Dodge Durango R/T Blacktop AWD: Taking One For The Team
Soccer – er, Ultimate Frisbee mom weekend in the Dodge Durango.
When my middle daughter was recruited to a travel soccer team, our friends bought a minivan and declared one seat was hers. That was our weekend plan – all day, every day, at a tournament, driving two or three hours each way, or staying in a sub-standard hotel off an interstate and doing it again the next day.
By the third kid, the charm has worn off. Our youngest is in her senior year in high school; it’s like pulling teeth to get parents to drive to a tournament.
Not so when we had the Dodge Durango, which had so many great features I wanted to drive both days.
And the girls on the team wanted to be in this car – it was kitted out with a dual screen Blu-Ray compatible entertainment center and leather seats, captain chairs in the second row and Wi-Fi.
Room for six or seven, and that’s just the sports bags; six (0r seven) people fit, too – plus a dog
With three rows and fold flat sets, the SUV offers plenty of space and flexibility but keep in mind that if you opt for second row captains chairs, you only have room for six in the vehicle; the third row seats just two. We tested and three teens could technically fit in that third row, but there are only two seat belts.
There was plenty of space for gear – cleats, extra clothing, food, sunblock – though we were just driving back and forth a state over, you would have thought we were trekking to Patagonia the way they filled the car.
What was particularly useful were the cup holders throughout. I am a big fan of hydrating before intense physical activity, so we made sure each girl had a full water bottle and we had our coffee, plus water, plus a bunch of frozen Gatorades – yes, we were going to have enough to drink, and space to store all the beverages.
With all this tech, no one is left unplugged
While the DVD player with two nine inch screens was cool, no one wanted to watch movies – they chatted, Snapchatted with girls in other cars, texted and emailed – all while using up no more data on their phones. The Durango has WiFi, and the Uconnect system, allowing you to give voice commands for navigation.
We also used the nav system via the touchscreen and it has that annoying shut down when the vehicle is in motion. I vote for a passenger override so someone else in the car can manually enter an address. The system was flawless however, with ample warning for upcoming turns and exits.
There are steering wheel audio controls as well, fun to use because the steering wheel was wrapped in sumptuous leather and I couldn’t keep my hands off it.
Smart key with keyless entry left us looking like a Keystone cop routine
Whoever invented remote keyless entry has no OCD tendencies. I am the type that always double-checks to make sure I turned the oven off before I leave home, and I like to check that I locked my front door, and the car doors. Not with the Dodge Durango. If you walk up to the SUV with the key fob on you, you just pull the handle and the door opens. I get that; it’s great that you don’t have to fumble for a key.
But when you leave the car and lock it, you can’t check the security of that lock. Pull on the handle and guess what? The car opens up again. I did this a couple of times and looked like a crazy person at The Home Depot. I just had to take a deep breath and trust that the car was locked.
It was.
Outstanding in the Ultimate [Frisbee] field–and standing out in a field of SUVs
The vehicles in the parking lot both days were all SUVs and minivans. The Dodge Durango stood out with Blacktop Appearance Package: a glossy black grille and mirrors and 20 inch aluminum wheels that begged to go off road, the Durango has a bad-boy look about it that says ‘the people inside this vehicle are cool, even if they are being driven around by their mom.’
Advanced safety features keep the team safe on the road
The 2015 Dodge Durango is also loaded with safety features: Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop–great for long trips–and Forward Collision Warning, both of which will bring the vehicle to a complete stop if a crash is imminent. Durango’s ParkSense Rear Park Assist System gives an audible warning if you are about to hit something while in reverse. The Uconnect system provides both roadside assistance and emergency assistance via a 9-1-1 button.
What we loved
- Rear DVD entertainment center
- Premium leather seats
- Bad-boy Blacktop Appearance package
- Leather steering wheel
- Second row captain chairs, great for going out with another couple
- Uconnect system is both easy to use and great peace of mind
- Navigation with speed limit indicator
What you need to know
- Gas mileage will make the eco minded shudder; 14 mpg in the city, 22 on the highway; 16 overall
- Takes regular gas
- Base price: $42,295; price for the model we drove, with advanced technology package, rear DVD player, second row captain chairs and leather trimmed seats: $51,260
- Powertrain warranty: 5 year / 100,000 miles
- Roadside assistance: 5 year / 100,000 miles
Disclosure: Dodge provided the Durango for my test drive; opinions expressed here are all my own.
Categorized:Car Reviews
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