There is the instrumented testing that Motor Trend’s test team measures, and then there is my test. It deals less with horsepower, acceleration, and braking and more with how good of a photography-support vehicle any one car is. Luckily for me, the Durango scores well in my test.
At the high-end of the spectrum of great photo vehicles are minivans. Their low, cushy ride quality, ample storage, and deep rear storage tubs (my seat) make them the camera vehicle of choice for automotive photographers. The opposite end of the camera vehicle spectrum is filled predictably with sedans and trucks. I’m not saying I haven’t crammed myself into the trunk of a car or two in my day to get the shot, but its not exactly ideal.
I am happy to say the Durango falls closer to the minivan side of the scale. With the second- and third-row seating stowed, the Durango has a massive 84.5 cubic feet of cargo space. To give you some context, that is 2.4 cubic feet more space than our cavernous long-term 2016 Honda Pilot had and 22.3 cubjc feet more than my previous long-term 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Sport. And I will tell you, when I pack my camera gear, lighting gear, cleaning supplies, luggage, and craft services in preparation for a photo shoot, every bit of room is appreciated.
It’s not all about space. In order to be the ideal photo vehicle, the ride needs to be sporty enough to maintain speed in the turns as well as soft enough not to jostle me too much while I’m trying to photograph the car behind. The Durango manages to accomplish this balance fairly well and has proven to be a welcomed addition.
If actual test data is your thing, you are in luck. We were finally able to get the Durango for our barrage of standard testing at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. So how did the Durango do? In order to give the numbers some bases for comparison, I go back to our long-term 2016 Honda Pilot. On paper the Pilot and Durango share a lot of similarities when it comes to price, horsepower, torque, interior volumes, and fuel economy. One huge difference between the two is the weight.
At 4,942 pounds the Durango is a whopping 662 ponds heavier than the three-row Honda. I’m guessing that extra heft is probably a large contributor to why the similarities between the two end when you start looking at performance data.
Even with 15 more horsepower than the Honda, the Durango can only manage a 0-60 time of 7.6 seconds, a full 1.4 seconds behind the Honda. That discrepancy carries through the quarter mile mark, as well, with the Durango a full second and 5 mph behind the Pilot. The extra weight also affects the stopping distance. The Durango managed to stop from 60 mph in 130 feet compared to the Pilot, which accomplished the same task in only 119 feet. In fact, there isn’t a single performance test that the Durango bested the Pilot in.
Setting all of the empirical data aside, the Durango did better than the Pilot in one area: my test. And I am the one who has to live with it and photograph out of it, so I will take the overall reduced performance for the added benefit to me any day.
More on the Dodge Durango GT right here:
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