Business Fleet, September/October 2018

WWW BUSINESSFLEET COM 16 BUSINESS FLEET September October 2018 DRIVING NOTES The 2018 Dodge Durango SRT may suit a powerhouse executive because it isnt an ordinary midsize SUV New for this model year this muscular ute arrives as the seventh model from FCAs SRT performance division to provide enough room for family weekend luggage and an engine note to make your heart flutter With three rows of leather trimmed captains chairs the Durango SRT is there for those who need to compromise a little performance for a lot of space Sure you might not be going around the corners like a Porsche but every onramp and straightaway will be music to your ears With a combined 475 horsepower and 470 lb ft of torque from its Hemi 392 you can confidently pull away from stoplights and leave many sports cars in the rear view mirror The interior provides plenty of space to work if necessary Any passengers in the vehicle would be able to use their laptop or spread out some documents that theyre reading with no problems There are also ambient lights that can be turned on and are bright enough for nighttime reading Seats are supportive and comfortable This midsize SUV is one of the largest in its category Weighing about 5500 pounds while having enough power to launch it from 0 60 mph in under 5 seconds means that fuel economy will suffer The Durango SRT gets 13 mpg in city driving 19 mpg on the highway and 15 mpg combined This may be a track vehicle and as such the ride quality is best when the roads are smooth However we tested it on the streets of Los Angeles where the potholes and uneven roads made us check if we had spilled our coffee a few times And with this engine you will be heard coming and going whether you like it or not Having said all that this SUV will give you road presence Youll feel firmly planted and will be noticed when driving by other vehicles Other drivers will hear and see you coming and think twice before cutting you off When youre driving around in the Durango SRT youll know youre in charge With a base price of 62995 and 70270 as tested youre purchasing this vehicle because you have responsibilities but dont want to give up everything that makes driving fun BY PAUL LIM 2018 DODGE DURANGO SRT 392