2023 Dodge Durango vs 2022 Ford Bronco

The 2022 Ford Bronco, with its attractive retro styling and go-anywhere attitude, quickly became one of the most sought-after vehicles. Following its successful debut, the Bronco returned with two new top-tier models: the Everglades and the Bronco Raptor. The Everglades model, designed for swamp trekking and deep water, featured an intake snorkel, a Warn winch, and 35-inch Goodyear mud-terrain tires. The Bronco lineup expanded to seven distinct trims, each offering increasing off-road capabilities. However, the 2022 models sold out quickly, leaving many hopeful buyers empty-handed. The Bronco offered a choice between two-door and four-door body styles, a four-cylinder or six-cylinder engine, and a removable roof with either a soft- or hard-top.

The Bronco's design was unapologetically utilitarian, with short overhangs, low-profile bumpers, and a tall ride height to enhance off-road performance. Inside, the Bronco continued its rugged theme with features like sealed switches, marine-grade vinyl upholstery, and drain plugs for easy cleaning. The G.O.A.T. mode dial allowed drivers to select specific drive modes for different terrains. Despite its ruggedness, the Bronco was equipped with modern technology, including a digital instrument panel, a large infotainment touchscreen, and advanced safety features. The Bronco's combination of brawn and brains made it a versatile vehicle, capable of tackling challenging terrain while appealing to a broad audience.

The 2023 Dodge Durango, entering its 12th model year without a redesign, maintained its familiar yet attractive appearance. Dodge opted for clean, car-like styling, avoiding the trend of oversized grilles. The Durango's slim styling, forward-leaning headlights, and large lower air intake gave it a distinctive look. The SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat models featured unique styling elements, including a Viper-like hood with a functional center air inlet and heat extractors. The SRT models also had unique wheels and a different front fascia with a chin splitter, engine-oil cooler duct, and cold-air induction snorkel. The rear fascia incorporated dual exhaust outlets on all but the base SXT grade.

The Durango offered various appearance packages, such as the Blacktop Package and the Hemi Orange appearance package, allowing buyers to customize their vehicles. Dodge also expanded the color palette for 2023, adding Frostbite, Night Moves, Red Oxide, and Triple Nickel. Inside, the Durango's interior was comfortable, with materials suited to their price points. The R/T Plus Package added a wrapped instrument panel, while the Durango Citadel featured luxurious Nappa leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated second-row captain's chairs. The SRT Hellcat model stood out with red leather upholstery, adding a touch of boldness to the interior.

The 2022 Ford Bronco offered two engine options: a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, and an optional turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 engine with 330 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. The four-cylinder engine came with a seven-speed manual transmission, featuring a unique crawl gear for low-speed driving, while the V6 engine was paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. All Broncos came with four-wheel drive and an electronic two-speed transfer case. Both powertrains delivered ample power, making the Bronco capable of conquering various terrains.

The Bronco's off-road prowess was evident across its lineup, with models like the Wildtrak and Everglades excelling in challenging conditions. The Everglades model, tested on Drummond Island, handled deep-rutted muddy trails, deep water crossings, and steep rock climbs with ease. It could ford water as deep as 36.4 inches and demonstrated impressive winching abilities. On pavement, the Bronco offered a smoother ride and better steering than its rival, the Jeep Wrangler, making it a more comfortable road trip companion. Wind noise was minimal, and the absence of tire howl contributed to the Bronco's overall excellence.

The 2023 Dodge Durango offered a range of powertrains, starting with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine, producing 293 horsepower (295 hp with dual exhaust) and 260 pound-feet of torque. The 5.7-liter Hemi V8, standard on the Durango R/T and optional on the Citadel, delivered 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. The Durango SRT 392 featured a 6.4-liter naturally-aspirated Hemi V8 with 475 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque, achieving a 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds. The Durango SRT Hellcat, with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8, produced 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque, reaching 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds.

The Durango Hellcat provided a thrilling driving experience, with its powerful engine and quick acceleration. The adaptive-damping suspension, Pirelli P Zero performance tires, and Brembo brakes made the power manageable. Wind and tire noise were minimal at highway speeds, and the supercharger whine and exhaust rumble added to the driving excitement. The Durango's size made it somewhat awkward on twisty roads, but it excelled on highways, offering a smooth and enjoyable ride.

The 2022 Ford Bronco's squared-off styling contributed to its spacious interior. Headroom was abundant, even for tall passengers, and there was plenty of legroom and lateral space. Accessing the rear seats in the two-door model required some effort, but grab handles and side steps helped. Cargo capacity varied depending on the model and roof type, with the two-door hard top offering up to 22.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 52.3 cubic feet with the seats folded. The four-door hard top increased capacity to 35.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 77.6 cubic feet with the seats folded. The Bronco also featured clever storage solutions and accessories, such as netted door pockets, a rubberized phone tray, and stowable doors.

The 2023 Dodge Durango offered seven-seat or six-seat configurations, with front bucket seats, a three-seat second-row bench, and a two-seat third-row bench standard on SXT, GT, and R/T models. The Citadel, SRT 392, and SRT Hellcat models featured second-row captain's chairs. The Durango provided ample headroom and legroom across all three rows, comparable to other midsize SUVs. However, the Durango's cargo space was less than some competitors, with 17.2 cubic feet behind the third row, 43.3 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 85.1 cubic feet behind the first row. Small-item storage was generous, with a large wireless charging pad and well-placed USB ports. The Durango's towing capacity was impressive, with V6 models capable of towing up to 6,200 pounds and V8 models up to 8,700 pounds.

The 2022 Ford Bronco smartly used technology to enhance its off-road capabilities. The G.O.A.T. modes allowed drivers to select drivetrain and chassis settings optimized for specific terrains, while more experienced off-roaders could manually select their preferred setups. The forward-looking trail camera provided confidence by showing where the tires would travel, and the Trail Turn Assist feature allowed for sharper turns in tight spaces. The Bronco's Sync 4 infotainment system was responsive and loaded with helpful off-road apps. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with an available wireless charging pad.

The 2023 Dodge Durango featured an 8.4-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto on SXT and GT models, while the Citadel and SRT models had a 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. The larger screen used the current Uconnect 5 system, which was responsive and easy to use. The SRT models included the Performance Pages app, providing performance information such as timers, a g-force meter, and additional gauges. A 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system was available with the Premium Package on the SRT Hellcat model.

The 2022 Ford Bronco came with standard safety features like hill-start assist, hill descent control, and trailer sway control. Optional safety features included frontal collision warning with automatic emergency braking, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alerts, lane-keep assist, rear parking sensors, and automatic high beams. The High package added front parking sensors and a surround-view camera system, while the Luxe package included adaptive cruise control and evasive steering assist. The Bronco received a four-star frontal crash protection rating from the NHTSA and a three-star rollover protection rating. The IIHS awarded the Bronco its best score of "Good" in frontal, side, and roof strength tests.

The 2023 Dodge Durango received mixed results in IIHS crash tests, with top "Good" marks in the moderate front overlap, side, and roof strength tests, but a "Marginal" score in the driver-side small overlap front test. The NHTSA gave the Durango a four-star overall safety rating, with five stars in the side crash test and four stars in the frontal crash test. RWD versions received four stars in the rollover test, while AWD models got a three-star rating. Standard driver-assist tech included blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, but forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking were only standard on the Citadel and optional on other models.