2008 Dodge Durango

Editor: New Car Test Drive
Big and brawny, yet surprisingly refined.

Driving Impressions

With its size and refinement, the Dodge Durango can be a good compromise between the medium and extra-large SUVs available from other manufacturers. It's smaller than the Tahoe and Expedition. As with all truck-based SUVs, it lacks the pleasant handling and frugal fuel economy of the new generation of larger crossover SUVs. That said, the Durango is smooth and quiet, quite different from earlier noisy, rough-riding sport-utilities. Both V8 engines are good choices but for overall power, cost, and fuel economy we'd opt for the 5.7-liter Hemi.

The 3.7-liter V6 lacks the power to adequately move this heavy vehicle, and it doesn't offer much of a fuel economy gain. Its estimated EPA fuel economy rating is 14 mpg City and 19 Highway, only a small gain versus Dodge's more-competent V8s. The V6 comes with a four-speed automatic and is rated to pull a 3750-pound trailer. We recommend one of the V8s instead.

The 4.7-liter V8 engine has been upgraded for 2008, adding 68 hp for a total of 303 horsepower and 30 foot-pounds for a total of 330 pound-feet of torque. The 4.7-liter does a better job of moving the Durango than the old version. It is generally competent and smooth, but it still struggles to provide passing punch in this heavy SUV. With the 4.7-liter V8, the Durango can pull up to 6050 pounds. But it still rates only 13/18 mpg with rear-wheel drive, using 87-octane regular.

The 5.7-liter V8 Hemi is rated at 335 horsepower and 370 pound-feet of torque. It provides more immediate power and passing punch than the 4.7-liter, with around-town mileage improving slightly at 13/19 mpg with 89 octane recommended, 87 octane acceptable. The 5.7-liter Hemi's fuel economy is enhanced by Chrysler's Multi-Displacement System, which disables four of the eight cylinders when cruising by deactivating the valve lifters. We found the transition between cruising and power modes nearly indiscernible. The Hemi seems like a good value. Plus, it can tow up to 8,950 pounds with the optional 3.92 rear axle. The two-speed transfer case comes standard on AWD models with the Hemi, while it's optional with the 4.7-liter.

Hemi, by the way, refers to the overhead-valve, hemispherical combustion chamber design, and harkens back to the 1960s when the 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Hemi dominated NASCAR stock car and NHRA drag racing. That engine was itself a revival of the original 1951-58 Hemi. Chrysler modernized the basic design in 2003 after it had been gone (but not forgotten) for decades.

The Hemi didn't feel like 335 horsepower to the seat of our pants. The 5.7-liter Hemi felt a little more powerful than the 4.7-liter, but it wasn't a night-and-day difference. The double overhead-cam, 5.6-liter, 317-horsepower Nissan Armada feels more responsive than the 5.7-liter V8 in the Durango, which feels solid, but heavy.

We were most impressed by the five-speed automatic transmission that comes with both V8 engines. The shifts are smooth, shifting up or down between third and fourth gears is undetectable. The transmission features a Tow/Haul mode, which holds the gears longer and will downshift under deceleration, as might be needed with a trailer on mountainous terrain. It's cool when you come toward a turn at high speed and back off, and your automatic transmission drops a downshift for you.

The Durango has good brakes. When you need to slow down or stop, they'll be there. They're big vented discs with twin-piston calipers in front, just the thing for holding back this heavy beast. ABS helps the driver maintain steering control by eliminating wheel lockup, while electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) balances braking forces front and rear for more stable stopping. We slammed on the brakes several times from 70 mph and found the Durango stopped steady and true.

Cornering and handling are good for a big SUV, but the Durango is far less nimble than a car or crossover SUV. The earliest Durangos bor