Orlando Sentinel's view

Dodge dropped its aging Ramcharger sport utility vehicle just about the time sales for SUVs were heating up. The company needed a sport ute quickly. The Dakota pickup truck, someone likely suggested, could be the basis for a nice SUV. A rear passenger compartment replaced the Dakota’s bed, and the Durango was born.

As one of the more truckish of the available SUVs, the Durango served Dodge and its customers well. But even when it was brand-new, it was hardly cutting-edge, and several years ago, the company began work on the second-generation Durango.

Just now reaching dealers, the 2004 Dodge Durango is considerably larger than the model it replaces. The platform is entirely new and isn’t shared with any other vehicle, and, Dodge says, it will not be the basis for the next version of the Dakota pickup truck.

This is a kinder, gentler Durango with a much smoother ride. The softer suspension results in some body lean during tight cornering, but nobody buys a Durango to race on the weekends. Where the last Durango could be a little jiggly on the highway, the new Durango is quieter and more carlike.

Looking something like an un-Sanforized version of the old Durango that was left out in the rain, the 2004 model’s slightly swollen appearance means more room inside. Overall length is 200.8 inches, compared with 193.5 inches for the 2003 model. The new Durango is longer than a Chevrolet Tahoe and shorter than a Ford Expedition. Width, at 76 inches, is 4.7 inches more than the 2003 model. The test vehicle, one of the lightest Durango models, weighs in at a hefty 4,676 pounds; the heaviest Durango is 5,079 pounds.

Three engines are available: the entry-level 3.7-liter, 210-horsepower V-6; the 4.7-liter, 230-horsepower V-8, and the celebrated 5.7-liter, 335-horsepower Hemi V-8. The only transmission offered is a four-speed automatic. I’ve driven several Durango models with all three engines. The V-6 and the smaller V-8 are adequate for normal use, but if you do any heavy towing, the Hemi V-8 is the ticket, especially if you want a Durango with four-wheel-drive and the extra weight that entails. The V-6 Durango can tow only 3,700 pounds, but with the Hemi, it can haul 8,950 pounds.

The test Durango had the 3.7-liter V-6, which comes only with the rear-wheel-drive models. Thanks largely to a willing automatic transmission that knew just when to shift up or down, the V-6 provided ample power except when you asked it to climb a hill. Other large SUVs have V-6 engines, such as the Acura MDX, but its 3.5-liter engine has 260 horsepower, 50 more than this one.

A V-6 was planned for the last-generation Durango but was never delivered. It helps keep the cost down, but it doesn’t help a lot with fuel mileage — it’s rated at 16 mpg in the city, 21 mpg on the highway. Both V-8s get 14 mpg in the city, 19 mpg on the highway in rear-wheel-drive configuration, and one mpg less if it’s a four-wheel-d rive. Dodge figures the 4.7-liter V-8 will be the most popular engine.

Inside, the Durango is much more hospitable than the last model. There’s more room in the third-row seat, which folds flat when not in use. Legroom in the second row is unexceptional, but there’s more head- and elbowroom. Instruments and controls are nicely placed, and even the modest model we had came with some fake wood-grain trim.

This Durango was an SLT model, a step up from the base SL. The starting price of $28,160 included a lot of equipment, and a $1,515 options package and an $800 power sunroof made the SLT seem surprisingly deluxe, considering the reasonable $31,120 sticker. Some of the nicer additions: fat 17-inch tires on aluminum wheels, a 280-watt stereo with a six-disc CD player, an overhead console, fog lights and keyless entry, plus standard four-wheel disc brakes with antilock brakes. Optional side-curtain airbags cover all three rows of seats.

Clearly, Dodge wanted t make the 2004 Durango attractive to existing Durango customers but also hopes to attract Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition fans who found the 2003 Durango too small. They’re reached a very happy medium.

CONSUMER INFORMATION

Base price: $28,160.

Price as tested: $31,120.

EPA rating: 16 mpg city, 21 mpg highway.

Details: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive SUV with a 3.7-liter, 210-horsepower V-6 with a four-speed automatic transmission.