Long
after the demise of the full-size Ram Charger, Dodge debuted a new
truck in 1998 that would be their entry into the mid-sized SUV market.
Based on the Dodge Dakota, the new Durango featured a best-in-class
tow rating, bold Dodge truck styling, and a genuine truck platform.
By 2000, the original 5.2L motor was replaced by Dodge's next-generation
4.7L Magnum. The 5.9L motor also remained an option for the power-hungry
buyer. Not a whole lot has changed on the Durango's surface over
the last couple years, however, why change when you've got a good
thing going?
The 2002 Durango
is available in four versions - the base model SXT, Sport, SLT,
and R/T performance version. Durango is available with 2WD or
4WD. 4WD versions come with either a full-time (NV244HD) or part-time
system (NV233HD).
The 4x4 SLT
model we received for testing featured the 4.7L motor, 5-speed,
5-45RFE transmission (which features two 2nd gears depending on
the driving situation) and NV233HD transfer case, which comes
standard. The base price for this model is $31,215. Options included
leather seats ($795), Trailer Tow Group ($590), and AM/FM/Cassette/CD
($100). Including the $600 Destination Charge, the total sticker
for our Durango was $33,300.
The first
thing you notice when you climb into the Durango is its truckiness.
The comfortable leather seats do little to fool you into thinking
you are in a cute ute. When you sit in a Durango, you feel like
you are in a truck. To us, being an off-road magazine, this was
a great plus! Before even looking underneath the Durango or reading
up on it, I decided to go or a quick spin.
As soon as
I eased down the accelerator, I could feel the 287 cubic inch
(4.7L) motor's 295 lb.-ft. of torque (rated at 3200rpm). It takes
a bit of foot pressure to make the truck move. You can tell right
off the bat that this thing has some grunt. The motor eased up
and I let it pull me up the hill out of our neighborhood. Unlike
many SUVs we test, you could hold the throttle and maintain a
climb. Others seem to want you to consistently increase foot pressure
as you go.
Once on level
ground, it was time to feel what the motor was really made of.
Driving "normally" now I could feel that this V8 had
power. The 235 horses peak at 4800rpm, but the power is available
when you need it. Again, I felt like I was in a truck. Great!
Frankly, it had more than enough power in most cases, and I was
surprised to learn that the larger 5.9L was even available. The
tow rating for this truck was 5,700 pounds. The big brother to
the 4.7L kicks out 245 horse power at 4,000 rpm and has 335 lb.-ft.
of torque at 3200 rpm. Grrrrr. The big boy 5.9L is rated to haul
as much as 7,300 pounds.
When driving
around town, the Durango really did show its truckiness. As it
bounded through traffic and over potholes, I could have sworn
it had a solid axle up front. The way the independent front suspension
took to bumps and rolls in the road was rougher than other SUVs
we have driven, tricking us into thinking we had a solid axle.
Will soccer moms like this feeling? Possibly not. Do we? Heck
yes! The Durangos apparent inability to soak up road imperfections
actually made us like it more, strangely enough. In this day when
SUVs are becoming more and more like cars (and even built on car
platforms), it was refreshing to know that Dodge is still building
theirs to feel and drive more like the trucks they are supposed
to be.
The Durango
handled pretty well overall. With the motor getting you up to
speed quickly, the front disk brakes and rear drums stopped the
6,400 pound truck in ample time. The optional four-wheel ABS brakes
would be a wonderful addition. It's also interesting to note that
the Durango's 36.1 foot turning radius is a full foot smaller
than a Saturn S-Coupe's!
The down-side
of this truckiness does come at the expense of smooth ride, of
course. Expect a little more shake on the road than your mom's
Grand Cherokee. The rough ride also can take its toll on the driver.
On more than one occasion while testing the Durango at higher
than normal on-road speeds, I hit bumps in the road that made
my head hit the door frame over the window. OK, so we like the
truckiness, but really could do without clocking our noggins while
driving around. In all fairness, this didn't happen during "normal"
driving, but was worth noting.
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