There's 20 percent more glass than before, allowing better visibility, and 15 percent more cargo space: 68 cubic feet with the third seat dropped, 102 cubic feet with both seats down. The second and third seats are notably easy to access, as the rear doors open an exceptionally wide 84 degrees. The doors are also bigger, yet they're each five pounds lighter, possible because the body's overall structural strength is integrated into the new boxed-rail chassis.
The rear seat easily flips forward with the touch of one hand, and the seatback flops flat just as easily. This is no small virtue. The second-row seats recline and have their own climate control, so passengers can snooze in total comfort. The well-thought-out detail continues with convenient grab handles cleverly molded into the stubby rear leg of the second seat, which ease climbing back to the third seat. Once back there, there is a small bubble in the ceiling to give an extra bit of headroom. And from the outside, the liftgate opens very easily. The cargo floor is lower thanks to the rear suspension design, and there are 48 full inches between the wheelwell humps.

Chrysler has a new and hugely expensive wind tunnel at its headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., and it was used extensively with the Durango to reduce wind noise. The aerodynamics are fine tuned, including the mirrors and the subtle ducktail at the trailing edge of the hood under the wipers, for reducing wind noise over the windshield. Says engineer Bill Grabowski, director of Dodge truck platform and body, "Even if it's inaudible to the ear, if the data from the wind tunnel shows noise is there, we make it go away."
Call the whole Durango "Silent Running," like the movie. More details: The motor mounts are calibrated to reduce the frequencies and harmonics of each engine. The windows have an extra layer of lamination to deaden sound. Foam is injected into many of the body and chassis crannies discovered by engineers to be tiny echo chambers. It's this kind of effort and detail that especially makes the competitive price of the Durango so noteworthy.

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From the driver's point of view, the instrumentation is clean, handsome, easy to read, and easy to operate. Classy. We especially like the simple black-on-white gauges and rectangular black Venetian-blind style heating and cooling vents. The center console is deep, under a removable tray, and forward of that is another important compartment called the "fast-food bin." There are two integrated cupholders with removable neoprene for different sizes of drink containers. The seats are about right, neither too soft nor too firm. The new four-spoke steering wheel is nice.

The SLT has orange-hued wood trim, while the Limited presents a cleaner look with its brushed aluminum. (That's real wood and real aluminum, not plastic.) The Limited offers a high-tech climate-control panel with automatic temperature adjustment using a microprocessor and infrared sensor in the overhead console. Another Limited option is the hands-free, voice-command cellphone system compatible with Bluetooth phones, utilizing a microphone in the rearview mirror and the sound system's speakers.