Compare the2023 Dodge DurangoVS 2023 Chevrolet Equinox

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Dodge Durango are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Equinox doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Dodge Durango has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Equinox doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Durango has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Equinox doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Durango has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Equinox’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Durango has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Equinox.

Both the Durango and the Equinox have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems and front parking sensors.

The Dodge Durango weighs 1238 to 2096 pounds more than the Chevrolet Equinox. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Dodge Durango is safer than the Chevrolet Equinox:

	Durango	Equinox
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	46	109
Chest Movement	1.1 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	111 lbs.	195 lbs.
Hip Force	236 lbs.	357 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	50	288
Spine Acceleration	34 G’s	55 G’s
Hip Force	446 lbs.	630 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	194	377
Hip Force	714 lbs.	730 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The Durango’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Equinox’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Durango has a standard 850-amp battery. The Equinox only offers a 700-amp battery.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are better in initial quality than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked third.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge above average in long-term dependability. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Chevrolet is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Dodge vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Dodge 7 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Engine

The Durango’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 118 more horsepower (293 vs. 175) and 57 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 203) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Durango’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 120 more horsepower (295 vs. 175) and 57 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 203) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Durango’s optional 5.7 V8 produces 185 more horsepower (360 vs. 175) and 187 lbs.-ft. more torque (390 vs. 203) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Dodge Durango is faster than the Chevrolet Equinox:

	Durango V6	Durango V8	Equinox
Zero to 60 MPH	7.6 sec	6.4 sec	9.2 sec
Quarter Mile	15.8 sec	14.9 sec	16.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88.9 MPH	92.9 MPH	81.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Durango V8’s fuel efficiency. The Equinox doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Durango has 9.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Equinox FWD’s standard fuel tank (24.6 vs. 14.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Durango has 9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Equinox AWD’s standard fuel tank (24.6 vs. 15.6 gallons).

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Dodge Durango, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Equinox.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Durango’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Equinox:

	Durango	Durango R/T	Equinox
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	15 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13.8 inches	11.3 inches

The Durango’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Equinox are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Durango has larger standard tires than the Equinox (265/60R18 vs. 225/65R17). The Durango R/T’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Equinox (295/45R20 vs. 235/50R19).

The Durango SXT’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Equinox LS/LT’s standard 65 series tires. The Durango R/T’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Equinox’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Durango SXT has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Equinox LS/LT. The Durango’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Equinox.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Durango can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Equinox doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The Durango offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Equinox; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

The Durango offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Equinox’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Durango offers an optional automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Equinox doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Durango has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Equinox doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Durango’s wheelbase is 12.5 inches longer than on the Equinox (119.8 inches vs. 107.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Durango is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1.9 inches wider in the rear than on the Equinox.

The Durango’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50% to 50%) than the Equinox’s (56% to 44%). This gives the Durango more stable handling and braking.

The Durango R/T 4x4 handles at .80 G’s, while the Equinox LT AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Durango R/T 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Equinox LT AWD (27.4 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Durango has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Equinox (8.1 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Durango to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Durango has standard seating for 7 passengers; the Equinox can only carry 5.

The Durango has 38.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Equinox (141.4 vs. 103.2).

The Durango has 2.8 inches more front hip room, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 3.8 inches more rear hip room and 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Equinox.

Cargo Capacity

The Durango’s cargo area provides more volume than the Equinox.

	Durango	Equinox
Third Seat Folded	43.3 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	29.9 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	85.1 cubic feet	63.9 cubic feet

The Durango’s cargo area is larger than the Equinox’s in almost every dimension:

	Durango	Equinox
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	20”/50”/83”	n.a./34.9”/67.4”
Max Width	49”	53.7”
Min Width	42.5”	40.7”
Height	36”	31”

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Durango. The Equinox doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The Durango’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Equinox’s (6200 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Chevrolet Equinox is only 1500 pounds. The Durango 4x4 offers up to a 8700 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The Durango uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Equinox uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the Durango is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Equinox. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The Durango’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Equinox’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

The Durango has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Equinox doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Durango’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Equinox’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Durango’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

The Durango has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Equinox and isn’t available on the Equinox LS.

The Durango’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Equinox LS doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

Economic Advantages

The Durango will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Durango will retain 51.72% to 54.97% of its original price after five years, while the Equinox only retains 44.91% to 45.97%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Durango is less expensive to operate than the Equinox because it costs $364 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Durango than the Equinox, including $160 less for a water pump, $505 less for a muffler, $94 less for front brake pads, $238 less for fuel injection and $220 less for a fuel pump.

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