Generation history
Dodge Durango generations and next redesign.
The Dodge Durango has been through 3 generations, starting in 1998, 2004 and 2011. The gaps were 6, 7 years, an average of 6.5. The pace has been steady. The current generation began in 2011. On that cadence the next full redesign points to 2017 through 2019, centered on 2018. This is a projection. It comes from the model's own past redesign years, not from the manufacturer. A mid-cycle refresh usually lands in between. Public records describe the current generation this way: After announcing the discontinuation of the Durango after the 2009 model year, Dodge released an Internet site and teaser photos of the third-generation Dodge Durango on August 16, 2010. Specifications, trims and the NHTSA safety record are on the Dodge Durango model page.
Every generation
The Dodge Durango, generation by generation.
| Generation | Code | Years | What changed |
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| First generation | DN | 1998–2004 | The Durango was marketed as a sturdy truck-based SUV designed to hold up to seven passengers and tow up to 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) when properly equipped. |
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| Second generation | HB | 2004–2011 | The second-generation Durango was first shown as a concept dubbed Dodge Durango R/T concept at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show. |
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| Third generation | WD | 2011–present | After announcing the discontinuation of the Durango after the 2009 model year, Dodge released an Internet site and teaser photos of the third-generation Dodge Durango on August 16, 2010. |
|---|
The Dodge Durango spent 6.5 years per generation on average. The current one is 15 years old. Treat 2017 to 2019 as a range, not a date.
Source: Dodge Durango (Wikipedia). The estimate is our arithmetic on those start years.
Open the Dodge Durango model page for specifications, trims, safety record and answers.
In more detail
What each Dodge Durango generation changed.
First generation, 1998 to 2004
The Durango was marketed as a sturdy truck-based SUV designed to hold up to seven passengers and tow up to 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) when properly equipped. The Durango shared a front end, instrument panel, and front seats with the Dakota pickup on which it was based, and its taillights and liftgate handle with Chrysler's minivan models of the time (the Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager and Chrysler Town & Country). Original designs of the eight-passenger Durango featured a rear-facing third-row similar to many older station wagons.
Second generation, 2004 to 2011
The second-generation Durango was first shown as a concept dubbed Dodge Durango R/T concept at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show. It debuted shortly before the companion Dakota. Like the Dakota, it has much in common with the large Dodge Ram pickup, including a fully boxed frame. It is 7 in (180 mm) longer, 2 in (51 mm) wider, and 3 in (76 mm) taller than the previous model.
Third generation, 2011 to today
After announcing the discontinuation of the Durango after the 2009 model year, Dodge released an Internet site and teaser photos of the third-generation Dodge Durango on August 16, 2010. The 2011 Dodge Durango entered production on December 14, 2010, alongside the second-generation Charger in the 2011 vehicle lineup. It went on sale for general dealership availability in mid-January 2011. The third-generation Durango is built alongside the Jeep Grand Cherokee at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit, Michigan, sharing the assembly line, running gear, powertrains, and chassis parts with the Grand Cherokee.
Generation notes adapted from Dodge Durango (Wikipedia).
Today's Dodge Durango
What the current generation is, and how it has held up.
Dodge Durango at a glance
- Production
- 1997–present
- Model years
- 1998–2009, 2011–present
- Class
- Mid-size SUV (1998–2009), Mid-size crossover SUV (2011–present)
- Body style
- 5-door SUV
- Layout
- Front engine, rear-wheel drive / Four-wheel drive
- Chassis
- Body-on-frame (1998–2009), Unibody (2011–present)
- Predecessor
- Dodge Ramcharger , Dodge Town Wagon
- Related models
- Dodge Dakota/Dodge Ram (1998–2009) , Jeep Grand Cherokee (2011–2022)
NHTSA rated the 2025 Dodge Durango overall 4 of 5 stars, front crash 4 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 3 of 5 stars.
Owners filed 8 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Dodge Durango, most often about electrical system (5), service brakes (1), suspension (1).