Who builds the Dodge Durango?
The Dodge Durango is built by Dodge, a brand of Stellantis, and is currently assembled in the United States at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit, Michigan.
Current manufacturer and assembly location
The Durango is produced by Dodge, the American SUV brand owned by Stellantis. The latest generation is assembled in Detroit, Michigan, at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant, where it shares capacity with other FCA/Jeep lineups.
Historical production locations by generation
Understanding where each generation of the Durango was built highlights the model’s manufacturing lineage and how Chrysler-era plants evolved through corporate changes.
Generation-by-generation production sites
- First generation (1998–2003): Newark Assembly Plant, Newark, Delaware, USA.
- Second generation (2004–2009): Newark Assembly Plant, Newark, Delaware, USA.
- Third generation (2011–present): Jefferson North Assembly Plant, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
These locations trace the Durango’s production history across Chrysler’s corporate transitions—from the DaimlerChrysler era to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and finally to Stellantis.
Brand ownership and corporate context
The Dodge Durango is produced under the Dodge brand, which operates within Stellantis, the multinational automaker formed in 2021 by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and PSA Group. Stellantis oversees the broader North American SUV lineup, including the Durango, produced at U.S. manufacturing facilities.
Summary
In brief, the Dodge Durango is built by Dodge (Stellantis) in the United States. The current generation is assembled at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit, Michigan, while earlier generations were built at Newark Assembly Plant in Newark, Delaware. The model's production history reflects the broader corporate changes in the American automotive industry over the past few decades.
Who actually owns Stellantis?
Stellantis is a publicly traded company, so its ownership is distributed among its largest shareholders, with the Agnelli family (via Exor) and the Peugeot family holding the most significant stakes. Other major shareholders include institutional investors like BlackRock, the French state-owned investment bank Bpifrance, and the general public who buy shares on the stock market.
Major shareholders
- Agnelli family: The Agnelli family, who founded the Fiat company, has a significant stake through their investment company, Exor.
- Peugeot family: The Peugeot family, founders of the PSA Group, holds a large stake through their investment company, Peugeot 1810.
- Bpifrance: The French state-owned investment bank holds a substantial stake.
- BlackRock: As a major global asset manager, BlackRock holds a significant number of Stellantis shares through its managed funds.
- Other investors: Numerous other institutional and individual investors also own shares in the company.
What is the most common problem with Dodge Durangos?
Transmission Problems
Transmission issues are common in 2021-2025 Dodge Durango models. Many owners report hard shifting, transmission slipping, and overheating.
Is the Dodge Durango built on a truck frame?
No, the current Dodge Durango is not built on a truck frame; it has a unibody construction, like a car. However, the original Durango was built on a truck chassis, and rumors suggest future generations may return to a truck-based body-on-frame design.
Current Durango
- Construction: The current Durango, built on the same platform as the Jeep Grand Cherokee, uses unibody construction, where the body and frame are a single unit.
- Benefits: This car-like construction provides a more comfortable and refined ride and improved handling dynamics compared to a traditional body-on-frame SUV.
Previous generations
- Initial models: The first generation of the Durango (1997-2009) was built on a body-on-frame chassis, based on the Dodge Dakota pickup truck.
- Change in design: The model was redesigned for its third generation (starting around 2011) and transitioned to the current unibody construction.
Future Durango
- Potential return to truck frame: There is speculation and unverified reports that future generations of the Durango could return to a body-on-frame, truck-based design, similar to the Jeep Grand Wagoneer.
- Purpose: This would make it a more massive and rugged vehicle, directly competing with other body-on-frame SUVs.
Where is the Dodge Durango manufactured?
Dodge Durangos are made at the Detroit Assembly Complex-Jefferson in Detroit, Michigan. This facility, formerly known as the Jefferson North Assembly Plant, has been the primary production site for the Durango for many years.
This video provides a glimpse inside the factory where the 2025 Durango is made: 33sDPCcarsYouTube · May 13, 2025
- The Durango is assembled in Detroit as part of the Detroit Assembly Complex.
- The specific plant is the Jefferson North Assembly Plant, which is now part of the larger Detroit Assembly Complex-Jefferson.
- The vehicle shares its platform and production line with the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
