The 2013 Dodge Durango R/T two weekends ago carried me over ice-covered roads in below-zero weather to DIA for an early flight to Detroit.
For three days, the Durango’s full-time all-wheel-drive system had been challenged in snowy conditions.
Two days prior, we drove through a blowing snowstorm on a very slick highway to Rize Salon near Brighton for a hair trimming by Melissa Lindenmayer. Leaving there and heading into Denver on I-76, the storm ended and roadway cleared, but the cruise button failed to set. “Clear radar sensor in front” the message center advised me.
At the first opportunity, I pulled over and stopped, walked to the front of the Durango and, sure enough, the large radar eye beneath the bumper was covered with slush. I brushed that away, resumed the drive and set the cruise with no problem.
The cold mornings gave me opportunity to use the SUV’s remote-start and heated-steering-wheel features.
Because of the snowy roads, the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission had little chance to get into a mode conducive to higher fuel mileage. The Durango averaged 14.6 miles per gallon. That may be the lowest fuel mileage I’ve attained in the past two or three years, since I drove a big Ford F-150 4-by-4 SVT Raptor pickup to a 12.7 mpg reading.
The Hemi is a strong performer and matches up well with the RT’s stiff sport suspension, 20-inch wheels and large, secure brakes. Tow rating is as high as 7,400 pounds. Optional power for the Durango is a 3.6-liter V-6.
The Durango, almost 200 inches in length and weighing 5,000 pounds, is a seven-passenger vehicle with three rows of seats. Flip-and-fold second-row seats lend fairly easy access to the back row. A button on the dash will flip down the third-row headrests, when not in use, for better vision for the driver.
The Durango R/T’s sticker price reached $45,165, with the addition of such amenities as leather interior, heated and cooled front seats, blind-spot and cross-path detection, memory seats/radio/mirrors, Garmin navigation, backup camera and rear park assist.
Among standard items are the two-speed transfer case, performance steering, three-zone automatic temperature control, Bluetooth streaming audio, front/front-side/side-curtain airbags.
Bud Wells can be reached via e-mail at bwells@denverpost.com.
