1998-2003 Dodge Durango

Amid the explosion of unibody SUVs to arrive in the late 1990s came Dodge's midsize 'ute, a body-on-frame derivative of the popular Dakota pickup. As with the Dakota itself, which at the time slotted successfully between the too-small compact trucks and the too-large full-sizers, the Durango was aimed at the Explorer/Blazer crowd but outfitted to win by dint of larger, more powerful engines, a real truck-based chassis with four-wheel drive, and a third row of seats giving, potentially, spots for eight passengers.

Getting there was simple. Dodge borrowed the entire front clip from the Dakota, stretched the wheelbase to 116 inches from the standard cab's 112, and plopped a four-door body with generous aft cabin room for those toddler seats and/or lifestyle equipment. To put it in context, back then the Durango was riding on a wheelbase 4.6 inches longer than an Explorer's, with an overall length that was just under three inches greater, with seven more cubic feet of total cargo capacity. In other words, a slight but useful bump from the expected players but not quite into the next league.

Where the Durango beat the competition was under the hood. The Explorer and Blazer of the period had puny sixes, but the Durango offered the option of the evergreen 5.2-liter V-8 or the fiery 5.9-liter V-8, driving automatic transmissions and standard four-wheel drive; the 3.9-liter V-6 also was offered for the first two years. Dodge persisted with the pushrod V-8s through model-year 2000, when the Jeep Grand Cherokee's 4.7-liter overhead-cam V-8 joined the mix, gradually replacing the 5.2 that year. It packed slightly more horsepower and a bit less torque, but was smooth and helped with the Durango's widely criticized thirst for fuel. In another attempt to reduce consumption, a 2WD version was offered starting in 1999. Dodge eventually standardized the 4.7 except in the R/T model, which kept the brawny 5.9 with a four-speed auto. Early 4.7s had a quasi-five-speed automatic that used one of two second-gear ratios depending upon load; by 2002, this was a true five-speed.

Dodge continued to develop the Durango inside. Early models kept the Dakota's utilitarian interior and notably low-rent plastics as well as seats that have been deemed by owners as "squishy." For 2001, Dodge revamped the interior with a more attractive dash and a new range of standard features including tilt wheel, and generally upgraded the furniture. Coupled with the 4.7, these features make a 2001-or-later Durango the vehicle of choice.

Several trim styles were offered, from base through Sport, SLT, and R/T. A new entry-level trim, SXT, was introduced in 2002. Drive systems followed the options package, generally, though the SLT could be ordered with part- or full-time 4WD.

There are many Durangos and Dakotas in the world, so their foibles are generally well known. The pushrod engines have had a range of smaller problems, as have the auto transmissions; it's worth checking, as always, if the vehicle has been to the dealer for compliance with Technical Service Bulletins. Two other major areas to watch: The Durango's brakes, like the Dakota's, are notoriously undersized and fragile, with the front rotors warping at fairly low mileage. A pulsing in the pedal means the discs are warped, and the stock items can only be turned a couple of times. Aftermarket rotors and pads are a worthwhile improvement. Also, the Durango is subject to a recall on the front ball joints, which can be starved of lubricant and fail catastrophically. Dodge agreed to replace original ball joints free of charge so be sure it's been done; this is more critical on 4WD versions but desirable on all.

Otherwise, the Durango is what it is: a truck with a body on it. The ride can be firm, but the Durango can tow more than an Explorer of the period. It is doubtlessly better suited to rough off-road ventures than unibody SUVs and, these days, the Durango's thirst for fuel has helped depress its value, so there's a lot of truck to be had for the money.