The Bluetooth phone system worked well for pairing our phone, and it had decent call quality. We couldn't get the address book to transfer from our Samsung SGH-D807 phone to the car, and had a similar problem with a T-Mobile Shadow phone and the Dodge Challenger. Dodge's UConnect site should show compatible phones, but hasn't been updated for the 2009 model year.
The stereo works nicely with digital music, ripping CDs to its hard drive. There is also a USB port on the face plate of the UConnect unit, which lets you copy over MP3s from a thumb drive to the car. The system tags ripped CDs from its internal Gracenote database. Sirius satellite radio is also present. We found the interface for selecting music from the hard drive and from Sirius easy to use. Strangely, iPod integration isn't available on the Durango Hybrid, although we had it as an option on the Dodge Challenger.
Music plays through an eight-speaker Alpine audio system, which uses a centerfill and subwoofer. Although there are only two tweeters and four mids to fill a large cabin area, the sound quality is pretty good. It's a strong, neutral sound that doesn't emphasize one frequency over another.
As an option, we also had the Sirius satellite TV, an interesting feature designed to keep the kiddies entertained. It shows three channels, Nickelodeon, Disney, and Cartoon Network, on a ceiling-mounted rear-seat LCD, and also on the dashboard LCD when the car is stopped. The rear LCD can also be used to show DVDs, and there are RCA jacks for auxiliary audio input, along with a composite video input, if you have an external device to hook up. An AC jack near those ports lets you keep that external device powered up, as well.
A very necessary rear-view camera and sonar parking sensors round out the cabin tech.
Under the hood
We described above how the hybrid system works. Dodge calls this car a Hemi Hybrid, because the gas engine part is a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8. This engine, by itself, makes 345 horsepower at 5,300rpm and a mammoth 380 foot-pounds of torque at 4,200rpm. Dodge estimates that the combined power from engine and electric motor is equal to about 385 horsepower. As with many hybrid vehicles, the Durango Hybrid includes a power flow screen that can be shown on the LCD. Watching it, you can tailor your driving to minimize use of the gas engine.
With this big engine, and the immediate torque from the electric motor, the Durango Hybrid really takes off when you mash the gas pedal, letting out a substantial roar. But as we found during our economical driving, it's pretty easy to make tame starts, as well. The hybrid system means some odd power changes during acceleration, as the engine cuts in, but the continuously variable transmission smoothes the power delivery.
Handling is what we would expect from a big SUV, lumbering, but electric power steering evens out wheel input, making low-speed maneuvers easier than with hydraulic power steering. The ride quality is nice, with the suspension and tires damping out road imperfections. The Durango Hybrid puts power to all four wheels, but there is no special off-roading gear, making it more suitable for inclement weather than rock crawling.
Along with achieving very good fuel economy for a vehicle of its size in city driving, the Durango Hybrid is also designed to handle serious loads. Push a button on the end of the shift lever and it goes into tow mode, meaning the continuously variable transmission gives over to the automatic transmission's four fixed gears. In this mode, the gas engine won't shut off, but you will still get assist from the electric motor. Don't expect to get great fuel economy in this mode.
In sum
As the hybrid model in the Durango lineup, the 2009 Dodge Durango Hybrid is only available in Limited trim with four-wheel drive, a configuration that would be the top of the line in the straight gasoline version. In its Limited trim, GPS, Alpine audio system, and Bluetooth are all standard, with a base price of $44,540. We added the back seat LCD with Sirius satellite TV for an extra $1,765, and $225 for Pearl Coat paint. Along with the $800 destination charge, our total came out to $47,330. The GMC Yukon Hybrid, which uses a similar hybrid system, runs substantially more than the Durango Hybrid, and has inferior cabin electronics. Likewise, if you option up the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, you can easily end up at the $50,000 mark, making the Durango Hybrid a bargain in this full-size SUV segment.
There is a lot we like about the Durango Hybrid, even without being big SUV fans. It uses a fairly attractive exterior design and has room for seven inside, plus cargo. The power train is impressive, getting fuel economy equivalent to many V-6 sedans, but we still would like to see Dodge try out a smaller, more economical gas engine with this hybrid system. The cabin electronics are full-featured, offering much in the way of convenience, although we had a few issues with implementation.
What You'll Pay
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