2017 Dodge Durango GT Long-Term Arrival: One Year in a Sharp, Three-Row SUV

It happened again. I got attached. Like saying goodbye to the friend who is moving across the country, as I handed over the keys to my beloved Range Rover Sport for the last time, I was filled with feelings of regret about things we could have done and places we could have visited together. This happens with every long-term vehicle I have been lucky enough to chaperone, and I assume in time, I will have the same feelings toward my new ride, the 2017 Dodge Durango GT.

Walking up to the Durango for the first time, there is no denying that it is a sharp-looking vehicle. The Granite Metallic exterior paint combined with gloss black 8-by-20-inch rims and exterior mirrors that are part of the $595 Blacktop package give the Durango a slick, urban feel that has presence. Last year during our annual Car of the Year program, design legend Tom Gale described a certain car as looking like a bow and arrow drawn back and ready to let fly. The Durango has that same tensed, drawn-back look, which makes it look sporty even though it’s a large three-row SUV.

Sitting square in the middle of the Durango lineup, our Durango GT comes fairly well optioned straight from the factory floor. The black leather-wrapped interior features comfortable front- and second-row heated seats, a heated steering wheel, and an 8.4-inch center touchscreen. The interiors of most modern FCA vehicles are not the best designed on the market, but they have a clean, simple style that’s easy to live with and will age well compared to some of the more complicated designs. We opted for the Premium group, which on the interior side of things gave us a Beats premium audio system with a 506-watt amplifier. Although I will miss the cooling seats of the Range Rover, the Durango’s seats might actually be more comfortable for long distances.

In addition to the upgraded stereo, the $2,395 Premium group of options got us black roof rails with integrated crossbars, a powered liftgate and sunroof, and HD radio and navigation. We also opted for the $1,195 Safety/ Security and Convenience package, which gives the Durango automatic high-beam headlamp control, automatic leveling headlamps, HID low-beams, blind-spot and cross-path detection, and automatic wipers. Also included in the package are a cargo cover and net, as well as a power tilt and telescoping steering column. All in, our Durango lightens the wallet to the tune of $42,775.

Having put the majority of the almost 30,000 miles on our long-term Range Rover Sport (stay tuned for the final, Verdict review), I can say that the Durango has its work cut out for it. Other than being my daily ride to work as well as my weekend dog, bike, and kayak carrier, my long-term vehicles get drafted as rolling photo-production platforms—equal parts chase car, support car, equipment carrier, and people hauler. When I am not working from it or living in it, I will be putting on as many road trip miles I can so I can truly know what it is like for the Durango to become an integral part of my life. Maybe that’s why I become so attached.

2017 Dodge Durango GT
BASE PRICE	$38,590
PRICE AS TESTED	$42,775
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front-engine, RWD, 7-pass, 4-door SUV
ENGINE	3.6L/295-hp/260-lb-ft DOHC 24-valve V-6
TRANSMISSION	8-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)	4,942 lb (48/52%)
WHEELBASE	119.8 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	201.2 x 75.8 x 69.7 in
0-60 MPH	7.6 sec
QUARTER MILE	15.8 sec @ 88.9 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	130 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	0.77 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT	28.3 sec @ 0.60 g (avg)
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON	19/26/21 mpg
ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY	177/130 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	0.90 lb/mile

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