Dodge’s only SUV, the Durango’s capability, advanced tech, class-leading towing, and aggressive styling make it the Charger of the three-row SUV segment. We examine every year of the sporty family hauler to find its best year overall.
Dodge is a brand currently riding on the coattails of its former merger with Daimler-Benz, with all three of Dodge’s current vehicles based off old Mercedes platforms. The Charger and Challenger both ride on modified versions of the Mercedes E-Class sedan, while the Durango rides on a modified version of the Mercedes ML/GL SUV alongside corporate cousin Jeep Grand Cherokee.
This has not always been the case for Dodge products, especially the Durango SUV. In this article, we will dig into the details of each of the three generations of Durango to cover what makes them great–or not–and single out model years to search for if you find yourself needing a mid-size American crossover with three rows of seating.
Dakota-based First-generation Durango Offered Up to 360 HP, Sold Over 100K Units Annually
There is something quite endearing about the first generation (1998-2003) of Dodge Durango. Riding on the boxed frame and sharing almost everything forward of the B-pillar with the Dakota pickup on which it was based, the 1998 Durango was a first in the realm of mid-size SUVs for the Dodge brand. There is plenty of charm in its macho, mini-Ram styling with its wide crosshair grille and wide shoulders.
Behind that grille, buyers could find one of five different V8 engines or one V6 engine over its six-year lifespan, mated to an outdated-by-today’s-standards four or five-speed automatic gearbox.
Powertrain choices were the standard 5.2L Magnum V8 paired to a four-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. Rear-wheel drive-only models began appearing for the 1999 model year. Output of this engine measured at 230 horsepower and 300 lb.-ft. of torque.
A smaller 3.9L V6 was offered from 1998 through 2000, but its low power numbers kept buyers away. Boasting a weak 175 horsepower and 225 lb.-ft. of torque, finding one of these under the hood of a used Durango would be a rare and sad sight.
The 5.2L Magnum bowed out to a more powerful 5.9L Magnum V8 in 2000 which produced 245 horsepower and 330 lb.-ft. of torque. In a sign of what was to come for the Durango, Dodge tinkered with the idea of a performance variant in both the R/T model and a special edition made with the help of Carroll Shelby.
The R/T featured slightly more power at 250 horsepower and 345 lb.-ft. of torque. However, if more power was your aim, the Shelby-inspired SP 360 was the one you wanted. Producing 360 horsepower and 412 lb.-ft. of torque from a supercharged 5.9L V8, this special Durango could easily be picked from a crowd by its Viper-inspired blue paint and white racing stripes.
The first-generation Durango was the most popular of the nameplate, according to sales figures, with Dodge moving more than 100,000 units each year.
There was and is a lot to like or even love about the first-generation Durango, with seating for seven, acceptable crash test ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and a tow rating up to 7,500 lbs. if properly equipped; this could easily be a winning formula for many shoppers today wanting to escape the large three-row SUVs from Ford and Chevy.
However, it is not without complaint: the final model year of 2003 has six recalls, and dozens upon dozens of complaints concerning the engine and powertrain on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) site.
Second-generation Durango Got Third Row, Refreshed Design, and Legendary Hemi V8
Things got a little weird for the second generation (2004-2009). The Durango followed in the design footsteps of the Dakota mid-size pickup on which it was based, leading to perhaps the most unique design of the nameplate’s history.
Refinement was the goal for engineers as they removed the more truck-like rear leaf springs in favor of a softer, car-like coil-spring setup for the new generation. This, along with larger proportions all-around allowed engineers to add a third seat in the third row, increasing total occupancy to eight passengers.
Powertrains ranged from small, entry-level 3.7L V6 making 210 horsepower and 235 lb.-ft. of torque, to a 4.7L V8 making 235-303 horsepower and 300-330 lb.-ft. of torque (depending on model year). The legendary Hemi V8 made its first appearance under the Durango’s hood for the new generation and produced 335 horsepower and 370 lb.-ft. of torque.
2009 saw a couple of unique powertrain options for the final year of the second generation. The first, a higher-powered Hemi 5.7L V8 making 375 horsepower and 401 lb.-ft. of torque. The second was a hybrid system that used a GM-designed two-stage hybrid system and added two 87 horsepower electric motors to the 5.7L V8 with a total system output of around 385 horsepower and 499 lb.-ft. of torque.
Sales of this generation Durango were far from that of its predecessor. In an effort to sell more units using the same basic architecture, Chrysler unveiled a luxury version of the Durango named the Aspen for the 2007 model year. However, coupled with the discontinuation of the Dakota pickup on which the Durango was based and the poor sales of the Chrysler Aspen, Dodge closed and sold the plant that had manufactured the Durango since its inception.
Durango wins IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards for First Four Years of its Third/Current Generation
Skipping the 2010 model year altogether, the newest and third-generation (2011-present) Durango shifted production to the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit, where the beloved and renowned Jeep Grand Cherokee is manufactured. The new Durango still boasted a third row of seats, thanks to the engineers stretching the wheelbase from the Jeep on which it is based.
Sharing a platform architecture with the Grand Cherokee proved to be a major improvement for the Durango. Ride and handling for the first unibody-constructed Durango vastly improved over the truck-based boxed frame of previous generations, removing some of the stiffness and harshness found in older models.
Another benefit found from sharing a platform with the Grand Cherokee is safety. The Durango won IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards for the first four years of its third generation.
Power is provided by one of four different engines: a base 3.6L Pentastar V6 good for 290 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque, a workhorse 5.7L Hemi V8 making 360 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque, along with two high-performance variants. The first track-minded Durango is the SRT model powered by a potent 6.4L Hemi V8 producing 475 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque.
The most insane performance Durango is the 2021-only SRT Hellcat model with a supercharged 6.2L Hemi V8 producing 710 horsepower and 645 lb.-ft. of torque which is sent to all four wheels via a specially tuned AWD system. Dodge claims this to be the most powerful SUV ever. Engineers have even included a launch control button to help drivers achieve the best acceleration times possible. I have personally sampled this configuration for my GT: Garage Talk YouTube channel and can testify that all four tires scramble for traction with each gear change in a 0-60 mph acceleration run.
What’s the Best Year for a Dodge Durango?
If you can find the first-generation Durango without excessive miles on the odometer, you should strongly consider purchasing it. These were by far the most popular of any generation Durango, even doubling yearly sales of the current model. First-generation Durango models had the classic styling of 1990s Dodge, with room for the whole family and power to tow the toys to the lake or campsite and won’t break the bank in today’s vehicle-scarce economy.
However, if you are looking for a more comfortable ride and modern amenities, and better crash protection, we would suggest skipping over the second generation entirely to seek out a V8-powered third-generation Durango.
Car reviewer Alex Dykes of Alex on Autos on YouTube even upgraded his 2018 model to a 2021; citing liking his old, leased model more than he thought he would initially. So much so that he sought to replace it with a newer version with better towing capabilities. You can hear more of his thoughts on the two model-year vehicles in question in his video saying goodbye to his 2018 model.
Vehicle History owners love the newest generation Durango too, giving 2011-2020 models anywhere from 4.3-4.8/5-star reviews. The 2020 model even earned Vehicle History’s Owner’s Choice, the award granted to the highest-ranked vehicle in its class with at least 20 owner reviews.
While all 2021 models have updated exterior and interior styling, we would be hard-pressed to turn down a good-condition third-generation Dodge Durango, regardless of year.
Photos: Stellantis
