Dodge Durango test drive since 2004 SUV
Dodge Durango: First acquaintance
In Moscow car dealerships, a new generation Dodge Durango appeared. Today in Russia, the Dodge brand owned by Daimlerchrysler, few people are known, but this was not always the case.During the Great Patriotic War, about 25 thousand cars Dodge WC-51 and WC-52 were put in our country in Lend-Lis. The last model differed from the basic version by the presence of a winch and is better known in our country as Dodge ѕ, since its carrying capacity was three quarters of the ton. Outwardly, the car resembled a small truck and grown Willas at the same time. Dodge ѕ was a rather large car (length 4485 mm, equipped with 2700 kg). On the machine there was a line six -cylinder engine (working volume 3.772 l, power of 92 l.). At first glance, the indicators are not unable, but the motor was reliable and had a great torque at low and medium -speeds, which is very important in off -road conditions. Another advantage of Dodge ѕ was a soft energy -intensive suspension, due to which the average speed of movement of the machine in crossed terrain was significantly higher than that of other army cars of that time. In the USSR, Dodge ѕ was used mainly as a tractor for towing the ZIS-3 regimental gun, but it happened that the guns were more difficult for it: an unpretentious machine coped with them. In the post -war years, Dodge changed the profession became an aerodrome tractor for the first jet fighters. In many third world countries, Dodge ѕ is still actively exploited. For example, in the Dominican Republic, a car is offered even at rental points. Several Dodge ѕ have survived in our country. Among them are a rare staff modification with a WC-53 all-metal body (about 200 such copies worked in the USSR). Actually, Dodge ѕ had many modifications. There were even three-axle cars WC-62 and WC-63 with a carrying capacity of 1.5 tons. It is interesting that in the sixties in our country they tried to copy Dodge ѕ. The GAZ-62 turned out, outwardly similar to the GAZ-69 enlarged in size. However, the car did not go to mass production.
But back to Dodge. In the post -war years, trucks and pickups were sold under this brand. At the turn of the seventies of the eighties, the Chrysler Corporation was on the verge of survival, but managed to get out of the crisis. The total number of models produced under the brands Chrysler and Dodge was reduced. In the nineties, a significant part of the machines under the Dodge brand was the overdated Chrysler. But there were exclusive developments. First of all, we are talking about the most high -speed American Dodge Viper, capable of accelerating to 300 km/h. On the American continent, Dodge Dakota pickups and the Dodge Durango SUVs created on its base were in great demand. The previous generation of Durango appeared on the American market in 1998. The car immediately became popular. Already in 1999, more than 220 thousand durango left the assembly line. In 2000, the SUV was modernized by updating the appearance and engines. Soon, the demand for classic SUVs began to fall. Then, trying to save the market, the designers made several versions on the basis of one model. So Durango 4.7, equipped with an economical power unit V8 with a capacity of 238 liters, were born. With. From the new Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the Durango R/T sports modification with a 5.9-liter engine of 254 liters. With. Durango R/T differed from the base model with a reduced clearance, a suspension, adapted for movement at high speeds, and alloy 17-inch wheels.
But time does not stand still, and the end of 2003 the concern marked the release of a new generation of Dodge Durango, and more recently such cars appeared in Moscow. So far, only the most powerful version with a new engine that has a working volume of 5.7 liters and a power of 349 liters is supplied to Russia. With.
The new Durango is a worthy heir to the legendary Dodge ѕ. Compared to Durango, also a rather big Jeep Cherokee looks a dwarf. The appearance of Durango is quite contradictory. If you look in front, then this is a classic Dodge with a huge hood and radiator cladding, the machine resembles many SUVs of this class on the side, but large extensors of the wheel arches make it unique. Round rear lights in the style of the fifties also look spectacular. I must say, in general, Durango looks rather harmonious, and you will not confuse it with any other machine. The assembly quality was pleasantly surprised: the gaps between the body elements are no more than that of Japanese cars. Apparently, it was not for nothing that the Americans spent on the modernization of the plant in Newark, where they collect Durango, 180 million dollars.
Compared to its predecessor, the new Dodge Durango became 18 cm longer, and its wheelbase increased by 8 cm.
Now let's look at the salon. The driver’s place is organized flawlessly: a magnificent leather chair with convenient adjustments, good visibility in all directions. It is interesting that there is a steering coach (hello from the distant fifties) to control an automatic box. The list of standard Durango equipment has a whole page, usually in advertisements about such cars they write: there is everything. Indeed, Durango even has an adjustable pedal node!
Durango leather seats are beyond praise. But why is cheap plastic used in the interior decoration of the expensive car? Nowadays, this is nonsense!
We present some claims to the layout of the cabin. Three rows of seats are able to accommodate seven people. But the front right passenger is in constrained conditions. In passengers of the second row of seats, the space for the legs is limited. And of course, the closest range is the third. However, the total volume of the Durango salon is greater than that of its classmates. Considering that the third row of seats is rarely used, it would be possible to significantly improve the situation by applying longitudinal adjustment of the second row seats in the machine, but Durango does not have it. However, we will not find fault: Durango classmates salons also do not differ in supercomfort. Indeed, according to the American classification, this car belongs to the category of medium -sized SUVs.
The luggage compartment Durango in the seven -seater version is very small, but if you add the last row of seats, then a significant free space is formed. Having folded the second and third rows at the same time, we get the volume of the luggage compartment about three cubic meters more than that of the main competitors.
Unfortunately, it was not possible to travel on the new Durango, but, having carefully studied the design of the machine, some conclusions about the behavior of the car on the road can be made. Unlike old -generation machines, on which a hard rear bridge on sheet springs was installed, on the new Durango, the designers used a multi -leaf spring suspension with the Watt mechanism. Most likely, this should improve the behavior of the machine at great speed. Of course, the off -road capabilities of Durango worsened a little (for example, the road clearance decreased to 201 mm). Nevertheless, the car that interests us remains an honest SUV with a powerful spar frame, metallic protection of the front suspension, gearbox and gas tank. By the way, the frame is now made by modern technology by hydraulic forming, while on the old Durango, in the production of this part, classic stamping and welding were used.
Durango power unit, developing power of 349 liters. With. And having a torque of 509 Nm, is able to disperse a heavy car to 100 km/h in just seven seconds.
With maximum speed, the situation is more complicated. In the characteristic, the manufacturer does not indicate it. All Durango supplied to the American market are equipped with an electronic speed limiter, which does not allow the machine to accelerate above 180 km/h. On cars sold in Russia, such a limiter may not be. In this case, you need to look at the marking of the tires installed on each specific copy. For example, on a car provided for a test, there were tires with an index H, therefore, on this copy you can not drive at a speed of more than 210 km/h.
Who can recommend such a car? Most likely, Durango is suitable for a resident of a metropolis with a country house. It is very simple to operate the car in Moscow. The car has excellent visibility, a vacuum forms in the city stream around Durango: even the owners of expensive foreign cars give way to his path, no one wants to fight with a heavy SUV. A powerful motor allows the machine to start from the traffic light among the first. There are no problems with the parking lot: Durango will be able to stand in any snowdrift, call on a high curb, and not a single tow truck will raise it. The car is convenient for traveling to a picnic. Durango off -road qualities are sufficient to overcome most obstacles that are on the way. In the standard configuration on Durango, a towing device is installed, which can be used, for example, to transport a boat. But for long travel, the car is unlikely to be suitable: after all, comfort is not enough.
Of course, the Durango car is not without flaws. But look at the price: in the most luxurious configuration, the car costs only 69.9 thousand dollars! It turns out that Durango has practically no competitors. After all, there are no other SUVs with an engine with a capacity of 349 liters on the Russian market. p., so well equipped and at the same time having a price below $ 100 thousand.
Photo: Sergey Kozlovsky
