Review written on 8/1964.
The Subcompact segment is not for everyone. But the Gryffon 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 Gryffon. Luckily we've also tested the Chimaera and the U4645 this year. So we should be able to give you a verdict on how it stands in the Subcompact community.

It has been a long time since I've driven a Subcompact that performed as well. I really hoped that the Durack Gryffon would fix the performance funk we've had lately. Much to my chagrin, the Gryffon did great! The 34 hp @ 1484RPMs 905 cc Radial5 engine was able to launch the car. Getting out of the car I had to pop my neck. While there are faster Subcompact the Gryffon does better than most. On our speed tests we were able to get the Gryffon up to 73 mph and on the strip we did an impressive 35.501s 0 to 60 mph. We found that with 98 lb-ft of torque this machine can tow an impressive 22 lbs. While Durack Gryffon will never become a track car, it is one of the better performers. On the track testing the Durack Gryffon did have some slight issues. Of course it was not designed to be a track car. But as a Subcompact it should have better handling than it does. In most cases in the real world this shouldn't be any problem. But it is still sub-par at best.

Once we were done playing on the track, we got a good look at the Durack Gryffon and I must say, we were quite impressed. While not the most luxurious vehicle on the market. It is quite comfortable for what it is. There is just enough styling and support to last on long trips and impress friends, while not being overly expensive like hyper luxurious vehicles.

We thought the Durack Gryffon would be better served by removing something... anything... to make more space for passengers. Children are the only ones who will fit comfortably in this vehicle. And even then they won't have a place to put their backpack in this 13 cu-ft box.

Durack has really put some effort into the production of the Gryffon. And it shows in the construction quality of the machine. Panel gaps are non-noticeable. Nothing shakes or rattles when driving down the road. It's a well-built vehicle.

If there was one vehicle I believe would be able to hit 1,000,000 miles easily it would be the Durack Gryffon. This vehicle was designed for dependability in mind.

When it came to fuel economy testing we tried to see how far we could go in the Durack Gryffon. Our goal was to run it out of fuel. We tried and we failed. Even when the Gryffon 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 57.5 mpg. In one word, amazing.

While the Durack Gryffon is certainly impressive in term of safety, it's not overly designed in this fashion in a way that would imped its enjoyment. Never the less this vehicle is more than safe enough for even the most uptight and poor drivers among us.

When it comes down to it, the Durack Gryffon is one of the best Subcompact on the market. For almost everyone on the looking for a Subcompact, you won't find a much better vehicle than the Gryffon. It testing team was astonished by the results. We give it our total and complete recommendation.