So I'll do one. Please be gentle as this is like my first real attempt at a proper review.
We had a Dodge Durango Crew for our rental car in yellowstone. I had never driven the old one and I had never seen the new version. We just accepted.
https://pic.armedcats.net/l/lu/lurkerpatrol/2011/07/08/IMG_2622.jpg
First thing we noticed, it's WELL equipped. We had automatic locks, automated trunk door opening and closing, keyless start, keyless unlock, auxiliary ports, satellite radio, 2 USB ports (1 ipod port), 2 power plug points, touch screen audio interface, motorized seats, cupholders every-freaking-where, climate control with a ton of settings and cubby holes to hide stuff in. Oh and we had reversing cameras and park assist on this model, which turned out to be super handy considering the size of this buffalo.
We had 3 suitcases, and several grocery bags and carry on bags. As is with the backseats up, you can seat 7 but you can't fit all the luggage. With the back seats folded down, we had enough room and then some for all of our goods and wares. There was tons of leg room in the back, with climate controls in the back as well.
https://pic.armedcats.net/l/lu/lurkerpatrol/2011/07/08/IMG_2734.jpg
Alright, dull stuff aside.
We had the 3.6L V6 with 290 HP. It comes with a 5.7 V8 Hemi, but we didn't have that. However, the engine is no quiet little V6 mouse. Put my foot down and I heard this wail that in some situations sounded like the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti. It may just have been the position where I was sitting but I was certain I was hearing a ferrari. The engine was gutsy enough to get us out of sticky traffic situations but it did feel a bit under power considering the amount of weight that it was lugging. It especially felt sluggish when getting from 0-60.
One of the big things I liked about this durango is that it looks menacing. It doesn't come off as a christian motorist type of car but rather a "get the hell out of my way before I chew you up and fart you out of my exhaust pipes while leaving you in a trail of my glorious thunder". Yet it also has a sort of humble kind of SUV look, it's handsome. It shares a chassis I believe with the new Jeep Cherokee, and frankly I love it. I saw quite a few of the newer model Cherokees and I could instantly make the connection between the 2 vehicles.
https://pic.armedcats.net/l/lu/lurkerpatrol/2011/07/09/IMG_2239.jpg
We had the variable 5-speed auto tranny and so I was always punching it manually from 0-60 (mostly so I could hear the engine <devilish laugh>). It took about 11-13 seconds to get to 60, which I guess is fine considering the weight again, but it did feel sluggish considering the glorious noise.
The transmission was very smooth, and I was actually pissed off at my own car for not being so, considering it's newer and less abused. The durango had about 11k miles on it when we started.
https://pic.armedcats.net/l/lu/lurkerpatrol/2011/07/08/IMG_2751.jpg
The seats were comfy as hell and when I was driving for hours on end I never felt tired. The console is informative, legible under all lighting conditions and not very confusing to navigate around. The windscreen wiper rod was however massively confusing. And the fuel cap opening button was placed in a very inconspicuous place.
The pedals are well placed and very easy to reach and use, not tiring to use for long periods of time. The brakes are excellent and capable of bringing the bison to a screeching halt very quickly. Yet minor adjustments are also possible and the brake goes light as it detects the intensity level.
The steering was amazing. I've driven SUVs and vans before loaded with stuff and empty and I felt like I was driving a water buffalo carrying a rhinoceros. But with the performance steering feature in this durango it felt like I was driving my honda. In fact it felt easier. Going around twisty roads on the mountains was no problem at all.
I looked up the price for this heffer online and it comes out to 35k, which is a lot, but you get quite a lot with it. Replacing the V6 with the V8 gets it to 36k, so not that bad. This is by far one of the best mid-size SUVs ever, and definitely the best SUV I've ever had the pleasure to drive.
https://pic.armedcats.net/l/lu/lurkerpatrol/2011/07/08/IMG_2307.jpg