Dodge Durango reviews

2000 Dodge Durango Driving Impressions

As sport-utilities go, the Durango is fun to drive. We spent a week with the big 5.9-liter Magnum V8 in the Washington area. It always feels willing to get down the road quickly with excellent throttle response and quick acceleration.

A daylong drive though the Texas Hill Country west of San Antonio showed us Dodge's 5.2-liter V8 also has lots of power for undulating highways and steep, rocky trails. The Durango handled well when driven briskly down narrow roads with tight corners and sweeping turns. Compared to other sport-utilities, the Durango feels sporty. Steering is precise and the suspension provides excellent transient response, crisply turning from left to right and back again. Shifting is smooth and responsive and transmission ratios are matched well to the healthy torque of the two V8s. (We have not tested the new 4.7-liter engine, but one of our correspondents loved it in the similar Dodge Dakota pickup.)

Peeling off the pavement, we bounced down rocky, unpaved roads through the hills. The Durango provided predictable handling in the loose stuff and, in spite of our best efforts, we never bottomed the suspension all day. Without stopping, we slid the silky transfer box into part-time four-wheel drive and the Durango never faltered as it bounded over deep rivulets cut through a steep, rocky path. We'd drive a Durango anywhere.

Durango's competent off-road capability and on-road handling response don't come as a free lunch, however. We found ride quality on downtown Washington's crumbling infrastructure a bit on the harsh side. The Durango should be fine for most folks, but it's something to note on your test drive. The standard tires should offer a softer ride than the big 31-inch optional tires that came on our Durango.

A part-time four-wheel-drive transfer case is standard. Shifting into part-time four-wheel drive is only appropriate for mud, snow and other low-traction situations; it's unsuitable for dry pavement as there is no slippage between the front and rear wheels and the tires will hop and chatter in tight parking lot maneuvers. It's a good setup for people who live in a dry climate, but want to be able to shift into ultimate off-road mode. On really steep grades, it can be shifted into low-range four-wheel drive. Overall, it's the best choice for those who want serious off-road capability.

A more flexible option is the $395 full-time four-wheel-drive transfer case. It comes with everything above plus a planetary center differential. Shifting to full-time mode allows the front and rear axles to turn at different speeds, so the wheels don't fight each other in tight quarters yet traction is assured under all but the worst conditions. Full-time four-wheel-drive mode is appropriate for torrential rain, light snow and ice or light off-highway travel. If conditions should get extreme, the driver can shift into part-time four-wheel drive or low range.