Compare the2026 Dodge DurangoVS 2025 Tesla Model X

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Durango are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model X doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Model X doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Durango has standard Rear Park-Assist with Stop that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Model X doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Durango has standard Uconnect 9-1-1, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model X doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Durango and the Model X have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems and front parking sensors.

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 Tesla Model X:

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

There are almost 12 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Durango’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Durango’s reliability 21 points higher than the Model X.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge above average in initial quality. With 20 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is rated below average.

For better traction, the Durango R/T Tow N Go’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model X (295/45R20 vs. 265/35R22).

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 Model X 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 Model X; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Durango has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Model X’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Durango’s wheelbase is 3.1 inches longer than on the Model X (119.8 inches vs. 116.7 inches).

The Dodge Durango may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 250 pounds less than the Tesla Model X.

The Durango has 1.3 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more rear shoulder room, .7 inches more third row headroom, 3.7 inches more third row legroom, 3.7 inches more third row hip room and 9.7 inches more third row shoulder room than the Model X.

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

The Durango’s available rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Model X 6-Passenger doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

The Durango’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Model X’s (6200 vs. 5000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Tesla Model X is only 5000 pounds. The Durango 4x4 offers up to a 8700 lbs. towing capacity.

While the Model X w/22” wheels can only tow 3500, any Durango can tow a minimum of 6200 pounds.

The Durango V8 4WD can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Durango can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Model X can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Durango’s entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model X has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

The Durango’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Model X’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Durango has a standard rear wiper. The Model X doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Durango’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model X doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Durango has standard extendable sun visors. The Model X doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Durango’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The Model X’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

The Durango has a standard center folding armrest for the middle row passengers. A center armrest helps make middle row passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Model X doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

The Durango is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the Model X, which solely provides FM radio. With AM radio, you can enjoy a wider variety of stations featuring news, talk shows, sports commentary, native language programing, automated traffic guidance, and emergency broadcasts. AM waves travel further and penetrate buildings and obstacles more effectively than FM signals, especially at night. Having both FM and AM stereo radios the Durango offers a more comprehensive listening experience compared to only FM in the Model X.

HD Radio boasts several benefits over conventional radio: superior sound quality with clearer and consistent FM broadcasts, CD-quality audio, and Multicast Channels offering up to four streams from a single station, adding programming choices. Cars like the Durango equipped with HD Radio provide an improved in-car entertainment experience. The Model X, devoid of this technology, foregoes these benefits. Selecting the Dodge Durango empowers drivers to enjoy a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience while on the go.

The Durango offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Model X doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Durango is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Model X doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Dodge Durango retains 50.72% of its original value after 5 years, significantly more than the 36.64% resale value of the 2025 Tesla Model X after five years, which can save the Dodge’s owner up to $34873.94505 in depreciation.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Durango is less expensive to operate than the Model X because typical repairs cost much less on the Durango than the Model X, including $743 less for a water pump and $567 less for a power steering pump.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Durango first among upper midsize suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Model X isn’t in the top three.

The Dodge Durango outsold the Tesla Model X by almost three to one during 2024.