SAN DIEGO AUTO SHOW: Is The MEAN 2011 Dodge Durango R/T Enough To Sway You From A Jeep?

I think you meant average, not mean.

Being soccer parents, probably either would do in normal street driving. But to me, why would you give up the better ground clearance and probably a better 4wd? That's the utility in an SUV, isn't it? I've push a few vans out of mud holes in over dampened fields plenty of times.

Why does the back end look like an old x5?

Because it is an SUV.

SAN DIEGO AUTO SHOW: Is The MEAN 2011 Dodge Durango R/T Enough To Sway You From A Jeep?

NO..its a chrysler product,thats what keeps me away. And the rear end really looks horrible.

My dad has a 2011 Hemi Overland...the Durango is nice but it is not as upmarket as the Overland and I don't like the stretched wheelbase on the Durango.

Those tail lights are unacceptable.

I still think the Jeep looks better :)

This or the off road king,lol off road king? you mean the Rubicon? Yes I will take the Rubicon with the Hemi, why doesn't the Rubicon come with the Hemmi? For people that like sporty suv's this would be fine, I would take the Jeep suv/car for its mild off road manners in case I decided to drive a secondary logging road, If I wanted to drive off road I would buy the Rubicon.

Because you don't need that kind of power off roading. Too much power will get you into alot of trouble. especially rock crawling where too much power makes you spin tires and break axles. Let the gearing and suspension articulation get you there. My Land rover Discovery doesn't have alot of power, but with a ramp travel index and suspension articulation better than any other stock 4wd here in the U.S. it goes places even modified vehicles can't go. Ask any jeep owner with leaf springs and open diffs. They are useless off road. Land Rovers consistently have the highest suspension articulation and ramp travel index of any other bone Stock SUV. That is why it will always be my first choice for any 4wd If I don't want to have to modify it to beat the competition. With that said, I would go for the cherokee. My family is not big enough to need a 3rd row, and I would rather the off road capability of the jeep over the Durango. Being based on a Mercedes ML chassis I know it will handle better than anyone could ask an SUV to handle.

I must agree that articulation is very important, and the LR has mor articulation than the Rubicon? Does the LR have 2 selectable full lockers? And as fas as power is concerned I will take the power, I have owned 3 underpowered Toyotas and with the lack of power it has put me in very dangerous situations, My Fords have both shone off road because of the power, my F-250 wasn't good off road though, my 1976 Bronco shone off road.The new Jeep here doesn't compare off road to the LR or the Rubicon.

...Meh

I give it that the LR only has a rear diff locker, but with the suspension travel and terrain response it should take you anywhere you want when compared to other suv's in their class. the rubicon, while having 2 diff lockers is not in the same class. It would be better to compare it to a defender 90. Either are great offroaders.

I would imagine that the Rubicon would out perform the Defender and the LR off road because of the two full lockers, it also has good suspension flex, The LR may have a bit more? Do you know the RTI? The LR defender is impressive, The Defender would out wheel the Rubicon if it had 2 lockers, the Rubicon could improve on tucking things out of the way like the vulnerable oil pan and gas tank, they both hang very low, the LR does a great job of tucking the tie rods out of the way! That kind of attention to detail is important.You sound like an avid off road nut too.

If 4wd and a rear diff lock can't get you there you shouldn't be in a stock vehicle in the first place. Get a purpose built vehicle like a discovery I, discovery II or jeep. the engine in the current jeep is quite powerful enough, however there are conversion kits for the 5.7 hemi that drops right in to a jeep wrangler.

Check out American expedition vehicles

I like you truckman. You obviously know about 4wd vehicles and I like your unbiased opinion. People like you make these forums great.

Thanks 84bmw745i, I must say the same about you. All the best