Dodge Durango vs. Jeep Grand Cherokee L, an Edmunds three-row SUV comparison
There are plenty of three-row SUVs on sale, but few can match the extroverted style of the Dodge Durango. With its prominent chin, bright paint colors and hood scoop, the Durango forgoes sleekness for six-pack muscle. Dodge is even doubling down on the muscle theme by making a V8 engine standard on every 2027 Durango.
The nearest rival to the Durango is Jeep’s Grand Cherokee L. A longer version of the Grand Cherokee that has three rows of seating, the Grand Cherokee L starts with Jeep’s reputation for off-road capability and twists it into a more modern take on a family hauler. Both cost about the same, but which one is the better overall buy? Edmunds’ auto experts tested them to find out.
The Grand Cherokee L and Durango share similar silhouettes and seat up to seven passengers. The Jeep is about 4 inches longer and 2 inches wider, giving passengers more elbow and legroom. While the Durango claims more third-row legroom on paper, its second-row seats are fixed in place, and its low-mounted third row creates a cramped, knees-up environment. The Jeep features a sliding second row that eases third-row access and opens up plenty of legroom once there. In their testing, Edmunds’ experts also found the Grand Cherokee has a smoother ride over bumps and more comfortable front seats for long drives.
Oddly, the Grand Cherokee’s size advantage doesn’t translate into more cargo-hauling ability. Behind the third row, both offer an identical 17.2 cubic feet of cargo space. Cargo space with the second and third row seats folded down is also very similar.
Winner: Grand Cherokee L
The Grand Cherokee L comes standard with a 293-horsepower V6, but it’s a bit underpowered for an SUV of this size. In Edmunds’ testing, it labored to 60 mph in a sluggish 8.6 seconds. Thankfully, there’s an available 324-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder that improves acceleration to 60 mph by about a second. It also improves fuel economy up to an EPA-estimated 23 mpg combined compared to the V6’s 21 mpg combined. The catch? It’s reserved for midtier trims and above, starting close to $50,000.
No one shops the Durango thinking about fuel economy. It starts with a 360-horsepower V8 rated at 17 mpg combined, progresses to a larger 475-horsepower V8, and tops out with the comical 710-hp supercharged V8. With that midtier V8, Edmunds’ test Durango sprinted to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. Although thirsty, eight cylinders also unlock up to 8,700 pounds of towing capacity. Compare that to the Jeep’s 6,200-pound limit and your decision may be easy.
But if your needs include dirt roads and rocky trails, the Jeep is the clear pick. With superior ground clearance, low-range gearing and real off-road hardware, the Grand Cherokee can venture farther afield in places actually named Durango than the namesake SUV can. And while the Dodge’s standard all-wheel drive works well for wet weather and drag-strip launches, it’s no match for the Jeep’s off-road pedigree.
Winner: tie
Both models feature standard 10-inch touchscreens and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Beyond that baseline, the Jeep quickly dusts the Dodge. The Grand Cherokee L’s modern cabin adds a 10.3-inch digital gauge cluster and options such as a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charging, a front passenger display screen, and a digital rearview mirror. The Durango counters with an available 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, but little else impresses.
The gap widens with driver aids. The Jeep comes with adaptive cruise, lane keeping, and blind-spot warning as standard, and upper trims offer surround-view and off-road cameras, automated parking, and hands-free driving. The Durango is limited to standard blind-spot warning and parking sensors. Even essential modern safeguards like forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking are optional.
Winner: Jeep Grand Cherokee L
The Jeep Grand Cherokee L starts at $43,725 including destination fees, while the Durango rings in at $45,870. The Jeep delivers unquestionably better value with more modern features, a more comfortable interior, and proven off-road ability.
Then again, the Durango offers V8 power and almost four tons of towing capacity. It also brims with speed and attitude that few modern SUVs can muster. Those that can typically cost six figures and wear luxury European badges.
Winner: Jeep Grand Cherokee L
The Jeep’s features, off-road ability and respectable towing capacity make it the more polished choice. It’s the one we’d get if we didn’t need to tow big boats or trailers. Still, the Durango’s muscle-car charm, wrapped in a three-row SUV, remains irresistible.
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This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds.
Dan Frio is a contributor at Edmunds.
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