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The 40 mpg Cars of 2013

2009 Dodge Durango

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Curious about the newer model? Check out the 2013 Dodge Durango

Overview

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2009 Dodge Durango Review

By KBB.com Editors

Despite the growing popularity of crossover utility vehicles, or CUVs, for those with serious towing and hauling needs there are few substitutes for a full-blown, body-on-frame SUV. Among the more notable is the 2009 Dodge Durango, a seven-passenger muscle machine with a rugged and distinctive style, a fairly plush interior and the option of a HEMI V8 under the hood. Although not as large as a Chevrolet Suburban, the Durango has grown large enough to compete head-on with such competitors as the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition. Dodge's MDS (Multiple-Displacement System) technology helps save some gas, and a new hybrid-model goes even further. Alternative fuel fans will be sad to learn the 4.7-liter Flex-Fuel V8 has been dropped.

You'll Like This Car If...

If you need a roomy SUV but the thought of a full-size Suburban turns you off, check out the 2009 Dodge Durango. It offers seating for seven and still has a fair amount of room for cargo behind the third-row seat. Environmentally conscious power freaks will love the optional 5.7-liter HEMI Hybrid.

You May Not Like This Car If...

The Dodge Durango isn't big like a Chevrolet Suburban, but it's still big and thirsty on gas. The Durango's bold styling may not be everyone's cup of tea and may grow old fast.

What's New for 2009

A new two-mode HEMI Hybrid models joins the line, promising a 25 percent improvement in fuel economy with a 40 percent jump in city driving. The SXT nameplate changes to the SE, while the Adventurer trim is sent wandering off into the sunset.

Driving the Durango

Driving Impressions On the road, the Durango delivers a noticeably smoother ride than several others in the class. The quiet interior is free from the intrusive wind and tire noise of the...

first generation. The steering is pretty impressive for a vehicle of this size, with good response and feedback that allow the driver to make exact lane changes and easily negotiate tight turns. Power for the base Durango is supplied by a sturdy 3.7-liter V6, with the 4.7-liter Magnum and the mighty 5.7-liter HEMI V8s as options. The base Durango is rear-wheel drive and offers the option of on-demand four-wheel drive but only when equipped with the 4.7-liter V8; V8-powered Durangos have a tow/haul transmission setting that reduces gear searching by remaining in a lower gear for better pulling power.

Favorite Features

HEMI Engine
The powerful HEMI V8 engine adds less than a thousand dollars to the price tag without a huge penalty in fuel economy.

Optional Heated Cloth Front Seats
Available on the SLT and Adventurer trims, these seats add warmth without having to add expensive leather as well.

2009 Dodge Durango Details

Interior

The available split-folding third-row seats can be folded flush, and a flip-and-tumble second-row seat greatly aids entry and exit for rear passengers. The handsome dash is clean, simple and easy to use, with controls well within the driver's reach and logically arranged. Low-back rear seats won't block the driver's rearward view and feature headrests that can extend high enough to accommodate the tallest passengers. A nice option is the heated quad bucket seat package available on the Limited trim level.

Exterior

The 2009 Dodge Durango's styling remains as bold as the first Dodge Durango. The Durango's newest look basically exaggerates the original model's popular styling by enlarging the grille and front headlamps and giving a new look to the rear. Large six-by-nine-inch side mirrors improve driver visibility, while optional 20-inch chrome wheels are sure to increase the Durango's ability to get noticed. Total up all the little changes and the effect is one strikingly imposing vehicle that looks every bit as tough as it claims to be.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

The 2009 Dodge Durango SE features a V6 engine, air conditioning, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes (ABS), rear defroster, power locks, express up/down front window, power mirrors, AM/FM stereo with CD, speed control, side-curtain air bags, Electronic Stability Program, traction control, tilt wheel, fog lights, 17-inch painted wheels and a rear wiper/washer. The SLT trim adds a power driver's seat, 18-inch alloy wheels, 115-volt outlet, MP3-compatible six-disc CD changer, eight Alpine speakers and SIRIUS Satellite Radio. The Limited features a 5.7-liter HEMI V8, 18-inch chrome alloy wheels, power liftgate, leather seats, dual-zone automatic temperature control and ParkSense rear park assist.

Optional Equipment

Options include a 4.7-liter V8, 5.7-liter HEMI V8 or a 5.7-liter HEMI Hybrid, rear-seat DVD entertainment, six-disc CD/MP3 in-dash changer, uconnect tunes with 30-gigabyte hard drive, leather seats, shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive, third-row seat, uconnect gps navigation, heated front and rear quad bucket seating, power rear liftgate, ParkSense rear park assist, ParkView rear back-up camera, remote start, electronic transfer case, aluminum wheels, power sun roof, SIRIUS Satellite Radio and power-adjustable pedals.

Under the Hood

Although the V6 looks impressive on paper, the Durango's weight makes for slow going with the base engine. The powerful 4.7-liter V8 makes it a better choice for shoppers trying to balance cost with performance. If you can afford an extra $1,000 and want all the performance available, the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 is the way to go.

3.7-liter V6
210 horsepower @ 5200 rpm
235 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/20

4.7-liter V8
303 horsepower @ 5650 rpm
330 lb.-ft. of toque @ 3950 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/19 (2WD), 13/18 (4WD),

5.7-liter V8 HEMI
376 horsepower @ 5600 rpm
401 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/20 (2WD), 13/19 (4WD)

5.7-liter V8 HEMI Hybrid
345 horsepower @ 5300 rpm
380 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/22

To compare current market prices, check out KBB.com's car classifieds to view the new and used Dodge Durango vehicles for sale near you.

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2009 Dodge Durango Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

8.5

Out of 10

Based on 674 Ratings for the 2004 - 2009 models.

Review this car

Value

8.6/10

Quality

8.7/10
Reliability

9.0/10

Performance

8.9/10
Comfort

9.0/10

Styling

9.0/10

My favorite vehicle ever....

By jenny (NJ) on Friday, May 03, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 89,900

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 7/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 8/10
Comfort: 7/10

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Love Love Love this truck. Wish the back was a little bigger. But... we are able to use it with the back seat down when we travel. Just limits passengers. Nice ride. For an SUV it gets good gas mileage, but we knew when we bought it it would be expensive for gas but was surprised when it got better mileage than our ranger. I would definitely recommend this to a friend. Worth every penny so far. We bought it used."

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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Love this SUV

By C.C. (AL) on Thursday, May 02, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 125,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 6/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Great looking truck, reliable, tough"

Cons: "bad mpg"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"Other than its terrible gas mileage, I love my truck. I've had a lot of nice vehicles, but even at decently high mileage, this truck does not fail me. Looks like a champ, runs like a dream machine. Like I said, ONLY drawback to this big beast is the gas mileage."

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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Love everything about this suv

By Jack (CA) on Sunday, March 10, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 170,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 9/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 9/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "Size, motor, handles well, 3rd row seat, interior"

Cons: "No back u p help, vision in rear."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"One of the most reliable,dependable, vehicle's I have ever own. I am totally sold on this model, am sorry the discontinued. Loved the motor, 5.7 hemi, did get terrible mileage, but low cost maintenance makes up for it in the long run (170000) ."

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Love my Hemi

By Hemigirl (MI) on Monday, February 25, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 193,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 9/10
Comfort: 8/10

Pros: "fun to drive, good in snow, lots of room"

Cons: "bad gas mileage"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 7

"I love this vehicle. We bought it used in 06 with about 40,000. she now has 193,000 and still going strong. Wish the gas mileage was better, We get a consistent 15 mpg which is really a bummer. Ready to downgrade since i cannot afford to drive it but love love the style, comfort & has been great for the kids with the 3rd row seat & dvd player."

2 people out of 2 found this review helpful

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love it--except---

By bones (MS) on Thursday, February 07, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 98,000

10 7.0

overall rating 7 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 7/10
Value: 8/10
Reliability: 7/10
Quality: 4/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "great highway/trip car"

Cons: "mechanical flaws in drive train/rust spot"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 6

"04 limited w/4.7- very good highway car, track well in all weather- downside-had to replace radiator@80,000-steering link replaced, transfer case replaced and entire rear end assembly@85000. Other than that, car also has a rust problem on the fender area of gas cap side. This should have be a recall item."

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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Great When it works

By Andy (NC) on Friday, January 25, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 100,000

10 3.0

overall rating 3 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 3/10
Value: 3/10
Reliability: 1/10
Quality: 5/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: 6/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "lots of room and power AWD is awesome"

Cons: "many small problems"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"i bought this durango new in 05 its a great suv and i like it but it has problems the front end has a squeak and the dealer just replaced random parts till the warrenty ran out the replaced the rear drive shaft axle and torsion bars the swaybar steering box ball joints shocks front a arms torsion bars and they replaced the exaust manifold that didnt solve it so they rebuilt the motor and its still there i know they are just replacing stuff randomly and then they told me the engine had a knock i also had the transmission rebuilt under 100 thousand miles and ive never pulled anything with it the gas overflows and the plastic on the seats broke off and for some reason all the weather stripping is coming off the few goods about the car is its good in sand loaded with features and it is good looking i do take care of my cars and i like all of them i would highly reccomend buying a latter model because mine was an 04 build date and that was the 1st year of this model"

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