How safe is the Dodge Durango?
Drivers of the 2020–2023 Dodge Durango died at a rate of 16 per million registered vehicle years, 55% lower than the average of 37 for all vehicles. That makes it safer than most vehicles for its driver: it ranks 40th of 129 vehicles, safer than 70% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.
Where the Dodge Durango sits among all 129 vehicles
Dodge Durango (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 37
The rate is based on plenty of data, so this ranking is reliable.
2WD vs. 4WD
IIHS rates each drivetrain separately. The score above combines them, weighting the version with more data more heavily.
| Version | Deaths* | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Dodge Durango 2WD | 83 | 30–136 |
| Dodge Durango 4WD | 14 | 4–24 |
Vehicles ranked near the Dodge Durango
These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.
| Rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | Kia SorentoSUV · Midsize | 15 | 72 |
| 38 | Cadillac XT5Luxury SUV · Midsize | 15 | 71 |
| 39 | Subaru Impreza wagonWagon / minivan · Small | 14 | 70 |
| 40 | Dodge DurangoSUV · Large | 16 | 70 |
| 41 | GMC Sierra 3500 crew cab 4WDPickup · Very large | 14 | 68 |
| 42 | Ford T-250 Transit cargoLarge van · Very large | 16 | 68 |
| 43 | Mazda CX-5 4WDSUV · Small | 17 | 67 |
How it compares with other SUVs
Among the 46 SUVs ranked, the Dodge Durango is 18th. The safest SUVs are below. See all SUVs.
| SUVs rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevrolet Tahoe 4WDSUV · Large | 0 | 100 |
| 2 | Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WDSUV · Small | 5 | 96 |
| 3 | Volkswagen AtlasSUV · Midsize | 6 | 95 |
| 4 | Chevrolet Suburban 1500 4WDSUV · Very large | 6 | 94 |
| 5 | Ford Escape hybridSUV · Small | 7 | 91 |
| 18 | Dodge DurangoSUV · Large | 16 | 70 |
Earlier models
In the earlier IIHS study of 2017–2020 models, the Dodge Durango had a driver death rate of 27 (range 12–41) and ranked 61st of 127. The newer rate is lower.
Common questions
Is the Dodge Durango a safe vehicle?
By real-world driver deaths, the Dodge Durango is safer than most vehicles for its driver. Its driver death rate of 16 per million registered vehicle years is 55% lower than the average, and it ranks 40th of 129 vehicles across all classes.
How does the Dodge Durango compare with other SUVs?
It ranks 18th of 46 SUVs. The safest is the Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD, with a rate of 0.
Is the 2WD or 4WD Dodge Durango safer?
The 4WD version had the lower driver death rate (2WD: 83, 4WD: 14). Their ranges don't overlap, so the difference is likely real.
Why is this different from the Dodge Durango's crash-test rating?
Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.
* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.