Overall I am VERY pleased. I bought a 2011 Lux last year with about 35,000 miles on it. My wife and I wanted a domestic crossover that can get around on Iowa roads. We test drove many different vehicles and the DJ AWD V6 turned out to be the perfect match.
The exterior is sporty and functional. I chose black with the 19" chrome wheels. Keyless entry works great, remote start works flawlessly, and all body panels blend in with each other. I like the way other DJ's look rolling down the road and I'm glad mine looks the same.
On a side note, I love the tail lights. 4 "rings of fire" and 6 LED's for a third brake light look great.
We opted for the LUX version for all the features that came with it. The 8.4" screen has a great UI. There's no doubt that Dodge had their brains on overdrive when they designed the leather all over the vehicle. Everything you touch is soft to the touch and looks good. Everything inside the vehicle is designed amazingly, down to the button integration on the steering wheel. A couple minor things I would change, however, are the rear fold down consul and the steering wheel placement. The rear consul feels cheap when you pull it down and the trim piece that connects it to the seat likes to fall off. Nothing a little TLC can't fix. If you center yourself on the driver's seat and look at the instrument panel, you can notice a slight left off-center of the steering wheel. It's something you don't notice at first or at all, just small enough to bug you if you focus on it. The interior of my DJ is well refined.
Ahhh, the powertrain. Dodge did great work the the 3.6 Pentastar. It feels a little underpowered when you get on the throttle, but nonetheless has plenty of get up and go. Just glancing at the engine bay you can tell everything is meticulously placed. (except the battery...it's buried) The 6 speed transmission shifts great once it gets warmed up to about 95-100 degrees. I've read on several reviews that users have problems with their DJ downshifting on the slightest of inclines. I don't know what they're talking about. Mine downshifts twice during my 48 mile interstate commute, both times on pretty steep hills. I get roughly 22 MPG on the interstate at 75, and about 16 in the city. AWD works great. I live on a hilly gravel road and I have never had an issue with ice or snow. The front tires slip for a second then all 4 tires kick in and BAM. You're off.
Here's my review. I hope it helps some of you and don't be afraid to comment and ask questions if you have any.
Some things I'm wondering,
How many people have a Lux on here? I know Dodge didn't make many and I've only seen 2 others on the road.
Is there an AWD light that comes on when it's activated? If so, mine doesn't light up.
Who else loves the tail lights? :shades:
Thanks for the look guys, I look forward to talking to you.
-Sorry for the sideways picture