I spent four days driving the 2014 Dodge Durango during the Cars.com $40,000 3-Row SUV Challenge and came away a fan of its blend of strong power, capable handling and ample passenger room. Many other editors did too: The Durango took home second place in the challenge. Fast-forward a year and add three kids to the mix; I’m less than impressed.
Related: Research the 2015 Dodge Durango
My family of five took the 2015 Durango on a 350-plus-mile road trip during Labor Day weekend, and the Durango wasn’t very accommodating largely because of one simple function that many three-row SUVs offer: sliding second-row seats. I tested a Durango Citadel with second-row bucket seats and placed two rear-facing infant car seats in the second row and a forward-facing car seat in the third row. With the seats installed in the second row, there’s no way to get to the third row because the seats do not slide. At all. Instead, they tumble forward. The resulting opening is large enough for easy passage to the third row, but not possible when car seats are installed.