The Dodge Ramcharger was based on the popular Dodge Ram 1500 and offered a variety of engines. Another option in several years of the Ramcharger production was the option of a removable "cap". Times changed quickly, and with the influx of very efficient imported cars and trucks, along with the steady raise in fuel prices, these new truck-styled station wagons became less popular, and by the mid 1990s, these truck based models earned themselves a new class names and the "SUV" was born. Meaning Sport Utility Vehicle, the class included any mid-sized truck based vehicle with multiple seating rows and the option of four wheel drive. The Bronco and Blazer models would continue but in 1994, Dodge did not bring the Ramcharger back for production when they introduced the second generation of their popular Dodge Ram. There was an outcry from Dodge enthusiasts who wanted an SUV with the new look of the Ram series, but it would be several years before their prayers would be answered. But, in 1998, Dodge released a new SUV and this one would quickly grow to be every bit as popular as the Ramcharger. This new SUV was built on the Dodge Dakota platform, and was name the Dodge Durango.

The new model Durango was a mid-sized SUV. However, with a variety of new engines and an extra row of seats, the Durango offered all of the abilities and interior capacities of the Ramcharger. Dodge had originally intended to launch a Dakota-based SUV in the late 1980s/early 1990s, but this was the time around which Jeep had intended to launch its "luxury" SUV in the form of the Grand Cherokee, so Dodge held off.

The first two years of the Durango came with an option of three Magnum engines. The entry level engine was a 3.9 liter making 175 horsepower and 225 ft. lb. of torque, the mid level engine was a 5.2 liter making 230 horsepower and 300 ft. lb. of torque, and the premium engine offering was a 5.9L building 245 horsepower and 335 ft. lb. of torque. All three of these engines came fitted up to a 4 speed automatic transmission and were offered in either two or four wheel drive. Starting in 2000, the 5.2 liter engine was dropped to make room for the new 4.7 liter "PowerTech" engine which made 235 horsepower and 295 ft. lb. of torque which was slightly better than the 5.2 liter engine, but kept the 5.9 liter engine going as the "performance engine". The Durango was built to lead its class, and that was exactly what it did. While it had a sporty look and feel the Durango was built to be a work horse. The 5.9L models are capable of towing over 7,300 pounds, and the interior hauling capacity is listed as being around 1,800 pounds, and with an overall capacity of 9,100 pounds, the Durango will move more cargo than many full-sized SUVs! Add to that the fact that it has seating for eight people; there aren't many people that can complain about the Durango not being "big enough".

That performance engine was also what was found in the 1999 special edition Durango. That special model was named the Shelby SP360 Durango. Carrying the fabled name of legendary performance genius Carroll Shelby, and packing 360 horsepower and 412 ft. lb. of torque, this was one mean SUV. Offered only as a four wheel drive, and with an automatic, the SP360 still had the firm footedness of an SUV, but had the bottom end acceleration of a sports car. However, performance was not the only thing differentiating the SP360 from the other Durango models. They came with a dressed up interior with the classic Shelby logo embroidered on the seat backs, and on the outside, it was obvious that this was no regular SUV. The SP360 featured a complete new look thanks to the Shelby front and rear fascias as well as the side skirts and hood. Even the head lights and tail lights were changed, and massive lower fascia-mounted driving lights gave the SP360 a euro-sports car look. The only downfalls to these strong running and cool looking SUVs was the price and production numbers as they were very rare, and with a price tag of around $59,000 new, they were more expensive than many people were hoping.

The 2004 model year brought about the second generation of the Durango, and with it, first refresh of the model. The Durango got a bigger, beefier feel with the new generation, moving it from compact SUV to a full sized SUV and with it a new set of engine offerings. The 4.7L PowerTech was still offered and received no change in performance, but the entry level was a new, more powerful V6, displacing 3.7L and making 210 horsepower. The premium engine also got a big jump thanks to the newly offered 5.7L HEMI. This rebirth of a classic engine offered a new Durango driver 335 horsepower and 370 ft. lb. of torque. The 2nd Generation of the Durango also features some new technological items such as rear seating DVD players, satellite radio, and front/rear heating and cooling. Starting in 2007, the Durango was joined by a sort of luxury-minded sibling SUV from Chrysler, named the Aspen. The Aspen is simply a Durango with some added chrome and other aesthetic features; when the Durango received a mid-generation refresh that included some slight physical changes to the grille and headlights, it looked more like the Aspen.

While the Dodge Durango doesn't have the rough and tumble look of the Ramcharger, it has proven to be a great replacement and provides a reasonably priced SUV for anyone who wants a sporty, quick vehicle which can also haul around a group of friends or family, and it can also pull something as big as a mid sized car on a trailer. All in all, the Durango is near the top of every category because with its roomy interior and powerful engines, there are very few things that it cant do compared to other SUVs.

- Patrick Rall