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Now that I've had some time to cool off and think rationally, I'd like to apologize for my previous rant.
That said:
Comparing the Ford Escape and the Dodge Durango does not make sense. You might as well compare a Civic and a Silverado. The Escape is a car-based SUV. It is front wheel drive and is made to stay on maintained roads. The four wheel drive model is all wheel drive AKA full-time 4 wheel (can be used on dry pavement) and is much lighter than a part-time 4 wheel drive system (only useable on slippery surfaces) like the Durango. Even the all-wheel drive Durangos have 4 lock and 4 low ranges. The Durango is also built for towing and hauling much like the Dakota pickup that it is derived from, so beyond the extra weight compared to the Escape, the entire vehicle will be less fuel efficient.
As for the Suburban, that's really impressive to me that such a big truck does so well on gas. Or maybe it's depressing that my "little" truck uses so much gas. Either way, I don't believe that you have ever owned a Durango, and I certainly have never owned a Suburban, and since my driving style and conditions are different than yours, there really is no comparing the two. Right now, I'm seeing 14.5 as an average. That doesn't mean that 20 is unreasonable to achieve, especially once I do some mods to the truck, and get out on the highway a time or two.
Lastly, I shouldn't need to justify why I drive what I do. If the only goal was absolute efficiency, we'd all be riding 50cc scooters or bicycles. Reality adds other factors when picking transportation, some of which we cannot change. My Durango is my reality, and I freely accepted it when I signed the title. I knew what I was getting into, and I also know how to improve it. So, please, either help me succeed when I need it, or get out of the way, 'cuz I'm not about to stop or even slow down. That would hurt my momentum, and we all know that gas mileage loves momentum.
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