For years, California has been one of the world’s largest car markets. It routinely tops the charts in America, beating places like Texas and Florida with ease. It’s also famously one of the strictest places in the world for emissions laws, with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) setting higher standards than what’s found at the federal level. So Cali is both incredibly important for carmakers and also more difficult than the rest of the country to keep up with, regulations-wise.
CARB recently launched its Advanced Clean Cars II initiative, a set of regulations meant to further scale down emissions from light-duty vehicles (cars, SUVs, trucks, and virtually anything else you can buy from a dealership) through stricter tailpipe testing. The rules, which come into effect in 2026, mean even more challenging guidelines for automakers. Five additional states will adopt Advanced Clean Cars II starting next year, with six others set to adopt the rules in 2027.
Not every car currently for sale in these CARB states can meet the new regulations. Most carmakers are making updates to their vehicles to stay on showroom floors. But Dodge seems to be lagging behind. The company is stopping the sale of its two coolest 2026 Durangos—the R/T 392 and the SRT Hellcat—in regions that follow CARB standards: California, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Washington D.C.
The company confirmed its plans to restrict sales in to Mopar Insiders, who were tipped off through a dealer notice. Here’s what a Dodge representative told me in an email:
The Dodge Durango GT with the 5.7-liter HEMI will be available in all states. The Dodge Durango R/T 392 and Durango SRT Hellcat are available in non-CARB states. As we prepare to begin production of the Durango SRT Hellcat Jailbreak later in Q4 and open for orders of the Durango R/T 392 by the end of the year, we continue to work with CARB on opportunities to sell these two powertrains in all states alongside the 5.7-liter Durango GT.
Source: Dodge
It’s unclear right now when exactly Dodge will bring either model into compliance with CARB mandates, or why it’s limited sales to all 13 regions involved with CARB, rather than the six set to implement the new emissions rules in 2026. It’d be pretty weird for the company to launch a slew of updates for the Durango just last month, only for the SUV not to be available in some of the biggest markets in the country. A Dodge spokesperson didn’t immediately respond when I asked for further clarification. For now, buyers in the CARB states I mentioned above will only have access to one Durango trim: the base GT model, with the 360-horsepower 5.7-liter V8. A far cry from the 710-hp Hellcat that enthusiasts want.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time an American carmaker has pulled this sort of state-by-state sales restriction. Ford is making the same move with the plug-in hybrid Escape. That car won’t be sold in the six states where the Advanced Clean Cars II regulations are set to come into effect next year.
One thing that worries me about this sort of move is the used market. Because these Durangos can’t pass emissions in every state, what happens when a buyer in California buys a used 2026 Hellcat Durango from, say, Texas, and tries to register it? Theoretically, that Hellcat couldn’t get registered to the new owner because it wouldn’t pass a CARB-level emissions test. That would force the new buyer to resort to shady out-of-state registration tactics (looking at you, Montana) or to simply get rid of the SUV.
It feels like a big, dark cloud of confusion with regard to conflicting rules and regulations is about to form over the country, to no one’s benefit.
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Top photo: Dodge
I hope they succeed. I’m not against states having the ability to set their own terms, but am very much against the ability of a state to make people of other state hostage of their laws.
If a guy in Texas wants to roll coal in Texas and Texas people (through democracy) is good with that, this guy should be able to do that there. If anyone dosen’t like it, they can move to Cali.
Same way as if a guy wants to be able to breath, they should move to a CARB state.
They’re not hostage of anyone. The people elected lawmakers who supported stricter emissions requirements and adopted CARB regulations.
1] Buy an acre of land in NW Arizona for under 10 grand.
2] Obtain PO box
3] register with AZ DMV
4] ???
5] Profit.
“Hmm, I don’t think so.”
Is a used Durango worth the out-of-state registration hustle?
I would guess the extra hassle would just drive that buyer towards alternatives. Even if they’re more expensive, it’s probably worth it.
These Hellcat ones draw a much more determined, but smaller crowd. These people will travel (or ship) for a specific vehicle.
Lacking new, desirable models, it’s a good way to pump some capital quickly. Long term, they need new models desperately. The Eurocentric models they’ve released the last couple years aren’t competitive and aren’t going to save them. Tavares damaged the American brands badly. And it doesn’t look like there’s any really competitive cars and SUVs in the pipeline.
The new Cherokee hybrid looks pretty okay. Especially in a few years with lots of cash on the hood…
But Stellantis isn’t going to survive selling things with massive discounts. Especially ones that are poorly made at the Cherokee.
“What happens if someone buys a used one and tries to register it?” Same thing that’s happened for as long as there have been California-Emissions vehicles; if it’s old enough with enough miles (two years, 7500 miles) it counts as a used car and it’s not a problem.
This is the correct current answer. There is not currently a minimum age, but a minimum 7,500 miles is the requirement. I would not be surprised if they modify this rule to make it more restrictive to bring these in, but for now – if the odometer shows 7,500 miles and it passes an emission test which is only a visual and OBDII diagnostic it’s allowed to be registered here.
And soon, you’ll see a new illicit twist on the usual odometer rollback…. now, you’ll see people rolling odometers *forward* to get around rules in your state.
Just put it up on jackstands and let the thing idle for a few days
If by “…for a few days” you mean “…for about 2 months”, then yes.* haha
*assuming idle rpm equates to about 5mph of movement in an automatic trans car.
Brick on the pedal?
Sure, why not!? haha It’s just not idling anymore if you solve the problem Ferris Bueller-style! 😉
Shift it into 8th at idle
The car has to have 7500 miles and can’t be registered to the new California owner. In other words you can’t register the car out of state and then bring it in and title it in your name – the registered owner has to change when you bring it into California with 7500 miles.
There’s also an exception if you are a California resident on a road trip out of state. If your car explodes on the road trip you can buy a federal emissions car as a replacement and bring it into California before 7500 miles (at least this was true 2 years ago when I last looked)
This happened to a friend a few years back and he was unable to complete the transfer until it had the required 7,500 miles on it. He was given one of the small red temp tags valid for several months. It had almost 5K miles when it first came into CA so maybe thats why – if it only had a few hundred then maybe they’d handle it differently.
One thing I have learned in my 32 years of driving here is you will get inconsistent experiences at the DMV. If one worker tells you that you must do “X” – the more painful it is, the more you should try again with another branch (or even worker) as you’ll probably get told “Naah, you dont need to do any of that”
Who is buying these dinosaurs anyways?
People who don’t quiver in fear of a made up political pseudoscience. People who enjoy life without useless guilt. People who are well off. People who don’t live to worry what other people think. You know them as “fascists” because they have the temerity to think for themselves and don’t bow to your golden calf.
I’m sure that made sense in your head.
To at least three of the voices in there…
That was a really long way to say “rich hillbillies who don’t want a pickup for some reason”
You mean a$$holes, right? Agreed. That description matches most of the people I see driving around in hellcats.
So…selfish people? Nihilists?
Found the fascist!
Nobody. That’s why Stellantis is circling the drain.
Simple. Anyone who wants a last of their kind, haul ass fast, unique, bad ass SUV, with a new vehicle warranty.
Like someone who would buy a hot V8 Caddy but without the need for something that turns?
yes
My wife has a 2019 Durango RT that she loves. We’re were going to replace it with a new one at a similar trim level until we realized that the price was in luxury SUV territory AND a $60K Durango doesn’t have an option for ventilated seats. She immediately stopped talking about a Durango and started talking about Lexus, Volvo, Acura, etc.
So short answer? I think only people that really want a Durango.
Stellantis is failing… they can’t even pony up enough cash to get their vehicles into compliance.
I’m just glad we don’t have to do smog checks where I live, because that would mean I’d need to reinstall the catalytic converter on my 1994 Hyundai Scoupe Turbo.
I thought CARB was dead?
CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) is dead. CARB (California Air Resources Board) is immortal.
Dodge knows their market. I wouldnt be surprised if the next “badge of protest” is a calvin peeing on california badge.
Or as a dealer installed accessory for $650
Alternate take: Stellantis could have spent effort to bring the car into compliance, but would rather not spend $ on it. So is happy to blame someone else, and eat the marketing rage.
The problem is they know the 392 and Hellcat are on borrowed time so it doesn’t make finanical sense to do the updates on something they know has such a limited life span.
The problem, as we know, is there’s a lack of investment by Stellantis into a future. Thus, create outrage.
But investing in the Hemi is investing in the past, not the future and maybe they have realized that.