Dodge Durango Review

2008 Dodge Durango Limited SUV Shown

Though the Dodge Durango is classified as a midsize sport-utility vehicle, its designers have typically set out to make it about half a size larger in order to fill the niche between the midsize SUV and full-size SUV classes. Dodge's hope is that the Durango will therefore be appealing to SUV customers who need more interior room and towing capability than a midsize SUV can typically provide, but have neither the garage space for a full-size sport-ute nor the desire to drive something so cumbersome on a day-to-day basis.

The Dodge Durango's hefty dimensions pay big dividends inside. Its trademark macho styling wraps around a spacious, comfortable and full-featured interior with up to three rows of seats. Underneath are sturdy body-on-frame mechanicals and the option for a powerful V8 engine. The Durango's combination of attributes allows families of various sizes to travel in comfort, tow a camper or boat, or both. On the downside, the Durango's relative heft translates into a hearty appetite for gasoline along with handling that can't quite match its car-based competitors'. Overall, however, the Durango's plus-size approach should be appealing to many midsize traditional SUV shoppers.

Current Dodge Durango

Last redesigned for the 2004 model year, today's Dodge Durango is much more civilized than the original version, which wore its trucklike status almost as a badge of honor. The latest Durango is quite refined and reflective of the tastes of today's SUV shoppers. Available in base SXT, midgrade SLT and Adventurer (which improves upon the SLT with minor cosmetic and interior changes), and leather-lined Limited arrays, the Durango is truly spacious and conveys a sense of quality that, while not quite to the level of certain import competitors, is convincing nonetheless. All Durangos are available with three-row seating, with Limited models offering a standard three-across third row that ups maximum passenger count to eight, while SXT, SLT and Adventurer models get an available two-person bench for a total head count of seven. It's a great setup if you're driving an elementary school carpool, but despite the overall spacious feel, adults will find legroom at a premium in both the second and third rows.

Three engines -- a 210-horsepower V6, a reworked 303-hp V8 and a 330-hp Hemi V8 -- are offered, as is a choice of rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive or full-time four-wheel drive with a low-range transfer case. All Durangos come with automatic transmissions as standard -- four-speeds for the V6, five (with a tow-haul mode) for the V8s. A single-speed transfer case can be specified on select 4WD models, meaning you can get a Durango with all-wheel drive. Given the Durango's mass, the V8s are preferable for towing and acceleration. Still, fuel economy is far from impressive, no better than most of the full-size SUVs out there. While road-testing the Durango, we've found that it boasts above-average steering and handling for a traditional body-on-frame SUV.

If you're looking at a used Dodge Durango SUV from this generation, there are a couple items to be aware of. Until 2008, the Durango's 4.7-liter was not as powerful or as fuel-efficient as it is now -- it made 230 hp. Models built for 2006 and later gained stability control as an option.

Past Dodge Durangos

Launched in 1998, the first-generation Dodge Durango brought big-rig looks to a segment full of what essentially were tall station wagons. Then as now, the Durango was considered midsize, but looked and felt more like a shrunken full-size SUV. It was a sport-ute for the truck person: a vehicle that sat eight, but in pretty much every other way, was the antithesis of a minivan.

The Durango was offered with several engine choices, including a wimpy V6, a couple of V8s and even a rare performance-oriented Shelby model with a high-powered V8, a lowered suspension, big wheels and even racing stripes. None of the Durango's engines were particularly sophisticated, nor were they very fuel-efficient. Generally, our editors suggest looking for a used Durango equipped with a 4.7-liter V8 (offered from 2000-'03) or the 5.9-liter V8: The 4.7-liter delivered the best mileage out of the lot, while the 5.9-liter offered the most torque. Despite its rugged underpinnings, the first-gen Dodge Durango had better road manners than most truck-based SUVs of this era thanks to its long wheelbase, wide track and carefully tuned suspension.

If image projection and midsize-plus packaging were the first-generation Durango's strengths, its chief weakness was quality -- both real and perceived. Gaps between body panels were sizable and inconsistent, while interior fit and finish was lacking compared to the competition. Furthermore, ergonomics revealed the utilitarian pickup underneath, and the third-row seat was uncomfortable for all but children. Still, the Durango was never intended to be a pampered garage queen. Among families who needed a real workhorse and not a showcar, the Dodge Durango made many friends.

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* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.