Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs Dodge Durango

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer shared its frame and body shell with the standard Wagoneer, resulting in a similar traditional SUV styling. It featured a tall hood, broad shoulders, trapezoidal wheel arches, and an upright profile, reminiscent of the smaller 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The Grand Wagoneer distinguished itself with a standard black roof, model-specific hood, front fascia, and grille. The grille leaned forward slightly, with laser-etched knurling in the slots, and the wheel centre caps had an acrylic glass covering to protect the “Wagoneer” logo. The vehicle's body-on-frame architecture allowed for independent front and rear suspension, with an aluminum hood and doors, and a composite tailgate to save weight. Inside, the Grand Wagoneer shared styling features with the Wagoneer, such as an integrated infotainment touchscreen, a large rotary shift knob, and a two-spoke steering wheel. However, it offered more convenience features and higher-quality materials, including 24-way power front seats with memory, massage, lumbar support, and four-way power headrests. Nappa leather upholstery was standard, with higher-grade Palermo leather available, along with aluminum and American Walnut wood trim.

The 2023 Dodge Durango, entering its 12th model year without a redesign, maintained a familiar yet attractive appearance. It avoided the trend of oversized grilles, opting for clean, almost car-like styling with slim lines, forward-leaning headlights, and a large lower air intake. The rear featured Dodge’s signature “racetrack” taillights, giving it a distinctive look. The muscular SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat models had unique styling features, including a Viper-like hood with a functional centre air inlet and heat extractors. SRT models also had unique wheels and a different front fascia with a chin splitter, engine-oil cooler duct, and cold-air induction snorkel. Some SRT styling features were available as part of the Blacktop Package on R/T and GT models. The Hemi Orange appearance package for the R/T added signature orange accents to the exterior badges and seat stitching. Dodge nearly doubled the available colours for 2023, adding Frostbite, Night Moves, Red Oxide, and Triple Nickel. Inside, the Durango offered a nice environment with materials suited to their price points. The Citadel trim added luxurious features like Nappa leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated second-row captain’s chairs. The SRT Hellcat model featured red leather upholstery, adding a bold touch to the interior.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer was powered by a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 engine, producing 471 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. It featured cylinder deactivation for improved fuel efficiency and was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This setup allowed the Grand Wagoneer to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in approximately six seconds, despite its hefty weight of around 2,900 kilograms. The Grand Wagoneer came standard with a Quadra-Drive II four-wheel-drive system, which included a two-speed transfer case and electronic limited-slip differential for maximum traction. It also featured Jeep’s Selec-Terrain system with five drive modes: Auto, Sport, Rock, Snow, and Sand/Mud. The Quadra-Lift air suspension system was standard, offering height adjustability for off-roading, highway driving, and easier ingress and egress. With the suspension at its maximum height, the Grand Wagoneer had 25.4 centimetres of ground clearance, enabling a 25-degree approach angle, 24-degree departure angle, and 22-degree breakover angle. It could ford up to 60 centimetres of water and was equipped with skid plates for protection. The Grand Wagoneer impressed with its quiet cabin and smooth ride, although it felt ungainly at higher speeds due to its size and imprecise steering.

The 2023 Dodge Durango offered a range of powertrains, starting with the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine, standard on the SXT, GT, and Citadel trims. This engine produced 293 horsepower (295 hp with dual exhaust) and 260 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. In Canada, all-wheel drive was standard, while rear-wheel drive was available in the U.S. The 5.7-litre Hemi V8, standard on the R/T and optional on the Citadel, delivered 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. The Durango SRT 392 featured a 6.4-litre naturally-aspirated Hemi V8, producing 475 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque, achieving zero to 100 km/h in approximately 4.5 seconds. The SRT Hellcat model boasted a 6.2-litre supercharged V8 with 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque, reaching zero to 100 km/h in about 3.5 seconds. The Hellcat’s acceleration was exhilarating, with minimal wind and tire noise at highway speeds. The adaptive-damping suspension, Pirelli P Zero performance tires, and Brembo brakes made the power manageable, although the Durango’s size made it somewhat awkward on twisty roads.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer offered seating for seven with standard second-row captain’s chairs or eight with an optional third-row bench seat. It provided more third-row headroom and second-row legroom than competitors like the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, and Infiniti QX80, although front-row space was more limited. The Grand Wagoneer had 775 litres of cargo space with all three rows in place and 2,007 litres with the third row stowed. Folding all rear seats provided 2,667 litres of cargo space, less than some rivals. It had a maximum towing capacity of 4,472 kilograms, slightly less than the standard Wagoneer due to its extra weight. The Grand Wagoneer featured a standard sunroof, four-zone automatic climate control, and large storage bins. Forward visibility was somewhat limited by the hood, but the standard 360-degree camera system helped mitigate this issue.

The 2023 Dodge Durango was available in seven-seat or six-seat configurations. The SXT, GT, and R/T models had two front bucket seats, a three-seat second-row bench, and a two-seat third-row bench. The Citadel, SRT 392, and SRT Hellcat models featured second-row captain’s chairs, which were optional on GT and R/T models. The Durango offered competitive interior space compared to other three-row midsize SUVs, with headroom and legroom within a few centimetres of rivals like the Ford Explorer and Chevrolet Traverse. However, the Durango had less cargo space, with 487 litres with all three rows in place, 1,226 litres with the third-row seats folded, and 2,409 litres behind the first row. Small-item storage was generous, with a large wireless charging pad and well-placed USB ports. A power liftgate was available, but there was no power-folding third row. The Durango had a maximum towing capability of 2,812 kilograms for V6 models and up to 3,946 kilograms for V8 models.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer featured a standard infotainment system with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual touchscreens, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a McIntosh audio system, and a 4G-LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. Second-row passengers had a 10.25-inch centre console touchscreen, and an optional rear seat entertainment system added two 10.1-inch screens. The Grand Wagoneer had a larger touchscreen than the standard Wagoneer, with a second screen for functions like seat massagers. A separate 10.25-inch touchscreen for the front passenger was available, allowing control of navigation and the rear-seat entertainment system. The Uconnect 5 infotainment system, with an Android-based operating system and over-the-air updates, was used, although the screen response was somewhat slow.

The 2023 Dodge Durango’s lower trims had an 8.4-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, while the GT grade and higher featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless connectivity. The larger screen used the Uconnect 5 system, which was responsive and easy to use. The SRT models had added personality with Easter Eggs, including a burnout-themed animation on startup. The Performance Pages app provided performance information like timers and a g-force meter. A 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system was available on higher trims.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer had not yet been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA. Standard safety features included a 360-degree camera system, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors. Optional features included intersection collision assist, driver-attention monitor, night vision, traffic-sign recognition, and driver-assistance systems. The Active Lane Management System combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centring, with a hands-free version planned for certain highways.

The 2023 Dodge Durango received mixed results from the IIHS, with top "Good" marks in some tests but a "Marginal" score in the driver-side small overlap front test. The NHTSA gave it a four-star overall safety rating, with five stars in the side crash test and four stars in the frontal crash test. AWD versions received a three-star rollover resistance rating. Standard driver-assist tech was limited, with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert standard on all trims. Forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking were not standard but available on higher trims.