Web Exclusive! Check out...
Web Exclusive!
Check out our first look at the 2009 Suziki Equator. They let us flog one off-road and we didn't break it! Here's a little sample.
We've had several occasions where five or more people were inside, which means using the third row. More often than not, passengers chose to climb over the second row seats rather than flip them forward. It's really not an issue if the second row occupants think to fold the seat forward after getting out. One bit of interior layout we continue to appreciate is the steering wheel audio controls you find on Dodge products. It seems to be the best placement for many of us, and the controls are intuitive.
Our initial impression was that the Durango's suspension was a bit too soft overall, and would benefit with stiffer shocks. After a few hours behind the wheel we forgot all about it as the vehicle's capabilities set in and we adjusted, it was very comfortable to drive on a daily basis. It wasn't until we towed with the Durango that we remembered our initial impression. We found that the rear suspension's coil springs improve handling over a leaf spring, but there were still some situations, even with an empty trailer, where the trailer had its way with the Durango, causing it to bounce. Some of this can be chalked up to driving too fast while towing, so keep it in the right lane and you won't have the California Highway Patrol telling you to move over a couple of lanes. Hey, it's not our fault the Hemi can go 65mph uphill with the A/C on while pulling a trailer!