The Durango could be considered a full-size SUV that comes in at the price of a midsize one, or possibly a midsize SUV with the interior space of a full-size. Either way, the Durango represents an excellent value in size for the money, coming into this comparison with virtually every available option at thousands less than the next-most expensive vehicle. And it competes on more than just the value front as well, with a roomy and comfortable interior, brisk acceleration with the available "Hemi" V8 (reviewed here), as well as an excellent blend of ride comfort and handling prowess. A few additional available features such as stability control would be nice, and visibility could be better though. 

       The Durango has a rather soft, comfortable ride that absorbs road imperfections very well but can be a bit floaty at highway speeds. This soft suspension tuning doesn't hurt the Durango's handling nearly as much as it did its comfortable-riding competitors. Body roll is reasonably well-suppressed, though the Durango has somewhat slower reflexes than the Nissan Armada. The 5.7-liter Hemi V8 is quick, though slightly beneath the Armada's acceleration capabilities. The Durango isn't quiet under acceleration, but the Hemi makes a nicer sound than the Nissan's V8; throaty where the Armada is merely loud. It sounds less impressive in standard driving, however, and wind noise gets annoying at highway speeds. Fuel economy tied with the Armada for the lowest in this group, though only by 1 mpg.

       Inside, the Durango's front seats large, supportive, well-shaped, roomy, and very comfortable overall, the best in this group. The rear seat is quite comfortable as well, though legroom is less expansive than most competitors. The roomy rear seat is a bit low and hard, but adequate for adult passengers (something that the Armada, Sequoia, and Tahoe could not manage). Cargo volume is unexceptional, but should prove sufficient. Towing capacity is impressive, at 8,650 lbs. The doors open wide, and the Durango has a lower step-in height than most competitors. Third-row access is not easy, though not as much of a struggle as in some competitors. The driver sits comfortably enough, but thick roof pillars and fairly small windows limit visibility. The interior is generally of high-quality, despite some flimsy plastics and a few large panel gaps, and false aluminum trim breaks the monotony found in several competitors. The gauges are very large and quite well-marked, and the instruments are nicely laid out.

      The Durango earned five out of five stars for both the driver and for the front passenger in the NHTSA frontal crash test. It also did not tip up in NHTSA's rollover-resistance dynamic maneuvering test, and is estimated to have a mere 19% chance of rollover in a single-vehicle accident, the best in this group.

          The Durango had by far the lowest price in this group, and not without good feature content. It came fully loaded, with a group-exclusive GPS navigation system (optional on the others), an entertainment system, and curtain side airbags. However, unfortunate omissions from the options list include traction and stability control and torso-protecting airbags.

        Overall, the Durango is not perfect, but it's as close as anything else in this class, and has a much lower price to boot. It is the unquestionable best pick here.

Pros:

-Features for the Money

-Seat Comfort

-Ride Comfort

-Acceleration

-Agility

-Towing Capacity

Cons:

-Missing Features

-Visibility

Overall:

The class leader in value, accompanied by a strong showing in most everything else.

Version Reviewed:

Limited AWD

Options Added to Vehicle Reviewed:

 -

Price of Version Reviewed:

$35,338

Powertrain:

5.7-liter V8

Vehicle Overview