2009 Dodge Durango Review

The Durango features a high beltline that suggests great mass. The short front and rear overhangs, not typical of a full-size SUV, contribute to Durango's forceful expression. The short hood and flared fenders give the Durango the look of a big-rig truck. That short hood leads into a steeply raked windshield and sloping roof. The front fenders make the hood look as narrow as it is short. The windshield is aerodynamically efficient and offers good visibility.

SLT models come with 18-inch aluminum wheels, and 18-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels come standard on Limited; 20-inch chrome-clad wheels are optional. All of these big rims are framed nicely by Durango's bold wheel arches. The large (6x9-inch) rearview mirrors are heated and folding on all models.

The roofline dips slightly at the rear, and the liftgate window curves in to meet it, which keeps Durango from looking entirely like a box. Afterburner tail lamps are another Dodge hallmark. The center high-mounted stop lamp is integrated smoothly into the rear roofline. A wide chrome applique accentuates the rear liftgate and features a centered, three-dimensional ram's head.

The Hybrid model does not have any exterior modifications, unlike the GM two-stage hybrid vehicles that tout their green powertrains.

Despite its modern aerodynamics, the Durango takes styling cues from the 1946-68 Dodge Power Wagon, essentially a World War II T214 military truck with a longer wheelbase and a civilian-style, fully enclosed cab. In the immediate postwar era, when the Willys Jeep owned the quarter-ton utility-vehicle market (and mainstream pickups didn't yet offer four-wheel drive) the 3/4-ton Power Wagon was the first choice of rural contractors, firefighters, and forest rangers who needed serious off-road capability and more load capacity than the Jeep could provide. It was popular for hunting and fishing for the same reasons. Today's Durango is far more refined than those old Power Wagons, and the Durango offers better capability.