pretty spacious and practical. To stay competitive, Dodge is giving its three-row SUV a number of thoughtful updates, including new wheel designs, interior amenities, and an integrated trailer brake. Prices start at $31,390 including destination.

All 2019 Dodge Durango models offer an integrated trailer brake when equipped with the optional Trailer Tow Package. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross path detection is now available as a free-standing option across all trims. F8 Green, Destroyer Gray, and Reactor Blue exterior colors will join the lineup after launch.

Base SXT models now come with the option of leather seats for a more premium feel. For the new model year, the next step up is the Durango GT, which now is available with cloth seating and new 20-inch wheel designs. This trim also receives a performance front fascia and LED foglamps from higher trims. Buyers can also opt for an SRT-inspired hood with an air inlet duct and two heat extractors. Both the SXT and GT pack a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine making 295 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque.

Sitting in the middle of the pack, the Citadel gets the V-6 as standard, but a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 with 360 hp and 390 lb-ft is optional. All Citadel models now have standard second-row captain’s chairs. The R/T, which comes standard with the 5.7-liter V-8, now features available Sepia leather seats as well as new wheel designs. At the top of the lineup sits the mighty SRT, boasting a 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 with 475 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. These models now offer red seat belts and new wheels finished in Matte Vapor or Brass Monkey. Also new are lightweight, high-performance Brembo brakes with two-piece rotors. The Citadel, R/T, and SRT are now available with a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

“The Durango is our three-row Charger of the SUV segment,” said Steve Beahm, head of FCA’s passenger car brands in North America, in a statement. He continues, “Customer demand for utility vehicles in the United States has exploded over the past decade, and with America’s fastest, most powerful and most capable three-row SUVs in our garage and the new updates for the 2019 model year, Dodge Durango continues to separate itself from the competition with the performance and capability that our customers demand.”

Whether the Durango is indeed comparable to a three-row Charger is up for debate. After all, there is no Durango Hellcat yet. Incidentally, the sedan lineup also receives notable updates for 2019, including a new grille on higher-performing versions.

The 2019 Dodge Durango will start arriving in dealerships this fall.

2018 Dodge Durango is pictured below

Source: FCA