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Walk Around

Dodge Durango offers an imposing presence in rearview mirrors, with its big crosshair grille and shotgun headlights that have become a Dodge signature.

The Durango features a high beltline that suggests great mass. The short front and rear overhangs, not typical of a full-size SUV, contribute to Durango's forceful expression. The short hood and flared fenders give the Durango the look of a big-rig truck. That short hood leads into a steeply raked windshield and sloping roof. The front fenders make the hood look as narrow as it is short. The windshield is aerodynamically efficient and offers good visibility.

Eighteen-inch aluminum wheels are standard on SLT models with either black sidewall or outline white letter tires, and 18-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels come standard on Limited. Available 20-inch chrome-clad wheels are optional on both the SLT and Limited. All of these big rims are framed nicely by Durango's bold wheel arches. The larger (6x9-inch) rearview mirrors are heated and folding on all models.

The roofline dips slightly at the rear, and the liftgate window curves in to meet it, which keeps Durango from looking entirely like a box. Afterburner tail lamps are another Dodge hallmark. The center high-mounted stop lamp is integrated smoothly into the rear roofline. A wide chrome applique accentuates the rear liftgate and features a centered, three-dimensional ram's head.

Despite its modern aerodynamics, the Durango takes its styling cues from the 1946-68 Dodge Power Wagon, which was essentially a World War II T214 military truck with a longer wheelbase and a civilian-style, fully enclosed cab. In the immediate postwar era, when the Willys Jeep pretty much had the quarter-ton utility-vehicle market to itself (and mainstream pickups didn't yet offer four-wheel drive) the 3/4-ton Power Wagon was the first choice of rural contractors, firefighters, and forest rangers who needed serious off-road capability and more load capacity than the Jeep could provide.

Interior

2008 Dodge Durango

The Dodge Durango feels spacious inside. Large amounts of glass contribute to that feeling along with lots of cargo space. Durango is officially classified as a midsize SUV, like the Ford Explorer, but it's bigger than that and inside it feels like a full-size SUV.

The front seats are comfortable, neither too soft nor too firm, and the four-spoke steering wheel is nice. The YES Essentials fabric in SLT models is said to be stain, odor, and static-resistant, though we didn't see any mention of dog hair. The SLT has orange-hued wood trim, while the Limited presents a cleaner look with its brushed aluminum. And that trim is real wood and real aluminum, not plastic.

Second-row bucket seats are available to replace the standard 40/20/40 bench. A second-row floor console is part of the bucket-seat package. And if you order the optional heat for the front bucket seats, the second-row buckets get it, too. As a compromise for customers who need to carry five adults, the 40/20/40 bench has a recline feature on all but SXT. Separate rear-seat climate controls are also standard on all but SXT, where they are optional; that's a useful feature when carrying dogs.

Details are carefully thought out, including convenient grab handles cleverly molded into the stubby rear leg of the second-row seat, which ease climbing back to the third row. Once back there, a small bubble in the ceiling provides additional headroom for third-row passengers. A one-piece third-row bench is optional on SXT and standard on SLT and Adventurer. On Limited models, the third row is split 60/40 for additional convenience. SLT and Adventurer (but not SXT) buyers can order the 60/40 split at additional cost.

The second and third rows are notably easy to access because the rear doors open an exceptionally wide 84 degrees. The second-row seat easily flips forward with the touch of one hand, and the seatback flops flat just as easily. This is no small virtue.

Cargo capacity is quite impressive. Behind the second row of seats is 68 cubic feet of cargo space, equal to the total for many SUVs. Put the second row down, and there's 102 cubic feet of cargo capacity. The distance between the wheel housings is 48 inches, so full-size sheets of plywood can be loaded flat. Speaking of loading cargo, this task is aided by the liftgate, which opens easily and is power-operated on Limited models. The cargo floor is relatively low, thanks to the rear suspension design, making loading and unloading easier.

Instrumentation is clean, handsome, easy to read and easy to operate. It is simple and utilitarian. We especially like the black-on-white gauges and rectangular black Venetian-blind style heating and cooling vents. The center console is deep, under a removable tray. On Limiteds, it is covered in leather. Forward of that is another important compartment designed to serve as a fast-food bin. Two integrated cup holders with removable neoprene for different sizes of drink containers are provided.

We found the SLT's manual heating controls and the wiper controls fussy, and the high beams seemed a little lacking one wintry night. The Limited model's high-tech climate-control panel with automatic temperature adjustment is better. And we welcome the availability of seat heaters.

The MyGig Multi-Media Infotainment system can hold 1600 songs. The MyGig Entertainment system doesn't have a navigation system and all its associated map information, so it holds almost twice as many songs.

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