8th Aug 2008, 03:03
Hello, have just come back from the states after hiring a Durango for 4 weeks... can recommend it for long distance straight journeys.. The space inside and height/stance of the vehicle are good but it's not very sure footed, "wallowing" (it wandered) from side to side I could move the steering wheel some 2-3 inches side to side without any response from the wheels.. Therefore the steering is vague.. Don't turn the traction control off!! It’s no wonder that most people seemed to fit after market wide alloys and tyres which I know can improve the stability of a large suv/mpv..
It only averaged 17.5 mpg over some 3000 miles, which I suppose for a 4.7 litre car is not that bad.
The space inside is good but the finish and standard of the plastics are not up to much, no better than our own Italian van derived MPV.
With being in the states for 4 weeks the space was appreciated, we like the way the third row of seats were stowed. It swallowed up three full size suitcases, backpacks etc and all those toys and souvenirs from Disney, Yosemite, Las Vegas etc..
Summary : It did the job, but not with any flair, it was just mundane. Would have liked to compare it to others in the same class.. Any offers?
5th Jan 2008, 12:54
Looking at the new statistics provided by the site, it looks like compared to the Ramcharger, which the Durango was supposed to replace, 94% of people that owned a Ramcharger would buy another Dodge, while only 1% would not. In contrast, only 38% of respondents who owned a Durango would buy another Dodge, while 42% would not. This just shows what those of us who owned Ramchargers always knew --- the Durango was never a replacement for the Ramcharger, and somehow Dodge, who used to be an icon of real 4x4 trucks, lost its way somewhere in the 1990's. A decade of German (mis) management screwed up Chrysler just like we knew it would. Good riddance to Daimler!