Hi folks, I normally hang out in the Dakota area, but next week I'm swapping my wife's Tahoe for a new Durango. We're going with an R/T, but I'm unsure on the AWD option. I test drove one a couple of weeks ago and I didn't like it, but it was a used one and from the looks of it I don't think it was treated very well by its former owner. and where I am new Durangos are as scarce as hen's teeth unless you want a V6. I plan to give a new one a shot. Aside from the AWD I liked the way it drove.

For the folks who have the AWD, how well does it do in ice and snow? As one who has had RWD forever, how long does it take to get used to AWD? And, are there any durability issues? I'd appreciate as many opinions on this as possible by 22 Feb, as we're headed out on the 23rd to do the deal. Going out of our area for this since nobody wants to stock V8s around here for some reason.

 

I suggest downloading the owner's manual from the Dodge site to understand how the AWD works. From my understanding, Durangos have one of the best AWD there; they are mostly in RWD mode unless slippage is detected and the switch to AWD is made. Here in the snow belt it performs great, and last year's winter when I drove on hilly Wisconsin "improved" roads after and ice storm (it was like a skating ring), it performed superbly; going up and down the hills and curves without a slip or slide.

 

I have owned a 2012 Crew AWD with V6, currently own a 2015 RT AWD. Be aware the V6 and V8 models have different systems. The V6 models use wheel braking to control wheelspin. The AWD in the V8 models adds a low range and is a more substantial system. I live in WI and we get plenty of snow. The Durango has got to be one of the absolute best vehicles available in snow until it's deep enough to plow with the front end. I run a set of Blizzak snow tires on mine as well. The factory tires on mine (Goodyear Fortera) were great when new, but after 20,000 miles they lost snow and rain traction. I switched to the snows in winter and Pirelli summer tires to have the best possible performance year round. Only drawback is low ground clearance relative to pickup trucks of more off road oriented options such as some Jeeps.

The system has no settings other than low range, and it doesn't need them. My wife's daily driver is a 2019 Ram 1500, and I can tell you that the Durango's setup is far superior in ice and snow compared to the "4WD Auto" in the Ram, which isn't as competent in ice and snow and doesn't like it if you forget to turn it back off on dry roads.

You can also turn off the traction control and have plenty of fun going sideways. So i have heard.

I came from both FWD and RWD vehicles before the D. Took no getting used to. Gobs of power, handles very well, and I have not really missed the Maxima I owned previously.

 

After test driving a different R/T AWD, and an R/T RWD, the decision was easy - I now own a 2021 Durango R/T RWD. Thanks for the responses. I tried hard to like the AWD but in the end I just couldn't get past how the steering felt. Billet metallic exterior, black interior. Wish Dodge had a decent blue on the Durango. What I found reassuring is there aren't many used ones on the market, and the ones there are keep their value. Means people like them, and they're worth the money.