Again without the fuss of wheel-spin, the Durango sat up, dug in and leaped forward - not withstanding the limitations of its
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| The drawback to the Durango's soft ride is compromised high-speed handling. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
Away from the rock and shale, the Durango's ride was always smooth and well controlled, especially at highway speeds. The nemesis of a soft ride, however, is compromised high-speed handling. The Durango is nimble about town and secure on the highway, but it doesn't push the "sport" aspect of its Sport Utility Vehicle classification the way some competitors do. Enthusiastic cornering provokes moderate body lean and sway from the Durango's compliant architecture, but despite these detractions the
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| Dodge claims that the four-wheel, antilock disc brake setup on the Durango utilizes the largest rotors in its class. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
Although on the light side, the Durango's steering provides favorable feedback and centers itself very effectively following a turn. Unfortunately SUV steering doesn't always provide a driver with such characteristics.
Stopping a large SUV can be quite arduous as well, particularly when highway speeds and heavy cargo combine to resist the mechanical intervention of momentum. Dodge claims that the four-wheel, antilock disc brake setup on the Durango utilizes the largest rotors in its class. Given the strong braking performance delivered by this system, I don't intend to dispute the claim. The brake pedal in my tester was solid. Braking force is well calibrated with the braking effort applied to the brake pedal. Even when hot from usage, the Durango's brakes performed perfectly.