I picked up a brand new (6 miles on the odometer) 2012 Dodge Durango Crew at OGG.



The third generation Durango was launched during the 2011 model year and shares quite a bit (including an assembly line) with the acclaimed Jeep Grand Cherokee. The main difference between the Durango and the GC is the former's three-rows of seating for 7 (versus two-rows, 5-passengers in the GC).



While it lacks leather (which can be a pro or con, depending on your preference), the mid-level Crew is well equipped. Included are tri-zone auto climate control; a power liftgate; large multimedia touch-screen with USB, hard drive storage, and Bluetooth; memory settings for the driver's seat; and reverse camera & sensors.



Although the graphics on the Media Center 430 touch-screen head unit aren't nearly as nice as those on Chrysler's own 300 or Ford's MyTouch, this was one of the few vehicles that worked well with my iPad via USB. My playlists were available very quickly (unlike other systems, where it takes forever to load).

Unfortunately, the sound quality from the Alpine system was just fair. With a bit of tweaking the limited bass/mid/treble settings, I got it sounding OK, but I was disappointed.



The Durango has a smart-key for entry/exit and push-button start -- however, they (meaning National) didn't install the the actual button (which covers the key opening, presumably for emergencies when the smart-key battery is low). The keyfob has a remote-start button and a button for the power liftgate (hit lock, then press the remote-start button twice).

Likes

• Very smooth and solid feel and lots of power (though admittedly, at max I had 3 adults, so I really didn't test the limits of a fully loaded vehicle)
• Chrysler has taken a huge step forward in producing a high-quality interior -- for example, the thick leather-wrapped steering wheel felt great
• Button on the dash to lower the third row headrests and improve visibility
• Good multimedia head-unit including solid iPod/iPad support
• Flick-the-turn-signal for lane changes -- beginning to miss this on my own vehicle
• Keyless entry, ignition, & remote start
• Backup camera (displayed on the 6" head-unit) and reverse parking sensors
• Seat-mounted center seat belt -- I can't stand when the center belt dangles from the ceiling with certain SUVs and vans

Dislikes

• Maybe it was the generic silver paint, but the exterior seemed bland, even with the chrome accents
• An A-pillar grab handle would have really helped my front-seat passenger
• Disappointing sound quality from the Alpine system

Would I take the Durango over an Enclave (which I previously rented from OGG)? Hard to tell; the latter definitely felt (and looked) more luxurious (a fairer comparison is really with the Traverse or Acadia). However, the multimedia screen of the former would probably be enough to sway me to the Durango, if I had to choose. The wildcard would be the new Explorer, which I haven't had a chance to drive.