Review written on 8/1964.
The Station Wagon segment is not for everyone. But the Washington may be the vehicle for you. Durack sure hopes it is. So this week I took a trip down to Durack's headquarters to test out the Washington. Luckily we've also tested the everyone else and the 7456 this year. So we should be able to give you a verdict on how it stands in the Station Wagon community.
As always our first test is the track. Right off the bat I knew that the Durack Washington was not going to be a show stopper. The vehicle is sluggish, specially for a Station Wagon. However it does what it has to. Get you from point A to point B. And while getting there quickly isn't a priority, with all the traffic these days, could you really enjoy anything faster? The 81 hp @ 2121RPMs 2162 cc Flat4 engine does struggle, but there is enough there to do the job. The Washington tops out at 72 mph and can accelerate in 33.888s 0 to 60 mph.
So while not fantastic, enough for a daily driver. With 162 lb-ft of torque we were able to drag 22 lbs on our test trailer. So it can move your spare junk! There is not much to say about the Durack Washington when it comes to handling. As a Station Wagon it's below average. As an everyday driver it'll do its job. In summation the Washington is mundane.
The interior of the Durack Washington is nothing short of amazing. It is beyond words to say how perfect this vehicle is. Only the finest materials in the greatest possible workmanship ever seen in this type of vehicle grace the Washington interior. I can not do anything but recommend the Washington for everyone. Durack really outdid themselves.
Amazingly spacey the Durack Washington can bost 49 cu-ft interior and cargo space. This vehicle is massive compared to most. It's one of our top choices when it comes to practicality.
The manufacturing process of Durack has really found something. The Washington seems like a hand built car through and through. The workmanship is amazing. Only fine artisans could produce something like this.
The Durack Washington did very well on our dependability tests. We did not have any major issues in long term testing. The minor issues we did have were easy to resolve and not very costly. We believe that the Durack Washington is dependable enough for even the most unknowledgeable owner. It proper care and maintenance, even if done by a shop, the Durack Washington should last a very long time.
When it came to fuel economy testing we tried to see how far we could go in the Durack Washington. Our goal was to run it out of fuel. We tried and we failed. Even when the Washington fuel gauge was below E, it kept going! Befuddled at this we asked Durack engineers how this is possible. They showed us their Motor Bunny fuel system, which just keeps going and going and going and going for an impressive 48.3 mpg. In one word, amazing.
While talking with engineers at Durack we found out that the Washington was designed to be nuclear bomb proof. While we don't really know if that is bluster, we do sort believe them. Specially when it ran through the concrete brick during crash testing without leaving a dent on the hood.
When it comes to Station Wagon there should be only one vehicle to think of. Have you thought of it? Did you read this article? It's the Durack Washington the best Station Wagon I have ever driven! And the best one you've ever read about!