10 Dodge Durango Competitors to Consider

2019 Dodge Durango ・ Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

The 2019 Dodge Durango is an affordable mid-size SUV that has changed to keep pace with the times. While it started as an affordable body-on-frame SUV, the Durango changed to unibody construction in 2011. This year’s Durango is available in eight different trims, including the high-performance SRT model featuring a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine rated at 475 horsepower. Buyers looking for more affordable options can choose the trusty Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 with 295 horsepower or the 5.7-liter V8 at 360 horsepower. All Durango models come with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and you can select rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive.

Versatility is one big reason to choose the Durango. Dodge offers three rows of seating for up to seven passengers, plus attractive tech and interior options to customize your SUV. But before you buy, here are 10 competitors to cross-shop and compare.

2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee is built in the same factory as the Durango. Engine choices and many of the mechanical parts are the same. However, the Grand Cherokee is built on a shorter wheelbase and does not offer third-row seating, so it carries only five passengers.

Where the Grand Cherokee really stands above the Durango is in its four-wheel drive systems. You can choose from three systems with this SUV, and there are Jeep exclusives like the Selec-Terrain off-road management system and the Quadra-Lift adjustable height air suspension. The Grand Cherokee uses the same V6 and V8 engines as the Durango, but also adds an available turbodiesel V6 and a 707-horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter V8 Grand Cherokee Trackhawk option.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

2019 Ford Explorer

The 2019 Ford Explorer is a more high-tech option compared to Durango. The basic Explorer comes with a standard V6 rated at 290 horsepower, about the same as the Durango, but you can also choose the 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbo engine at 280 horsepower to save some fuel, or a 3.5-liter turbo V6 with 365 horsepower if you want to rival the 5.7-liter V8 option on Durango.

Ford continues its technology value proposition with tech features not available on the Durango, such as Active Park Assist, which steers the Explorer into and out of parallel and perpendicular parking spaces. The Explorer also includes a 180-degree front camera that allows you to see around corners in front of your vehicle.

Photo by Ford

2019 Chevrolet Traverse

The 2019 Chevrolet Traverse is an affordable alternative, but it can’t match the Durango's performance. The Traverse is limited to a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine at 255 horsepower or a 3.6-liter V6 with 310 horsepower. Both are mated to a nine-speed transmission with optional full-time AWD.

Where the Traverse does compete is on fuel economy. Both the four- and six-cylinder engines offer automatic stop/start when idling, yielding up to 20 mpg in the city with the four-cylinder and 26 mpg on the highway, or up to 27 mpg highway and 18 mpg city with the V6. The Durango offers 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway with the base V6. The Traverse is also family-friendly, equipped with seating for up to eight passengers, and a 4G/LTE package with Wi-Fi.

Photo by General Motors

2019 GMC Acadia

The 2019 GMC Acadia is closely related to Chevrolet's Traverse, but with more luxury features, such as the Bose premium 8-speaker audio system, which is standard on mid-grade and higher trim levels. GMC also provides the Acadia with an 8-inch infotainment system, and your choice of five-, six-, and seven-passenger seating. 

Engine and driveline combinations are essentially identical to the Traverse, so Acadia is not a Durango competitor for performance enthusiasts, but its available comfort amenities are second to none. Examples include dual sunroofs over the first and second rows, perforated leather seating surfaces, and a heated steering wheel. Finally, the Acadia can be purchased with wheels up to 20 inches in diameter.

Photo by General Motors

2019 Nissan Pathfinder

The 2019 Nissan Pathfinder is a popular choice with some dramatic differences from the Durango. The only engine and driveline combination available from Nissan is the brand's longstanding 3.5-liter V6, rated at 284 horsepower. The engine is paired with Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable transmission and your choice of front-wheel drive or selectable part-time four-wheel-drive. The Pathfinder includes both hill-start assist and hill-descent control. If you’re wondering about strength, the Pathfinder can tow up to 6,000 pounds when equipped with a tow hitch receiver and seven-pin wiring connector.

Inside, the Pathfinder offers seating for seven passengers, with an innovative 60/40 fold-flat bench seat in the second row, and a 50/50 fold-flat third-row seat as well. Finally, the Pathfinder has an available birds-eye around view monitor function.

Photo by Nissan

2019 Mazda CX-9

The economy SUV has gone upscale with the 2019 Mazda CX-9. This model already appeals to driving enthusiasts with some of the best handling in the mid-size SUV segment. Now Mazda has raised the bar with available Nappa leather and rosewood trim, plus premium features like heated second-row seats and a head-up driver information display.

Mazda offers only a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine rated at 250 horsepower, but the CX-9 drives like it has a V6. The six-speed transmission is available with front-wheel or full-time all-wheel-drive. Mazda’s AWD system is the best in the segment, featuring predictive technology that proactively senses and corrects wheel slip on low-traction surfaces. An exceptional driving experience makes the CX-9 a compelling alternative to the Durango.

Photo by Mazda

2019 Buick Enclave

Buick is a luxury brand, so while the mechanical underpinnings of the 2019 Buick Enclave are similar to those in Chevrolet's Traverse and GMC's Acadia, the interior is quite different. That makes the Enclave a distinct alternative to the Durango as well. The Enclave offers seating for seven and is available in a new top luxury trim level called Avenir.

Buick is known for making quiet cabins, and all Enclave trims come with active noise cancellation technology. The system uses a microphone in the cabin that picks up engine and road noise, and then creates an opposite noise to cancel it out. It really works! If you decide to spring for the Avenir trim, you’ll get luxury touches like real wood on the steering wheel, wireless mobile device charging, and automatic adaptive suspension.

Photo by Buick

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL

Hyundai has renamed its Santa Fe three-row mid-size SUV as the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL, and the slightly smaller Santa Fe Sport has taken over the Santa Fe name. Either of these SUVs is a good alternative to the Durango, but only the XL offers seating for six or seven passengers. The redesigned 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe is a five-passenger vehicle only.

This year, the Santa Fe XL comes in only two trim levels: SE and Limited Ultimate. Both include a 3.3-liter V6 engine good for 290 horsepower, plus a six-speed automatic transmission. Full-time all-wheel drive is optional on either trim. Among the features the Santa Fe XL offers that are not available on Durango are a birds-eye multi-view camera system.

Photo by Hyundai

2019 Kia Sorento

The value proposition for the 2019 Kia Sorento is simple and compelling. At a starting price of $25,990, it’s among the most affordable mid-size seven-passenger SUV options on the market. Also for the past two years, the Sorento has been the highest ranked mid-size SUV in JD Power’s initial quality survey. Finally, the 2019 Sorento earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The Sorento offers a full suite of assistance and convenience features, including a surround-view camera, a power liftgate, and adaptive cruise control. Kia’s Dynamax all-wheel-drive system is a high-performance full-time AWD setup that works well with the standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 185 horsepower, or the 290-horsepower 3.3-liter V6.

Photo by Kia

2019 Toyota Highlander

The 2019 Toyota Highlander makes our list of alternatives to the Durango because it offers a variety of features including seating for eight passengers and a hybrid version. The basic Highlander comes with a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine with 185 horsepower, or buyers can choose the 3.5-liter V6 with 295 and automatic stop/start feature. The 2019 Toyota Highlander Hybrid comes with the V6 and an electric motor with 306 combined system horsepower.

The Highlander is also competitive with the Durango because of its available bird’s-eye camera system, which includes a curb view for precise parking. The Highlander also makes life easy for parents with the Driver Easy Speak function, which allows the driver to address passengers in the third row using the multimedia infotainment system.

Photo by Toyota