2021 Dodge Durango vs 2022 Lexus NX

The 2021 Dodge Durango retained much of its exterior styling from its 2011 debut, maintaining a muscular stance and athletic design that aligned it with the Charger and Challenger. The 2021 model, especially the SRT Hellcat, featured a cold-air scoop, twin-pipe exhaust, LED headlamps, rear spoiler, and a revised front end. The Durango offered six different 20-inch wheel varieties and one 18-inch version, with 11 exterior colors and six interior color schemes. Inside, the Durango boasted a new instrument panel and either an 8.4-inch or 10.1-inch touchscreen running the Uconnect 5 infotainment system. The interior ranged from cloth upholstery to premium leather options, with contrast stitching and unique seat belts adding a funky flavor.

The redesigned 2022 Lexus NX, available in four model series, showcased a refined design with a longer, wider, and taller body, offering more passenger and cargo space. The NX featured a spindle grille, new block lettering on the tailgate, and a minimalist interior with fewer buttons and knobs. The NX 350 F Sport stood out with a unique mesh-pattern grille, body-color fender trim, 20-inch gloss black wheels, and sport-bolstered seats. The interior was comfortable, with padded areas for leg bracing and a panoramic sunroof. The NX also offered a nature-inspired Thematic Ambient Illumination system in the Luxury trim.

The 2021 Dodge Durango offered four engine options: a 3.6-liter V6, a 5.7-liter HEMI V8, a 392 HEMI V8, and a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8. The V6 produced 293-295 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, while the 5.7-liter V8 delivered 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. The 392 HEMI V8 generated 475 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, and the supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8 in the SRT Hellcat produced 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque. The Durango's steering was precise, but the chassis showed its age, with a reactionary suspension. The SRT models featured SRT Performance Pages for detailed performance information, and the R/T model offered a Tow N Go Package with a towing capacity of 8,700 pounds.

The 2022 Lexus NX offered two electrified versions: the NX 350h hybrid with 239 horsepower and 39 mpg combined, and the NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid with 302 hp and 36 miles of pure electric range. The NX 350 featured a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 275 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD. The NX 250 had a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, with FWD standard and AWD optional. The NX 350 F Sport added Sport S, Sport+, and Custom modes, along with an adaptive variable sports suspension. The F Sport felt taut and lean on winding roads, while the Luxury trim offered a softer driving character. The NX 350 accelerated to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, with observed fuel economy of 22.2 mpg for the F Sport and 25.5 mpg for the Luxury.

The 2021 Dodge Durango excelled as a family hauler with comfortable seating, ample storage space, and family entertainment options. It offered seating for five to seven passengers, with spacious front and second-row seats and a more accessible third row compared to many competitors. The Durango provided 21 seat options and average cargo space for its class. The fit and finish had significantly improved, making it a versatile and athletic family SUV.

The 2022 Lexus NX offered more interior room for passengers and cargo, though it felt more intimate from the driver’s seat. The NX was comfortable, with heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and padded areas for leg bracing. Rear-seat passengers enjoyed roomy accommodations, rear air conditioning vents, heated cushions, and USB ports. The NX’s panoramic sunroof extended over the back seat. The Luxury trim featured a Thematic Ambient Illumination system. The NX had 22.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seat, expanding to 46.9 cubic feet with the seats folded down.

The 2021 Dodge Durango featured an 8.4-inch touchscreen on the SXT and GT trims, with a 10.1-inch touchscreen on higher trims, running the new Uconnect 5 system. Uconnect 5 was five times faster than its predecessor, offering user profiles, connected services, dual Bluetooth connections, Amazon Alexa, TomTom navigation, SiriusXM with 360L, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and OTA updates. The system was easy to navigate, with clear graphics and responsive touch. The Durango also offered a family entertainment system with a Blu-ray and DVD player and two 9-inch screens. The gauge cluster had a small, half-circle analog speedometer, making it difficult to read exact speeds. The TomTom navigation system was user-friendly and responsive.

The 2022 Lexus NX introduced the Lexus Interface infotainment system, featuring a 9.8-inch touchscreen display as standard and a 14-inch screen as an option. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Voice Assistant technology, and five connected service subscription plans. A 10-speaker sound system was standard, with a 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium surround system available. The navigation system included an off-line mode for areas with no signal. The Voice Assistant and Intelligent Assistant systems responded to natural commands, with a complimentary three-year trial subscription to Drive Connect. The NX also offered User Profiles, digital key capability, a digital mirror, and a 10-inch HUD. The larger touchscreen collected fingerprints and dust, and there was no tuning knob.

The 2021 Dodge Durango came standard with a rearview camera and passive safety features like airbags and electronic stability control. Optional safety features included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, automatic high beams, rear-cross traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and forward-collision warning. The NHTSA gave the Durango a five-star side crash-test rating and a four-star rollover rating, but front crash testing ratings were not yet available.

The 2022 Lexus NX included the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, featuring Risk Avoidance Emergency Steer Assist, Oncoming Vehicle Detection, Oncoming Pedestrian Detection, and Curve Speed Management. The Emergency Driving Stop System brought the NX to a stop if the driver was unresponsive. The NX also had blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, Safe Exit Assist, and rear pedestrian detection. Premium trim added an adaptive front lighting system, semi-autonomous parking assist, and rear cross-traffic braking. The Vision Package included a panoramic view monitoring system, front cross-traffic alert, and lane-change assistance.