2020 Dodge Durango R/T SUV

The Durango is a performance SUV that has the biggest everything out of the entire SUV line up in the market. The American home brand has the American Muscle image in their mind going ahead with all their line-ups. Dodges have massive engines with good power and propel like rockets on straights. This family-sized powerhouse can make everyday commute just a little more fun.

A family outing, six people in the SUV going down the freeway at 100 miles an hour with no efforts at all. Sounds impressive, doesn't it? The price is even more so, starting with an MSRP of $44,295 this is the ultimate Dad Mobile.

The Road and Track trim of the Durango has a list of standard features that are impressive. Dodge vehicles were considered to have sub-par interiors due to the performance-oriented appeal, this is a statement of the past now. Dodge has cleaned up its game and has good interiors on offer with a usable and comfortable 3rd row which increases the utility aspect of the SUV.

Which trim to choose?

It's just a matter of what drivetrain suits personal requirements. The AWD would be a better pick considering handling and control as the prospect of purchase, while the rear wheel would simply be a fun machine to drive around.

The Durango houses a beast under the hood, the 5.7L V8 is a massive engine none the less generating 360HP and 390lb-ft of torque. The engine performs little sluggish at the lower RPMs but going above 3000 RPM the engine comes alive with all the power going directly into the drivetrain. Everyday commutes just got exciting! The V8 booms through the exhausts at high decibels giving those angry notes and flutters throughout the drive.

The Durango has an almost perfect weight distribution of 50/50 to the front and the rear. The engine powers the rear wheels with this perfect balance making it easier to handle all the while increasing traction and downforce.

The 8-speed transmission does the Durango justice with good shifts. The transmission is the single-clutch transmission that goes into the majority of the performance vehicles produced by Dodge. 

The Ford Explorer makes the highest power even though it has a smaller engine with the AMG following in second with similar engine capacity. the Durango has the biggest engine but comes in at 4th place which it shares with the Cherokee which has a similar engine like the Dodge. The Porsche Macan is the most underpowered in this list.

Acceleration

The Durango is fast for the fact that it is an SUV. It does 0-60 in 6.2 seconds which is impressive. The behemoth Hemi V8 does live up to the fame it has in the industry for being a top performer. But the weight and length of the SUV do effect the acceleration to a certain extent.

It is definitely an SUV that many people that need to drive an entire family would love due to the power and the utilitarian benefits that the Durango offers.

The V8 in the Durango is put to shame by all other competitors on the list. The Porsche is the fastest out of the lot followed by the GLC 43 which is then followed by the F-Pace. The Durango does better than one car, the Cherokee.

Braking

The Durango is a behemoth in all measures with the weight and the sheer power under the hood, it becomes a necessity to couple such numbers with big performance brakes to control the beast. That is what Dodge has done with 15-inch ventilated rotors in the front and 13.8-inch rotors in the rear sourced from Brembo. These performance brakes are capable none the less. The brakes are easy to modulate and control well enough.

The Durango is expected to be on par with the best, but the Mercedes along with the Cherokee takes top honors in this comparison followed by the Porsche Macan. The Jag stops in third here.

Ride and Handling

The ride and handling is probably the last thing that comes to mind when we talk about a three-row SUV or a typical American muscle car and guess what the Durango R/T is both. So as one would expect it is no sports car around corners and one is greeted with tonnes of body roll. But other than that the Durango R/T is easy to live with courtesy a light steering which makes it easy to wrestle this behemoth of a vehicle in and out of tight city space and at highway speeds it weighs up quite nicely and doesn't feel unsettling or unnerving at high speeds.

The V8 does drink up on fuel as it goes by and it is no news. Dodge cars are known for their constant visits to the fuel station due to the low MPG numbers that they return. Expect no less from this behemoth as the engine has to power this humongous, heavy giant which does take up some extra fuel and power. Go too heavy on the gas pedal and the MPGs would drop to the low 10's or under 10 possibly. For the people that are more biased towards fuel efficiency, the lower-powered V6 would probably be a better pick.

The car that tries its best to contribute to the environment is the Ford Explorer followed by the Porsche Macan with the Merc trailing closely behind. The Cherokee is the SUV with the lowest MPG numbers with the Dodge doing comparatively better in the 4th place.

The first thing that noticeable while entering the Durangos cabin is the huge cabin that can accommodate 6/7 adults easily. This is not common in the performance-oriented SUVs in the segment. The third row has comfortable seating which can seat adults which is off-set from the namesake third-row seats in most SUVs. Dodge has certainly given the people something desirable with this product but they did miss out on a few things. The materials used in the cabin are not up to the mark with a lot of cheap plastic components directly visible to the eyes. Dodge has also failed to provide the creature comforts and luxuries that the European giants offer on their vehicles which gives it an appeal of an prehistoric vehicle.

The seats and the steering wheel are adjustable to give the driver a personalizable driving position. The visibility in the Durango is good with the high seated position which does give the driver an authoritative spot to be in on the road. There is an option that has heated and ventilated seats for better comfort.

Most of these SUVs have similar seating space in comparison to each other. Dodge does stand out due to the 3rd row that it offers which provides decent space for the third row as well.

What are the creature comforts on offer?

Dodge has loaded the cabin of the Durango R/T with a ton load of bells and whistles. Some of the most noteworthy highlights include the following

• Climate Control
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Auto-Dimming Inside Rear-View mirror 
• Optional Powered Sunroof
• Optional rear DVD entertainment center
• 2nd-row console armrest with power outlet
• Optional carbon fiber interior panels 

Infotainment

Durango gets the Dodge UConnect infotainment UI which is housed in the 8.4inch touchscreen. The infotainment like the design of the car is outdated but gets the job done. The viewing does take a hit in bright sunlight but overall it is decent and simple enough to operate. Standard features like Andriod Auto and Apple CarPlay make smartphone connectivity hasslefree.

Infotainment Features

• 8.4 inch Dodge Uconnect infotainment system
• Apple Car Play and Android Auto connectivity
• SiriusXM Satellite/HD Radio with Homelink
• Optional 19 speaker Harman Kardon Surround Sound system with subwoofer
• Satellite Navigation 

Cargo Capacity

The Durango does lose some precious cargo storage due to the third row. But pull a lever and the third row drops to reveal a massive storage area for baggage needed for a weekend trip to the countryside.

Just in case this space does not suffice your needs then you could always fold the second-row away to unveil 84.5 cubic feet of space which is enough to move a house.

Dodge has the smallest cargo volume with the third row up, lowering it would make it the best out of the list. With standard cargo storage, the Ford has the maximum space followed by the Jeep. 

Dodge went all out with the Durango giving it the biggest of everything they could think of. The same ideology has been applied to the dimensions and design of the car. The front grille of the Durango screams Dodge all the way with no second thoughts. The LED headlights and DRLSs look neat giving the car the required modern look to the signature Dodge styling. It does look like a Charger on steroids with an SUV avatar. The front of the R/T is a little different when compared to the normal Durango which is the biggest differentiating factor. The bumper is also bigger with additional air vents and scoops in this particular trim.

The hood is a bigger version of the normal Durango with a few vents but its not as aggressive as the SRT. The grilles have been reduced to all black with the black treatment going out to the rims on the side along with the rearview mirrors as well. On the sides, it has the basic SUV profile with large windows and not many lines or design cues. It has a rather boxy shape keeping the muscle image together. It has a beefy rear with a diffuser that houses the dual exhausts.

The Durango stands the longest, tallest and the heaviest keeping the go large or go home image intact. The Ford comes in second in comparison of length while comparing the weight the Grand Cherokee takes this spot. All the cars here are heavy and long comparatively keeping the SUV brand very competent.

Exterior Features

LIke the Interiors, there are multiple features on offer on the outside of the Durango R/T. Some of the most noteworthy highlights include

• Hood scoop 
• Sporty front bumper
• Rear bumper with diffuser 
• Large Dual exhaust tips
• 20" Forged Wheels 

It is rare to find performance vehicles or luxury vehicles going through the NHTSA and IIHS crash tests, such as the case for the Durango RT. Although the base Durango has been rated for the crash tests and received an overall 4-star rating which is good. Though these aren't applicable to the Durango RT, considering that they are based on the same platform these ratings can give an idea on how the RT trim would fare in these tests. Dodge has also improved the list of standard safety features to ensure occupant safety in the vehicle with various autonomous assists as well.

Safety Features

• 4-Wheel Traction Control
• Electronic Stability Control
• Enhanced Accident Response System
• Hill Start Assist
• LED Daytime Running Headlamps
• Parksense Front / Rear Park-Assist with Stop
• Parkview Rear Back-Up Camera
• Remote-Start System
• Security Alarm
• Tire Pressure Monitoring Display
• Trailer Sway Damping
• Advanced Multistage Front Airbags
• Supplemental Front Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
• Supplemental Side-Curtain Airbags
• Supplemental Side-Curtain Airbags in All Rows
• Driver Inflatable Knee-Bolster Airbag
• LATCH Ready Child Seat Anchor System

Dodge Durango R/T VS Ford Explorer ST

The Ford performs better than the Dodge on various parameters. The acceleration and power figures are better on the Ford when compared to the Dodge. The interiors are the lowest mark of the Dodge while Ford has better interiors. The price segment is where the Dodge justifies all its shortcomings. The bigger engine has a better tuning performance which is after-market 

Dodge Durango R/T VS Mercedes GLC 43 AMG

The GLC 43 AMG is the entry-level performance SUV from Mercedes which sets its own accord in this segment. The AMG enhanced engine is potent enough to leave its competition in the dust while not compromising on luxury and comfort. The Dodge is leaps and bounds behind its European competitors on every comparison aspect. Although it is heavy on the pockets and utility is not as much as the Durango, the GLC is any day a better pick.

The Durango has a naturally aspirated bigass Hemi V8 housed under the hood of this monstrosity. If tuned right the engine is really one of the most capable ones out in the world. Dodge has not flayed from the bigger is better motto while all other competitors have adapted smaller turbo or supercharged engines for better performance. At the quoted price the Durango RT is a good pick if the quality of the interiors does not hold much importance.