The new Dodge Durango is an absolute gift from on high for real men everywhere – especially those guys taking the jump into all-out adulthood by starting a family.
Adding a wife and a little one (or two) usually means a man has to give up his four-wheeled expression of masculinity and kneel to something more boring and utilitarian. It might be a big hatchback. It might even be (…brace yourself…) a minivan.
The bottom line is a man agrees safety and accommodation for his wife and child(ren) is more important than how he appears behind the wheel in public.
But, if Dad is willing to spend the money, the Dodge Durango can sweep in and rescue him.
I had the opportunity to drive two of the Durango’s special editions recently for extended test periods – the Citadel and the R/T. Both are upgrades to the base model, offering higher trim levels and performance variations.
Out of the box, the Durango is an extended wheel base SUV with seating for seven. Even in its most basic edition (SXT), the Durango serves up best in class power and towing from its V6 driven power train.
The R/T is the top performance set-up, opening at $38,995. It’s the aggressive, sport-tuned version of the Durango, offering darker styling. It’s also the most eye-catching incarnation. I’ve driven week-long test drives of sports cars, super cars and special editions of several models. But, the red beast R/T I drove for a week is the first (and only) vehicle I’ve had that drew multiple folks to stop what their were doing only to take a picture.
It’s powered by a Dodge signature, sport-tuned Hemi 5.7 liter, 360 horsepower V8 engine. Special sport-tuned suspension adds to the performance package with an optional Eco mode available to rein it in on the road. Fuel economy improves when the driver activates Eco. But, turn it off and you get the full-on fury of that Hemi.
In both the R/T and Citadel editions, the driving experience is solid, grounded and commanding – with excellence sight lines front, sides and rear. All passengers ride in extensive comfort, regardless of trim level. Infotainment works flawlessly both front and back.
Finally, the angry acceleration and exhaust note of the R/T make that edition a personal favorite and a genuine highlight in the SUV class.
These big SUVs are designed to be people carriers, more or less. They serve much the same purpose as any minivan. But, they serve that purpose while preserving a man’s self-image. No guy will look anything like a whipped husband or a broken own father behind the wheel of the beefy Durango. At its wheel, you ride above the mere mortals on the road – kind of all you survey.
