2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs 2017 Dodge Durango: Which is Best?

2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Dodge Durango front grilles ・ Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

While SUVs and crossovers come in all shapes and sizes these days, the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles lineup continues to dominate the field with bold brawny trucks. The knowledge that your SUV is tougher than the rest brings confidence when the going gets rough. If you need a muscular mid-size SUV rather than a mere crossover, the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango are both excellent choices, offering a slew of trim levels, from the base models through the highest-performance versions. Choosing the optimal pair to compare is a bit tricky, as each brand excels within its own niche. In this article, we’ll pit the off-road-oriented Grand Cherokee Trailhawk ($43,095) with the pavement-pounding Durango R/T ($42,095 with rear-wheel drive, $44,695 with all-wheel drive) to determine which is best.

Exterior Styling

Both the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk and Durango R/T are graced with distinctive exterior designs that stand out from today’s crowd of crossovers. The time-honored slotted Jeep front grille and aggressive Dodge crosshair grille provide instant brand association. The Durango benefits from a 2014 design refresh, with a rear fascia that features Dodge Charger-inspired “racetrack” rear LED tail lamps. The $595 Blacktop and Brass Monkey appearance packages deliver an extra visual punch with unique black or bronze 20-inch alloy wheels. Meanwhile, although the Grand Cherokee has grown a bit long in tooth since its last redesign in 2011, it outsold the Durango by a roughly 3-to-1 margin last year. Jeep’s decision to not mess with success continues to pay off. The Trailhawk’s external visual clues include an off-road front fascia, red tow hooks and matte black hood stripes to ward off sun glare. While design is subjective, we’ll give the Trailhawk the nod.

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Interior

Jeep and Dodge interiors have taken a huge step up in design quality, construction and materials in recent years. The Grand Cherokee Trailhawk’s handsome cabin is rugged yet well-appointed with leather seats that feature suede inserts, contrasting red stitching and heated front buckets. The Durango R/T feels like a private jet, with supple black or red Nappa leather upholstery, as well as heating and ventilation in the front bucket seats. This one is a toss-up, based on taste.

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Cabin Volume

Interior capacity is the most notable difference between the two vehicles. The longer Durango provides three-row seating, while the Grand Cherokee is a two-row vehicle. The Durango accommodates 17.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, 47.7 cubic feet behind the second row and 84.5 cubic feet overall. The Grand Cherokee provides 36.3 cubic feet behind its rear seat and 68.3 cubic feet overall. The Durango takes this category hands down.

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Technology

Infotainment technology is nearly a tossup between the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk and Durango R/T, as both models include Chrysler's generously sized Uconnect 8.4 touchscreen head unit and ample ports to plug into. The Trailhawk features a nine-speaker Alpine audio system, while the R/T is fitted with a nine-speaker BeatsAudio system. The Grand Cherokee Trailhawk’s Uconnect system gains the edge with Off-Road Pages. This feature provides information on wheel articulation, altitude, latitude/longitude, transfer case status and Select-Terrain mode, as well as steering angle and Hill Descent Control angle. Score this one for the Grand Cherokee.

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Safety

The NHTSA rates the 4WD Jeep Grand Cherokee five out of five stars overall, compared to four stars for the Dodge Durango. Their IIHS crash-test scores are nearly identical, but there’s a slight difference in optional safety equipment: The Grand Cherokee’s $1,495 Jeep Active Safety package includes adaptive cruise control with full stop, advanced brake assist, forward collision warning, lane departure warning and park assist, along with automatic wipers. The Durango R/T’s $2,295 Technology option group is missing park assist and automatic wipers despite costing more. This one goes to the Grand Cherokee.

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Engine, Transmission and Fuel Efficiency

The Grand Cherokee Trailhawk is fitted with a 295-horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine and eight-speed ZF automatic transmission as standard equipment, and it has EPA ratings of 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway with 4WD, the same as the AWD Durango. A 360-hp 5.7-liter Hemi V8 is a $3,295 option. Sadly, Jeep's EcoDiesel V6 is not currently offered in the Trailhawk. The Durango R/T comes standard with the 5.7-liter V8, though the 3.6-liter V6 is standard on most other models. The Hemi Durango is rated at 14 mpg city and 22 mpg highway, equivalent to the V8 Jeep. We’ll give this one to the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk over the Durango R/T, based on choice and an edge on fuel efficiency in the base engine. The Pentastar V6 is stout, but if you need the Hemi V8’s added power, it’s a reasonably priced option.

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Ride and Handling

The Grand Cherokee and Durango share a platform inherited from Mercedes-Benz, which dates back to the days of Daimler’s Chrysler ownership. The Dodge has a 119.9-inch wheelbase, while the Jeep's is 114.8 inches. Both are pleasant to drive and composed, but the choices made in equipping each SUV influence the way it rides and handles.

It all starts where the rubber meets the road. A tire with more off-road capability cannot perform at the same level as a high-performance street tire on pavement, and vice versa. The Trailhawk is fitted with 265/60R18 Goodyear All-Terrain Adventure tires, while the R/T uses P265/50R20 Bridgestone Ecopia H/L 422 Plus All-Season low-rolling-resistance tires, with Pirelli Scorpion Verde Black Sidewall All-Season Performance rubber offered as an option. On the street, we’d give the Durango R/T the nod — when equipped with the optional Pirellis.

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Towing Capacity

Need to tow a pony or perhaps a small travel trailer? The 4WD Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk has a maximum trailer weight of 6,200 pounds with the 3.6-liter V6 engine and 7,200 pounds with the optional 5.7-liter V8. The AWD Dodge Durango has a maximum trailer weight of 7,200 pounds, while the RWD Durango R/T is rated slightly higher at 7,400 pounds. All V8 models use a 3.09 rear axle ratio, while the V6 Grand Cherokee is equipped with a 3.45 rear. Slight edge to the Durango for the higher towing capacities.

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Off-Road Ability

We all know where this one is going. Simply put, the Grand Cherokee features a higher level of drivetrain technology and it's more extensively engineered to endure the rigors of off-road use. A Quadra-Lift air suspension system is standard in the Trailhawk, as well as Selec-Terrain with Select-Speed Control and Rock Mode. The Grand Cherokee also provides 10.8 inches of ground clearance with 20-inch wheels, and the Trailhawk’s front air dam is removable. With the air suspension system in Position 2, it has an approach angle of 29.8 inches with the front air dam on, or 36.1 inches with it off. The ramp break-over angle is 22.8 degrees and the departure angle is 27.1 degrees. By comparison, the Durango provides 8.1 inches of ground clearance when fitted with 18-inch wheels. It has an approach angle of 16.3 degrees, a ramp break-over angle of 18.1 degrees and a departure angle of 21.5 degrees. Big advantage to the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, as expected.

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Verdict

When we tally up the wins and losses by category, the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk comes up the overall winner — but your individual needs always take precedence. With so many components shared between the Grand Cherokee and Durango, choosing the optimal vehicle largely comes down to a basic decision. Which is more important: off-road capability or three rows of seating and maximum cargo space? But if you're headed off-road, the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk is clearly the winner. The Grand Cherokee and Durango are both built in FCA’s Jefferson North assembly plant in Detroit, Michigan. Neither model offers outstanding residual value. While competing models from the likes of Kia and GMC offer a high degree of initial quality, they lack the availability of a powerful V8 engine. Simply put: The Grand Cherokee Trailhawk and Durango R/T provide unique value propositions and meet different needs.

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