- suv 158,100
- 2,748 below average
- 3,695 great
- Cleveland, OH
- 6 years
- autoshopper.com
- 2,748 below average suv 158,100 gasoline white automatic
2006 dodge durango review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Refined and comfortable workhorse. introductionboldly styled, the dodge durango is big and powerful, but surprisingly refined. That's right, refined. Dodge and refinement haven't always gone together, but the durango is quiet and it rides smoothly. Its handling is stable and relatively agile. Inside is a quiet, roomy, comfortable and technologically sophisticated cabin. this second-generation durango is big. Its exterior dimensions place it between the chevy tahoe and ford expedition in size, but it benefits greatly from a space-efficient design. Durango can seat up to eight passengers with the optional 60/40 folding third row seat. Folding down the seats reveals more than 100 cubic feet of cargo space. And a properly equipped durango with the hemi engine is rated to tow up to 8,950 pounds. two v8s are available and both are superb. The popular 4. 7-liter v8 and the 5. 7-liter hemi v8 are smooth and powerful. They come with a five-speed automatic that's smooth, refined, and responsive, including a tow/haul transmission feature we like that holds lower gears longer when towing to reduce gear searching. the base model has been dropped for 2006, so the durango sxt is the entry level for the durango line-up. For 2006, dual stage front air bags and an occupant-sensing system for the passenger-side front air bag are standard. The sxt 4x4 31,180) is equipped with the 230-horsepower 4. 7-liter v8 with five-speed automatic transmission. Naturally, the 4. 7-liter powertrain is available for the 4x2 860). A full-size spare, 17-inch steel wheels with on/off-road tires, and a 27-gallon fuel tank come standard. Options include rear climate controls, a power sunroof, am/fm/6cd/mp3, halogen headlamps, running boards, a towing package, a bigger alternator and battery, heavy-duty shocks and springs, skid plates, and a two-speed transfer case for 4x4 models. durango slt 4x2 30,350) and slt 4x4 33,330) adds fog lamps, woodgrain instrument panel, power-adjustable driver's seat, and 160-amp alternator. The slt comes standard with the same cloth seats as the sxt, but leather-trimmed front bucket seats are available 1,025). Adventurer models come with tubular side steps, reversible slush mats, rubberized washable cargo liner with built-in rear cargo organizer, and unique machine-finished wheels. The adventurer is equipped with a thule roof rack with a choice of six rack systems or an adventurer accessory kit. The subtle mineral gray side molding and front and rear fascias distinguish the adventurer. limited 4x2 35,085) and limited 4x4 37,210) offer, in addition to the features of the slt, heated front bucket seats with premium leather, power front passenger's seat, reclining second-row 40/20/40 folding bench seat, air conditioning with automatic temperature control, premium instrument panel bezel and luxury floor mats, a 384-watt eight-speaker mp3 sound system with subwoofer, six-disc cd and radio memory system, electronic stability control, 18-inch cast aluminum wheels, security alarm and sentry key engine immobilizer, folding power heated auto-dimming side mirrors, and a memory system for seats, mirrors, radio, air conditioning and adjustable pedals. A full-screen navigation system with cd/dvd capability with integrated control unit, hands-free communication system with bluetooth wireless technology, and 18-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels are optional. safety features include optional curtain air bags with roll-over sensors added for 2006, and we recommend them highly for the head protection they can provide to occupants in a side impact or rollover accident. Side-impact air bags are not available. The advanced front air bags deploy with varying power based on the weight of the person in the seat. Electronic stability control and traction control to minimize wheelspin and skids are optional. The durango takes styling cues from the 1946 dodge power wagon. 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. This reduces that boxy look common on so many suvs and minivans. Durango's taillights are distinctive as well, looking like afterburners from a jet fighter with two big red stacked circles per side. The sheet metal is molded around them to suggest speed. chrysler has an expensive new wind tunnel at its headquarters in auburn hills, michigan, and it was used extensively when designing the second-generation durango to reduce wind noise. The motor mounts were calibrated to reduce the frequencies and harmonics of each engine. The windows have an extra layer of lamination to deaden sound. Foam is injected into many of the body and chassis crannies, which would otherwise serve as tiny echo chambers. interiorthe dodge durango feels spacious inside. Large amounts of glass contribute to that feeling along with lots of cargo space. Durango is officially classified as a mid-size suv, like the ford explorer, but it's bigger than that and inside it feels like a full-size suv. behind the second row of seats is 68 cubic feet of cargo space, equal to the total for many suvs. Put the second row down, and there's 102 cubic feet of cargo capacity. The distance between the wheel housings is 48 inches, so full-size sheets of plywood can be loaded flat. Speaking of loading cargo, this task is aided by the liftgate, which opens very easily. A power liftgate is available on 2006 durango models, a handy feature. Also, the cargo floor is relatively low, thanks to the rear suspension design. the second and third rows are notably easy to access because the rear doors open an exceptionally wide 84 degrees. The second-row seat easily flips forward with the touch of one hand, and the seatback flops flat just as easily. This is no small virtue. For 2006, a 60/40 third-row seat, large enough for three passengers, is an available option on slt and limited models. the second-row seats recline and have their own climate control, so back-seat passengers can snooze in comfort. Details are carefully thought out, including convenient grab handles cleverly molded into the stubby rear leg of the second-row seat, which ease climbing back to the third row. Once back there, a small bubble in the ceiling provides additional headroom for third-row passengers. The slt has orange-hued wood trim, while the limited presents a cleaner look with its brushed aluminum. And that trim is real wood and real aluminum, not plastic. instrumentation is clean, handsome, easy to read and easy to operate. We especially like the simple black-on-white gauges and rectangular black venetian-blind style heating and cooling vents. The center console is deep, under a removable tray. Forward of that is another important compartment designed to serve as a fast-food bin. Two integrated cup holders with removable neoprene for different sizes of drink containers are provided. we found the slt's manual heating controls and the wiper controls a bit fussy, and the high beams seemed a little lacking one wintry night. The limited model's high-tech climate-control panel with automatic temperature adjustment is bet.
3,695 Cleveland, OHCleveland, OH 6 years at autoshopper.com