The driving position is comfortable with good visibility over an attractive rounded hoodline. Instruments are big and easy to read, though the speedometer appears busy with 2 1/2-mph hash marks. Power outside mirrors are easy to adjust with a big knob on the driver's door. Cupholders and storage trays are nicely designed, while a digital compass and other useful readouts is overhead. Large buttons on the leather wrapped steering wheel operate one of the most well-designed cruise control systems we've seen.

As sport-utilities go, the Durango is fun to drive. We spent a week with the big 5.9-liter Magnum V8 in the Washington area. It always feels willing to get down the road quickly with excellent throttle response and quick acceleration.

A daylong drive though the Texas Hill Country west of San Antonio showed us Dodge's 5.2-liter V8 also has lots of power for undulating highways and steep, rocky trails. The Durango handled well when driven briskly down narrow roads with tight corners and sweeping turns. Compared to other sport-utilities, the Durango feels sporty. Steering is precise and the suspension provides excellent transient response, crisply turning from left to right and back again. Shifting is smooth and responsive and transmission ratios are matched well to the healthy torque of the two V8s.

Peeling off the pavement, we bounced down rocky, unpaved roads through the hills. The Durango provided predictable handling in the loose stuff and, in spite of our best efforts, we never bottomed the suspension all day. Without stopping, we slid the silky transfer box into part-time four-wheel drive and the Durango never faltered as it bounded over deep rivulets cut through a steep, rocky path. We'd drive a Durango anywhere.

Durango's competent off-road capability and on-road handling response don't come as a free lunch, however. We found ride quality on downtown Washington's crumbling infrastructure a bit on the harsh side. The Durango should be fine for most folks, but it's something to note on your test drive. The standard tires should offer a softer ride than the big 31-inch optional tires that came on our Durango.

Three engines are available: 5.2-liter V8, 5.9-liter V8 and, new for 1999, a 3.9-liter V6.

Most will opt for the highly competent 5.2-liter engine, rated at 230 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. It offers more power than the Explorer's optional 5.0-liter V8 or the Expedition's standard 4.6-liter V8, both of which generate 215 horsepower and about 290 pound-feet of torque.

The big Dodge 5.9-liter Magnum V8 generates 245 horsepower and 335 pound-feet of torque. That's a bit more robust than the Expedition's optional 5.4-liter V8 (230 horsepower, 325 pound-feet of torque) and compares favorably to the Tahoe's 5.7-liter V8 (255 horsepower, and 330 pound-feet of torque). Fuel economy for the 5.9-liter Dodge V8 is rated at 12/16 mpg city/highway verses 13/17 for the 5.2-liter Dodge V8, and adds $595 to the price. The 3.9-liter V6 is rated at 175 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque.

The Durango should make a better tow vehicle than an Explorer. With the 5.9-liter engine and 3.92 differential, it's capable of pulling a trailer of up to 7,200 pounds. Chevy's Tahoe is rated to pull 7,000 pounds and Ford's Expedition is rated for 8,000 pounds.

Two-wheel-drive versions have been added for 1999. Two different transfer cases are available for the four-wheel-drive versions. Both transfer cases use a manually operated shift-on-the-fly lever mounted on the floor.

A part-time four-wheel-drive transfer case is standard. Shifting into part-time four-wheel drive is only appropriate for mud, snow and other low-traction situations; it's unsuitable for dry pavement as there is no slippage between the front and rear wheels and the tires will hop and chatter in tight parking lot maneuvers. It's a good setup for people who live in a dry climate, but want to be able to shift into ultimate off-road mode. On really steep grades, it can be shifted into low-range four-wheel drive.

A more flexible option is the $395 full-time four-wheel-drive transfer case. It comes with everything above plus a planetary center differential. Shifting to full-time mode allows the front and rear axles to turn at different speeds, so the wheels don't fight each other in tight quarters yet traction is assured under all but the worst conditions. Full-time four-wheel-drive mode is appropriate for torrential rain, light snow and ice or light off-highway travel. If conditions should get extreme, the driver can shift into part-time four-wheel drive or low range.

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Add this Dodge to your sport-utility shopping list. The Dodge Durango offers more room and better performance than the Ford Explorer and other so-called compact sport-utilities. It also compares favorably to the full-size Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon.

While it may compare with other SUVs, it certainly doesn't look like them. Dodge Durango makes a statement. We think it's a bold, attractive statement. We think Dodge succeeded at its goal of producing a smarter SUV. The Durango is intelligently designed and easy to operate. And it's a smart choice for people who want to step out from the crowd.

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