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.

[9] 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.

The transfer case selector on 4X4 models changed from a manual lever on the console to a switch on the dash.

The instrument cluster was updated, and an electronic vehicle information center was incorporated into the overhead console.

The 2003 Durango featured minor mechanical changes, most notable was the addition of four-wheel disc brakes.

Like the Dakota, it has much in common with the large Dodge Ram pickup, including a fully boxed frame.

The 2004 Dodge Durango was the first SUV in DaimlerChrysler's lineup to introduce the 5.7 L Hemi V8 engine, as well as a new radio design and modernized interior features.

New features included electronic stability control, rear park assist, and a one-touch turn signal.

In 2006, DaimlerChrysler introduced a full-size[12] luxury SUV based on the Durango, called the Chrysler Aspen, for the 2007 model year.

The whole hybrid setup increased the weight of the car by 400 pounds (180 kg) and cost an additional $4,000 over the standard 5.7L Durango/Aspen.

[13] But, two months after the car debuted, Chrysler discontinued the hybrid, citing demand had dropped for their full size SUVs due to economic slowdown.

The vehicle appears in the 2006 film Deck the Halls and game The Movies: Stunts and Effects released the same year.

[18] Partly due to slow sales, but mostly because the Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep network of dealers merged, it was discontinued after the 2009 model year.

The 2011 Dodge Durango entered production on December 14, 2010,[21] alongside the second-generation Charger in the 2011 vehicle lineup.

The 2014 Durango was redesigned with sportier-looking lines, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and a new design trim similar to the Rallye, with a blackened plastic bumper and outline.

The taillights were reworked to feature a single LED 'Racetrack' tail lamp similar to the Charger and Dart.

On the inside, Dodge added a revised steering wheel, instrument cluster, rotary shift knob, and a reconfigurable 20 in (510 mm) thin film transistor display first seen on the Dart.

The 2015 Durango received a new package available for the R/T trim, consisting of a Premium Nappa Leather Group option featuring radar red leather seats, 0.8-inch-lower ride height (20 mm), black headlamp bezels, HID low beams and LED DRL'S, optional R/T embroidery on the seats, a nine-speaker sound system with a subwoofer, a 360 hp (268 kW; 365 PS) 5.7 L Hemi paired with ZF's eight-speed transmission, and a 20-inch (510 mm) Granite Crystal wheel finished in black.

[29] For 2021, the Durango receives updated exterior styling, with a revised bumper and headlights, three grille textures, and six new wheel designs.

An SRT Hellcat model with a 710 hp supercharged 6.2 L Hemi V8 was available for 2021 only, after which it was discontinued due to emissions requirements.

[28] On August 16, 2012, Chrysler recalled 1,661 2013-model Dodge Durango sport utility vehicles in the United States and Canada because some airbags may not deploy in an accident.

[37] On July 24, 2015, Chrysler recalled all 2014-2015 Dodge Durangos with the 8.4-inch (210 mm) touch-screens due to security concerns with the software that controls the vehicle because it could be hacked.

The vulnerability was discovered by software engineers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek and initially posted on Wired.

[38][39] On November 26, 2019, Chrysler issued a recall of 700,000 2011-2013 Durangos and Jeep Grand Cherokees in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, because of an electrical failure that can cause the engine not to start or stop functioning while it is driving.