Instrumented Test
TESTED
Freshened for 2014, the Dodge Durango is slicker than ever, with upgraded electronics, a handsome new interior, and exemplary road manners. But perhaps the most significant update is tucked out of sight, bolted to the rear of the engine, sending power to the driven wheels. The 2014 Durango’s transmission differs from the unit employed in the 2013 model in three important ways: its sixth, seventh, and eighth gears.
The previous Durango transmission possessed a mere five forward speeds. The 2014 models feature the new eight-speed automatic that is manufactured under license from ZF and quickly spreading across the longitudinally engined Chrysler universe.
Do we hear a sotto voce “so what?” After all, the latest Durango (tested here in loaded Citadel form) features the same excellent 290-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 as in 2013, kitted with DOHC, 24 valves, an aluminum block, and aluminum heads. How much difference can a few extra cogs in the gearbox make?
The five-speed AWD V-6 Durango we tested in 2011 clocked 0-to-60 mph in 8.2 seconds and covered the quarter-mile in 16.4 at 88 mph. The eight-speed version tested here knocked the 0-to-60 dash down to 7.6 and the quarter to 15.8 at 89, even though it weighed about 100 more pounds (5159 pounds versus 5068), a function of its higher trim level.
Those accelerative improvements are significant in everyday driving, and the extra cogs eliminate the wide gear spacing that we criticized in our 2011 test. They also enhance towing (6200 pounds max), for the same reason. More important, the eight speeds deliver better fuel economy. Our 2011 Durango tester was EPA rated for 16 mpg city and 22 highway, and we logged 19 mpg. This Durango is rated for 17/24, although our heavy right foot once again managed just 19.
Fancy Footwork
The Durango update didn’t reach as far as the chassis, which made the 2011 transition from body-on-frame to unit-body construction adapted from the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s, but it’s a solid piece of goods that didn’t really need much attention. Already we were impressed by the Durango’s level cornering attitudes, tactile steering, all-day ride comfort, and capable braking, traits that remain strong suits in the 2014 model.
Nimble isn’t a word normally associated with vehicles in this size class, but the Durango is remarkably quick on its feet, adept at changing directions, and even more willing to stop than the 2011 model, whose 178-foot stop from 70 mph we praised. Our 2014 Durango Citadel knocked three feet off that performance—175 feet is on par with a good many mid-size sedans—and never exhibited even a hint of fade.
Full-size SUVs are the pachyderms of family transportation and as such aren’t really valued for their ability to dance. But agile is always better than ponderous, and in this respect, the Durango stands at the head of the class, which includes various front-drive-based entries such as the GMC Acadia. It doesn’t hurt that the reduced mass of the aluminum V-6 makes this Durango a little more responsive to steering inputs and less nose heavy than those propelled by the optional 5.7-liter Hemi V-8.
