The Dodge Durango, by all accounts, was a fine car. Great value for money, spacious, decent road manners, rugged and stylish transport. That is, the last iteration, because before its rebirth three years ago – after a two-year total absence – it had been a fairly grim affair. But its return was a success and now it’s time to experience the midlife refresh.
Often it is difficult to spot the physical differences between new and old when comparing models that have been given a slight tidy up to keep the cash registers ringing but there are marked changes to the new Durango, with new LED driving lamps up front, a new grille (although the chrome treatment on the range-topping Citadel version is definitely over the top) and new, wraparound rear LEDs (192 of them, if you’re asking) that look similar to those fitted to the current Dodge Charger. All in all, it’s a fine looking car.
But it’s underneath the substantial exterior that the really significant updates are to be found. For 2014, the Durango gets the excellent new eight-speed automatic transmission that’s also used in the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It also gets a rotary shifter – think new Jag but not as nice to play with – and paddle-shifters for all models. The previous six-speed gearboxes were well overdue for an update and this is possibly the most pleasing aspect of the new model’s makeover. The engines are all the same as before (3.6-litre V6 or 5.7-litre V8) but the new transmission improves fuel economy by nine per cent.
Depending on the model you choose, either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive are available and Dodge’s PR people state that towing capacity is now up to 3,356kg, or more than adequate for pulling a 7.5-metre boat and trailer. But as much as its rugged looks and specification might suggest otherwise, the Durango is not an off-roader in the way a Land Rover or a Land Cruiser is. Rather you should think of it as a car that can easily negotiate rough tracks and the occasional shallow wadi. That’s not to do the Durango a disservice, mind, because its on-road manners are impeccable and the Hemi V8-powered R/T version I get to try out is nothing short of a muscle car in a more practical suit.
The cabin is immediately pleasing despite the abundance of tough black plastic and leather trim. An 8.4-inch touchscreen lives in the centre of the dash and the rotary dials are chunky. The steering wheel is pleasantly thick, with the dials behind it clear and well placed. A sizeable speedo sits in the centre that incorporates a digital information display and it all comes together to make you feel that this is more modern than many of its contemporaries.
The R/T doesn’t mind making its voice heard. Fire it up and a sonic boom disrupts the wildlife and causes pedestrians to stop in their tracks, your face contorts into a ridiculous grin. There’s no escaping the fact that this car is all about on-road performance.
On the road it positively excels. Our route through the Northern Emirates takes us across the country on roads that the word “epic” was coined for. Through mountain passes the V8’s racket bounces off the rock faces and fills the air with the heady sounds of muscle car consumption – that new eight-speeder will have its work cut out to save any petrol in the R/T. It’s a hooligan and the shotgun bangs from its exhaust on the overrun are nothing if not addictive.
On fast sweepers it just grips and goes, which, when you consider the shape and size of this thing, is quite remarkable. Drive it like a sports car and there’s no feeling that you’re overstepping the mark, that it might topple over or even get the slightest wobble on. Four-wheel drive, a lower-set suspension and 20-inch alloy wheels see to that.
That new ZF gearbox shifts around without you knowing but the colossal 528Nm of torque means there’s so much flexibility available from the engine that swapping cogs is mostly unnecessary. Take it off the beaten path, however, and the gear changes will obviously be more frequent but it’s never difficult to drive smoothly despite its prodigious power delivery. But it never feels totally at home in the rough, preferring to get back on tarmac – its natural habitat.
Dodge’s people constantly refer to its “best in class| attributes but what are the perceived rivals? Perhaps the Ford Explorer or the Chevrolet Traverse could make a case but the Durango, particularly in R/T spec, offers more personality than either. It also comes with a hefty 100,000km warranty so ownership should prove fairly headache free.
With this refresh model, Dodge has wisely chosen to simply tweak an already decent car, rather than spoil the recipe that made it so good in the first place. Yet we don’t see that many Durangos on the roads here and that’s something I can’t explain. Because when you consider what you’re getting for your money, there are few cars that can hold a candle to it.
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