The Dodge Durango is a popular midsize SUV that has been around for quite some time, but I don't think most people really think of it as having any type of towing capacity attached to it, they tend to overlook that aspect of these vehicles.
I wanted to do a little bit of research and see how much weight these could pull and after doing some digging, I was surprised to see that they are very capable and definitely a contender with some of the other midsize SUV contenders.
Overview of the Data For the Durango:
Engine Choices: There were only three different engine choices available from 2011, all the way up to 2021 and these were the 3.6 L engine, the 5.7 liter engine and the 6.4 L engine, which was exclusive to the SRT models.
The engine you had equipped really did make a huge difference when it came to the maximum trailer weight ratings and if we compare the 3.6 L to the 5.7 liter engine (using similar specs) we can see that there is a big difference of more than a thousand pounds. The 6.4 liter engine had the highest ratings in all of the charts and that's how you were able to get the massive 8,700 lb maximum weight capacity.
I wanted to break down the data even further and list the different engine options that were associated with the specific trim levels and how they compared over the years to give a better overall view of how capable certain models are.
* I do want to point out that the trim levels I have listed below may not apply to all the years that are listed. Some trim levels may not be available for certain years, but the maximum trailer weight ratings are still accurate.
- The 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015 Durango (SXT/GT/Citadel/RT/SRT/Limited) with the 3.6l V6 engine had a tow capacity of 3,500-6,200 lbs.
- The 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 Durango (SXT/Rallye/Citadel/Crew/Express/Crewlux/Heat) with the 3.6l V6 engine had a tow capacity of up to 6,200 lbs.
- 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 Durangos (SXT/GT/Citadel/RT/SRT/Limited) with the 5.7l Hemi had a tow capacity of 7,200-7,400 lbs.
* Crew and Crewlux also were included - The 2021 Durango (RT/Citadel) with the 5.7l Hemi engine had a tow capacity of 7,200-8,700 lbs.
- The 2020, 2019 and 2018 SRT Durango with the 6.4l engine had a tow capacity of up to 8,700 lbs.
AWD VS RWD: There were different choices when it came to all-wheel drive versus rear-wheel drive vehicles, but when we look at the data, we don't see a huge difference in the overall maximum trailer weight rating numbers.
2014 and newer models had a very small 200 lb. difference for the 5.7 L engines, when we compared all-wheel drive models to rear-wheel drive models. Looking at model years 2011-2013, there was no difference between all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive vehicles or two-wheel drive/four-wheel drive vehicles.
Heavy Duty VS Light Duty Cooling System: If we look at the 2015 and newer model's charts, we can see that a heavy duty and light-duty cooling system was listed and different ratings were provided accordingly. The difference was significant between the two, with models that had the heavy duty cooling system having a 2,700 lb. advantage over the models equipped with the light duty cooling system.
Overall Capacity: The towing capacity for the Dodge Durango ranged from 3,500-8,700 lbs. overall and really came down to the engine option that you had equipped.
Models that were made between 2011-2014 had a maximum trailer weight rating of between 6,200 pounds and 7,200 pounds.
If we compare that to the 2015-2021 models, we see that the lowest rating is 3,500 pounds and the maximum rating goes up to 7,400 lbs. The reason for the much lower 3,500 pound rating was only for the 3.6 liter models that had a light-duty cooling system equipped.
If we were to take those models out of the data, we would have similar overall weight capacity numbers for 2011 to 2021 models.
Some years for the Dodge Durango shared the same specs or very similar data in their charts, so in some cases, I only posted a single chart that applies to multiple years, but the data is identical.
Be sure to read your owner's manual in order to get the most up-to-date information on your vehicle and to have a more in-depth knowledge of what Dodge recommends, when it comes to anything tow related.
2020-2018 SRT Models:
From 2020 to 2018 the SRT model Durango's all have the same data when it came to their maximum trailer weight ratings and in fact, they shared the same chart, as well.
2020, 2019 and 2018 SRT Dodge Durangos had a towing capacity of up to 8,700 lbs. and a gross combined weight rating of 14,600 lbs.
The chart below was the same for all model years and did not differ at all in any of the metrics, the vehicles also shared that same 6.4 L engine, paired with an automatic transmission. The maximum trailer tongue weight with set at approximately 10% of the maximum trailer weight rating, which equated to 870 pounds, maximum.
2020, 2019 and 2018 SRT Charts
2022, 2021 & 2020 Models:
The 2022-2020 Dodge Durango had the exact same specs when you looked at the charts, except for the 2021 model year, that had an extra 5.7L "Tow n Go" option that had a significantly greater capacity than the other models listed.
The 2022, 2021 and 2020 Dodge Durango had a towing capacity of 3,500-8,700 lbs., and again, was dependent primarily on whether you had the 3.6L or 5.7L engine equipped.
For 2022 and 2021, there was a "Tow n Go" model that used the larger engine option and had a much higher overall rating than the other models. If we look at the 2020 models we can see that they had overall weight ratings that ranged from 3,500-7,400 lbs., which would be the same range if we did not include that extra model with the "Tow n Go" option.
2022 and 2021 Chart
2020 Chart
2019-2015 Models:
The 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015 Dodge Durango had a towing capacity of 3,500-7,400 lbs, which was the same as the 2020 models, having the exact same GCWR, engine options and maximum trailer weight rating specs. I wanted to separate these model years though, for a cleaner easier to read article.
The chart for the 2019 - 2015 models is a lot easier to read then the 2020 chart and makes it easier to scan through the information due to how it's laid out, font size, etc.
2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015 Charts
2014-2011 Models:
The 2014-2011 models had very similar specs and were almost identical in every way, except for the fact that the 2014 models had a slightly higher capacity for the rear-wheel drive (5.7L) models.
Other than the one anomaly in 2014, the metrics were identical, with only minor differences in the chart layouts.
The 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 Durango had a towing capacity that ranged from 6,200-7,400 lbs, overall and was affected mostly by the two different engine choices, which were either a 3.6L or 5.7L engine.
The 2013 to 2011 models ranged from 6,200 to 7,200 pounds, which was only a 200 pound difference for that one rear-wheel drive 5.7 liter model that was made in 2014.
The 2013 to 2011 charts had the same specs and ratings, the only difference in the chart is the model column, which lists RWD and AWD in the 2013-2012 charts and 2WD and 4WD in the 2011 chart.
2014 Chart
2013 and 2012 Charts
2011 Chart
The 2010-2000 model years were not listed (yet) in this article because the information was much harder to find and not as available as the later model years.
When I am able to find the information for these earlier model years, I will post it as soon as I find it and update this article.
Heavy Duty VS Light Duty Cooling...
For 2015 and newer SUVs, the charts I found indicated that there were two different capacity numbers based on whether you had a heavy duty or light duty cooling system installed on your vehicle.
I was not able to find any information in the owner's manuals that went into detail about what was included with the heavy-duty cooling system, but I was able to find a bit of information in the brochure. The image below is the screenshot from the 2020 Durango brochure, and it's states that the trailer tow group IV includes:
- An integrated trailer brake switch
- Heavy-duty engine oil Cooling
- Class IV hitch receiver
- 4/7 pin wiring harness
- Rear load leveling shocks
- Full size spare tire
This information will definitely help aid in identifying whether you have one of these heavy duty cooling systems installed on your vehicle, but if you're still confused and not sure whether you have one equipped, then I would recommend you take it into a dealer and see if they can identify if your vehicle has one of these cooling systems equipped.
Where Can I Find My GVWR and GAWR?
The GVWR and GAWR figures for your Durango are actually not available in the owner's manuals, but located on your vehicle in the driver side door jamb, printed on the certification label, which is common to find these two figures for most vehicles.
I was able to find this bit of information (screenshot below) in the manual that stated that the gross vehicle weight rating and gross axle weight ratings are indeed located on the certification label.
Both figures will have to be considered when it comes to hauling anything with your vehicle, but the more important metric is probably the gross vehicle weight rating, as the trailer's tongue weight will affect this rating.
GVWR and GAWR
The Tow N Go Option:
I was also able to find a little bit of information on the "tow n go" package that comes with some select vehicles for the 2021 model year and this includes many different components that help to achieve that higher rating that we saw in the chart.
I was able to find this information in the brochure and it lists things like upgraded brakes, an upgraded suspension, an electronic rear axle, an upgraded exhaust system, several different drive mode options and an integrated brake controller for your trailer.
To see exactly what this package came equipped with, I went ahead and listed what I found in the brochure below:
* "Package highlights include 6-piston Brembo® brakes, Bilstein® adaptive damping suspension, an electronic limited-slip rear axle, a performance exhaust system, multiple drive modes and an integrated trailer-brake controller."
Let's Not Forget About Trailer Brakes...
I wanted to take a little bit of time to talk about trailer brakes because I was able to find a note in the owner's manual that talks about these and what I found was that Mopar recommends trailer brakes for anything that weighs over 1,000 pounds, but they require trailer brakes if your trailer and the weight inside of it weighs more than 2,000 pounds total.
I do want to point out that this was for a specific model year, so you may not find this in all years that the vehicle was made, but it is a good starting point at the very least.
I also wanted to mention that every state has their individual laws when it comes to trailer weight and trailer brakes, so you will need to check your local vehicle codes to see what they require to make sure you comply with those laws, as well.
Resources For This Article:
I used the owner's manuals for the research I conducted in this article that I grabbed directly from Mopar's website. Feel free to visit the website and look up the manual for yourself, if you want more information on what your vehicle is capable of and what Dodge recommends.
I have also included links to each of the manuals individually, to make it easier and more convenient if you want to look at the manual directly from this page.
Last updated on June 5th, 2022 at 10:48 pm