New Car Overview of the 2005 Dodge Durango Mid-Size Sport Utility Vehcile

Description: Mid-Size Sport Uitlity Vehicle
Base MSRP Range: $26,985 - $35,840
Invoice Price Range: $24,697 - $32,613
Where built: USA

As a big-rig treatment for the sport-utility vehicle from Dodge, Durango was recast last year on a new chassis and the resultant wagon measures considerably larger than its predecessor.

That size-wise expansion made Durango almost as large as some full-size wagons, as it's big enough to seat seven passengers comfortably on three banks of seats. Durango's standard seat layout installs twin front buckets separated by a center console and followed by a sculpted second-row bench divided 40/20/40 in sections, and a third-row bench split 50/50. The second bench folds and tumbles easily from either side to access rear quarters and seatbacks on the third row also fold flat, either individually or together, to enlarge the cargo compartment.

Trims for 2005 are designated as ST, SXT, SLT and Limited, plus a new Adventurer package with tubular side steps, slush mats, a rubberized washable cargo liner and special aluminum wheels.

Powertrains range from a 3.7-liter V6 to a 4.7-liter Magnum V8 and the powerful 5.7-liter Hemi V8 prompting best-in-class towing capability. That Hemi V8 goes in a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) Durango or the optional four-wheel-drive (4WD) version with electronic shifting into 4WD high and low range plus all-wheel-drive (AWD) mode.