We recently purchased a new 2006 Dodge Durango for my wife to replace her car, a 1998 Volvo V70 GLT, which in turn became my daily driver. With two kids, and a huge stroller and groceries, the volvo wasn't cutting it anymore. Plus, she's a truck kinda 'gal, and really wanted to get out of the wagon. She doesn't drive any extended distances, maybe 40 miles a week, and gets about 17mpg in the Durango.

We've taken this truck on two or three 150+ mile trips so far and I have to say, it is very comfortable. It's also extremely quiet and 'sure' of itself on the road. I've driven about 1000 miles in the truck, and never had a moment of doubt that the vehicle could perform safely in a given situation.

The interior is a bit drab, but nice enough for a truck. I've grown to really enjoy the vehicle, and actually let my wife do most of the driving when we go places in it. The base model stereo has a cd player and an auxillary input. No MP3 capability, no Changer, and the speakers lack high range, but are abundant in bass. An optional high-end stereo is available, but we decided to skip on the luxuries as aftermarket stereos are the same price, if not cheaper.

The AC and Heat on this truck work great. Very cold in the hot DC summers, and can warm even the most frozen of fingers and toes. The rear seat climate controls are a nice touch, and will come in handy when our children are a bit older.

The rear seat has an available entertainment system with cordless headphones and a dvd player. The dvd player can also be routed through the main stereo. We also skipped on this option as we already have a portable dvd player.

The 3rd row seat in the SLT is a 2 seater, however, in the Limited, it is a 3 seater. Leather is available for the SLT and is standard on the Limited. Also available on both models is the 5.7Liter HEMI V8 with 340HP, however, unless you plan on towing a boat or a large camper, the 4.7L V8 can handle the day to day rigors of suburbia.

The options on this vehicle never cease to amaze me. You can get a few different types of step up 'nerf' bars, many different stereos including the same one that they use in the 300C/Magnum/Charger with Navigation, MP3 playback, and built-in bluetooth functionality. Heated leather power seats, tow hitch, a sunroof and roof racks would finish off the package nicely IMO. I dont need to know where I'm going.. that's why I bought the 4x4 ;)

One of these days I'll steal the Durango and test out the 4x4 system (which on the SLT comes in fulltime and 4-lock, and on the limited has 3 modes: fulltime, 4-lock, and 4-low) but until then, it's a mighty force for the parkway-bound suburbanites that we are.