The Big Rig.
The demand for Sport Utility Vehicles is ever growing. Every manufacturer that steps foot onto North American soil, except maybe for Ferrari, must offer a family truck alternative. Even smart, owned by Mercedes-Benz, has decided to build one. Chrysler has long since been at the forefront of the SUV battle. For 30 years, Jeep has been making wagon-type trucks available to the masses.
In 1984, the Jeep Cherokee began the craze of what has been one of the quickest growing segments in the automotive market. And since then, every new version of the SUVs, regardless from which manufacturer, has made them bigger, heavier and more powerful. Nowadays, it seems as though the sky is the limit for height, and the width of a normal driving lane is no longer a measure for the limits of girth. Dodge was actually late in the SUV ring. Ford and GM already had had their Explorer and Jimmy on the road for more or less 10 years. Chrysler had the Jeep Grand Cherokee pulling some strong sale numbers in the meantime. When the Durango was launched in 1998, Chrysler made sure that it was going to leave its mark by effectively making it larger and more powerful than the other trucks in its price range. 2004 saw the arrival of the redesigned second generation Durango on a brand new chassis that is now shared with the Dodge Dakota.
The price range of the Durango starts at $42,750 and climbs to over $55,000 when fully optioned out. The loaner for this week's test was a Limited that retails for $52,655.
Exterior styling
The new Durango has been softened up compared to the original,
although is has grown in every direction and put on some weight. What has not changed is the larger-than-life Freightliner inspired front grille that, if anything, has gotten bigger and bolder. All around, body panel gaps are present and fairly visible. The bulging front fenders widen the truck's stance to make it even more imposing and they serve to make the front end look a little lower at the same time. The rear taillights are similar to those found on the Liberty to establish the all-important brand identification.
Interior styling
Interior space is enormous as expected. Headroom, legroom and shoulder room are all abundant. The front seats are very wide and softly cushioned. Even though lateral support is lacking, the comfort level remains high even on long trips. The second row is also quite liveable but the third, although roomy, is probably better left for the kids. I found that the front heated seats, necessary with all leather surfaces in cars, are very slow to get warmed up: my trip to work in the morning takes 20 minutes and my posterior would only get cozy in the last 5 minutes.
The leather-wrapped steering wheel is beefy and grips nicely. The remainder of the non-cowhide interior materials are of a lesser quality. The plastics are hard but do not look as cheap as they are to the touch. The inner recesses of Chrysler vehicles are typically well done and this one is no exception. The dash ergonomics are straightforward and user friendly. There are plenty of storage spaces to carry all of the passenger's stuff.
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In 1984, the Jeep Cherokee began the craze of what has been one of the quickest growing segments in the automotive market. And since then, every new version of the SUVs, regardless from which manufacturer, has made them bigger, heavier and more powerful. Nowadays, it seems as though the sky is the limit for height, and the width of a normal driving lane is no longer a measure for the limits of girth. Dodge was actually late in the SUV ring. Ford and GM already had had their Explorer and Jimmy on the road for more or less 10 years. Chrysler had the Jeep Grand Cherokee pulling some strong sale numbers in the meantime. When the Durango was launched in 1998, Chrysler made sure that it was going to leave its mark by effectively making it larger and more powerful than the other trucks in its price range. 2004 saw the arrival of the redesigned second generation Durango on a brand new chassis that is now shared with the Dodge Dakota.
The price range of the Durango starts at $42,750 and climbs to over $55,000 when fully optioned out. The loaner for this week's test was a Limited that retails for $52,655.
Exterior styling
The new Durango has been softened up compared to the original,
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Interior styling
Interior space is enormous as expected. Headroom, legroom and shoulder room are all abundant. The front seats are very wide and softly cushioned. Even though lateral support is lacking, the comfort level remains high even on long trips. The second row is also quite liveable but the third, although roomy, is probably better left for the kids. I found that the front heated seats, necessary with all leather surfaces in cars, are very slow to get warmed up: my trip to work in the morning takes 20 minutes and my posterior would only get cozy in the last 5 minutes.
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