With its size and refinement, the Dodge Durango can be a good compromise between the medium and extra-large SUVs available from other manufacturers. It's smaller than the Tahoe and Expedition. As with all truck-based SUVs, it lacks the pleasant handling of the new generation of larger crossover SUVs. That said, the Durango is smooth and quiet, quite different from earlier noisy, rough-riding sport-utilities. In addition, the Hybrid model is fuel efficient like a crossover, though at a steep price.

The 3.7-liter V6 lacks the power to adequately move this heavy vehicle, and it doesn't offer a fuel economy gain. Its estimated EPA fuel economy rating is 14 miles per gallon City and 19 mpg Highway, which is the same as the 4.7-liter V8 and only 1 mpg better in the City than the 5.7-liter Hemi. The V6 comes with a four-speed automatic and is rated to pull a 3750-pound trailer. The only way a V6 Durango makes sense over a crossover, or car-based, SUV that offers similar towing and hauling capability is for someone who wants the durability of the truck-based suspension and chassis, for example because they drive on unpaved roads a lot. In any case, we recommend one of the V8s for the Durango. The V6 doesn't make much sense to us.

The 4.7-liter V8 engine produces 303 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. The 4.7-liter engine is generally competent and smooth, but it struggles to provide passing punch. With the 4.7-liter V8, the Durango can pull up to 6050 pounds. It is rated at 14/19 mpg with rear-wheel drive, using 87-octane regular, and 13/17 mpg with AWD.

The 5.7-liter V8 Hemi is upgraded for 2009, gaining 30 horsepower to 365 and 20 pound-feet of torque to 390. It provides more immediate power and more confident passing punch than the 4.7-liter.

Fuel economy ratings for the 5.7-liter V8 are 13/19 mpg with 2WD and 13/18 with AWD. Dodge recommends 89 octane fuel, though 87 octane is acceptable. The 5.7-liter Hemi's fuel economy is enhanced by Dodge's Multi-Displacement System, which disables four of the eight cylinders when cruising by deactivating the valve lifters. We found the transition between cruising and power modes nearly indiscernible.

The 5.7-liter Hemi seems like a good value and is our choice for the Durango. With it, the Durango is rated to tow up to 8,950 pounds with the optional 3.92 rear axle.

We were most impressed by the five-speed automatic transmission that comes with the V8 engines. The shifts were smooth; shifting up or down between third and fourth gears was undetectable. The transmission features a Tow/Haul mode, which holds the gears longer and will downshift under deceleration, as might be needed with a trailer on mountainous terrain. It's cool when you come toward a turn at high speed and back off, and the automatic transmission drops a downshift for you.

The 2009 Dodge Durango Hybrid shares its two-mode hybrid system with the 2009 Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and the new round of full-size SUV and pickup hybrids from General Motors. Developed with BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and GM, this system uses a new electrically continuously variable transmission (ECVT) paired with the Hemi V8. The ECVT has two electric motors and four fixed gears. Total output is 385 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. Dodge says the hybrid system boosts city fuel economy by 40 percent and overall fuel economy by more than 25 percent. Fuel economy is estimated at 19/20 mpg City/Highway.

The Hybrid has a Traction Power Inversion Module that determines when the vehicle should operate in the first or second mode and also chooses gears. The first mode is mostly for around-town driving and can use battery power alone up to 25 mph. The second mode is meant for highway speeds and always uses engine power. No engine speed changes are necessary for mode shifts to occur. In the Hybrid, the Hemi V8 also has the Multi Displacement System, and Dodge says the hybrid system allows the Aspen to idle part of the engine more often for better fuel economy.

On the road, the hybrid system works well, but not seamlessly. We detected a stutter during initial acceleration. We also felt a clunk that may have been the system choosing one of the fixed gears, or it could have been the Multi Displacement System kicking in, or even the engine starting. Also, in aggressive acceleration, we noticed a dead spot at about 45 mph. It felt like a manual transmission in the middle of a gear shift. Dodge engineers said it was the ECVT switching between modes. It's a little annoying, but it's not noticeable when you go easy on the throttle. Overall, the Durango's hybrid system is mostly transparent in operation, and you have to pay careful attention to tell that you're not driving a regular gasoline model.

The Hybrid powertrain may make the Durango slightly quicker than the standard Hemi version, but not by much. Any additional power the hybrid system provides at low speeds is offset by the sometimes tardy operation of the ECVT, and we actually felt the standard Hemi was more responsive. The Hybrid may also not be the best choice if you need to tow. It is rated to tow 6000 pounds. But it gets good fuel economy and emits less pollution.

The Durango has good brakes. When you need to slow down or stop, they'll be there. They're big vented discs with twin-piston calipers in front, just the thing for holding back this heavy beast. The anti-lock brakes (ABS) helps the driver maintain steering control by eliminating wheel lockup, while electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) balances braking forces front and rear for more stable stopping. We slammed on the brakes several times from 70 mph and found the Durango stopped steady and true.

Cornering and handling are good for a big SUV, but the Durango is far less nimble than a car or crossover SUV. The first-generation models borrowed running gear from the Dakota pickup, but since its first major redesign for 2004, the Durango has been built on its own platform. Chassis rigidity benefits from hydroformed box-section frame rails.

Ride quality is surprisingly good, thanks to plenty of wheel travel built into Durango's suspension. Up front, torsion bars absorb impacts while providing tight control. Out back, Durango centers its live rear axle with a three-segment Watt link instead of a single-segment Panhard rod. This not only eliminates the slight bit of sway that's built into Panhard or track bar systems, but also makes room for a lower, wider load floor. Dodge engineers say they considered an independent rear suspension, but found this arrangement provided many of the same handling and space advantages, while retaining the superior load capacity of a live axle. Durango's rack-and-pinion steering provides a 39.9-foot turning circle, three feet larger than a Ford Explorer, but pretty good for a vehicle of this size.

We found the Durango offered responsive handling over more than 100 miles of remote twisty roads in the Texas Hill Country. It maintained composure in hard cornering, but exhibited body lean typical of a truck-based SUV. The engine sits relatively far back in the chassis resulting in better balance. Driving a 5.7-liter Durango SLT around Detroit in January backed up our earlier impressions. It felt very secure in icy conditions.

In off-road driving, our Durango didn't hit bottom even when driving aggressively over rough terrain. However, crawling over irregular terrain in 4 Low reveals the suspension is set up more for on-road handling than off-road flex. On a great 4X4, the suspension articulates to let the wheels droop to the ground. That's fine for severe off-highway use, but it's at odds with good handling on pavement. In the Durango's case, Dodge has traded some extreme off-road capability for superior on-road handling, which more people will appreciate on an everyday basis. The off-highway capability, meanwhile, is plenty good enough to get the Durango down primitive roads and two-tracks in the backcountry.

We towed a 5,950-pound trailer for about 30 miles behind a Durango with the 5.7-liter Hemi and decided it's the best model if you need to tow. The 4.7-liter V8 would also do the job, but it would struggle on uphill grades and would offer slower acceleration when taking off from a stop or merging onto a fast freeway. And while the Hybrid has a diminished towing capacity, its 6000-pound rating is quite substantial.