If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that new cars are expensive. The growing affordability crisis means it’s a lot harder for your average shopper to own more than one vehicle, forcing people to consolidate their fun car and their practical car into one vehicle.
Dodge is making that easier than ever with a new Durango R/T 392, resurrecting the company’s amazing 6.4-liter Hemi V8 to create an even rowdier three-row SUV. It delivers all the practicality you’d expect of such a large vehicle, but it can also sprint to 60 mph in under five seconds, and make all the right muscle car noises.
What’s even crazier is that the new R/T 392 is actually … affordable? Sure, $51,990 isn’t objectively affordable for the vast majority of Americans, but you have to admit, for the amount of car you’re getting here, it’s a damn good value.
Think of the new R/T 392 as a middle child between the base 5.7-liter V8-powered Durango, which makes 360 horsepower, and the full-fat, 710-horsepower, supercharged V8-powered Durango Hellcat. While it doesn’t carry the SRT badge, this is effectively a spiritual successor to the Durango SRT 392, which went out of production after the 2024 model year.
And by successor, I really mean just a reincarnation. The R/T 392 makes the same 475 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque as the SRT, sending thrust to all four wheels via the same eight-speed automatic transmission, using the same active distribution system that varies torque front to rear based on “performance driving demands.” Six-piston front brake calipers and four-piston rears also make a return, as do the adaptive dampers.
If the new R/T is anything as heavy as the 5,457-pound SRT it replaces, then it certainly won’t be an agile, lightweight track star. But at least it’ll be quick. Dodge quotes a 0-60 estimate of 4.4 seconds, and because it’s Dodge, also quotes an NHRA-certified quarter-mile time of 12.9 seconds—because those are the numbers most important to Durango buyers. Personally, I’m not too worried about actual speed, so long as it sounds like a 392 cubic-inch Hemi should.
The great thing about the Durango is that it’s a great tow vehicle, and that doesn’t change for the new R/T. Dodge says the SUV can pull 8,700 pounds, which is more than the Nissan Armada and GM’s full-size SUV triplets (the Tahoe, the Yukon, and the Escalade).
Inside, the R/T 392 is pretty well-equipped as standard, with stuff like Nappa leather and suede seats with extra bolstering—you know, for all the corner-carving you’ll be doing in this thing. Those front seats are heated and ventilated, while the second-row captain’s chairs get heating elements. On the outside, there are specific “392” badges and a specific spoiler to let everyone know you have the big-boy engine, and not the puny 5.7-liter Hemi.
If you want even more stuff, there’s a Premium trim for $59,590 that adds stuff like a sunroof, a sueded headliner, carbon-fiber interior accents, more leather trim, an 18-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a trailer tow package, driver assistance tech, and two-piece brake rotors that provide better stopping power and cooling performance.
Before you dive into the comments saying $51,990 is nowhere near affordable, I agree! Combined, my cars might be worth $7,000 on a good day. I cannot afford to purchase a new sofa, much less a new car. But it’s important to put that price into perspective. Back in 2024, the SRT 392, which got the same engine and many of the same chassis upgrades as this new R/T, cost $75,590. So effectively, Dodge is bringing that car back for 2026, except with a near-$24,000 discount.
It’s also worth noting that the average transaction price for a new car is just over $49,000 as of last month, according to Cox Automotive. That means for the price of an average car in 2026, you can get a three-row SUV that makes 475 horsepower and sounds like your favorite V8 muscle car. That’s not bad, all things considered. Sure, fuel economy won’t be the best, and with gas prices set to go nowhere but up, the timing isn’t great. But if you don’t mind that, the R/T 392 feels like an excellent all-rounder.
Now all Dodge has to do is put this engine into a Charger, and price it similarly (or cheaper!). Then I’ll be truly happy.
Top graphic image: Dodge
On one hand: the fact that they’re still making this dinosaur, haven’t updated shit, and their entire schtick is STILL “it’s got a V8 FUCK YOU!!!!” is deeply embarrassing. Like…they’ve had a quarter century to come up with literally anything else and they’re still dry humping the Hemi, which isn’t even a hemispherical V8 anymore, in 2026.
I get that there’s a sizable chunk of people who never matured emotionally beyond high school and want everything to be the same forever that will continue to hand Stellantis their money, but come on. The Wild West emissions and fuel economy standards could be gone as soon as next year depending on how midterms go. Then what? Beg for another bailout?
ON THE OTHER HAND…this pleases my monkey brain immensely and is one hell of a buy in base spec. The only other unibody SUVs you can get a V8 in are luxury cars. A 6.4 liter big block nearly 500 horsepower naturally aspirated V8 in a usable family hauler for the low 50s? It’s going to be a great time. I wouldn’t want to pay for gas or insurance, but you’re going to have a lot of fun in one of these dumbass things and can bring the whole family along.
Can’t wait to get passed by one of these on a surface street (with no passing lanes) while I go 35 mph in a 30 mph, and he’s been riding my ass for 3 seconds and then floors it by me, on the way to work.
No other way to drive any Dodge/Ram vehicle.
And just in time for skyrocketing gas prices. They couldn’t have timed this any better.
Honestly, I feel like this new price is the only thing that makes the Durango worth buying. The platform is old, and when we were shopping for our Pilot back in late 2024 the Durango was universally panned by my family on design, fit and finish, and amenities. Then when price was figured into the decision the Durango made zero sense, as a mid-trim V6 was the more than our fully-loaded Pilot Elite. Giving the big V8 at only a slight price increase relative to competitors is the edge the Durango needs to keep its ancient platform at all competitive (to the subset of buyers who value a V8 over fuel economy, features, comfort, and build quality, anyway).
I don’t ever want another vehicle that gets 12mpg, at any price.
Hmm, my wife had been set on replacing her 1999 Durango she’s owned since new – 265,000 miles on the original engine and transmission and counting – with a Mazda CX-90. But she loves the V8 sound, and this Durango’s resemblance to the original has her very interested to hold off until she can test drive one of these.
The 8,700 lb tow rating has my attention for sure, and I’m sure you’ll be able to get this in actual colors. I would prefer the CX-90, but it’s her car after all.
The front side windows on the CX-90 are too tall for their width, and I can’t unsee it.
Yeah it’s not its best feature, looks wise, but it gives better visibility from inside as a result.
I DID NOT like the magic dial for the screen on the rental CX-90 I had last summer.
I like it but then I hate fingerprints on touch screens.
I guess if I had time to get used to it but in a rental trying to figure it out and not have a touch screen for navigation seemed unsafe.
Ah, when I was still traveling for work, the rental agencies never ponied up for the GPS option.
I am in the same situation. My wife has a 2000 R/T and it even has full headers and exhaust and she quite likes that. She randomly decided she really liked 3rd gens, and has been out randomly test driving them to see what she likes and dislikes. But I’m pretty sure a 3rd gen is in my future.
That’s a lot of car/performance for the price. I like it!
Not bad for what it is. But with any V8 powered anything, the vehicle is just the ticket to the dance. Better have a private oil well and refinery to keep it fueled.
If you can’t afford the gas on this, you can’t afford a $52k car.
With 96month financing options, Stellantis may have the ability for you to make further poor life decisions.
Seems crazy cheap for what it is to me.
This would have stopped my wife from buying something else last fall.
and
Why are you calling the Hemi “amazing”?
Doesn’t the Hurricane make more in HO guise than this?
I have no intention of buying a turbo six from Dodge until they’ve got several years of reliability under its belt.
The 6.4 makes amazing sounds, and seems to hold up, at least.
I’d be Ok with an adjective like “durable” or “proven”. I think those would fit it better.
But I think “amazing” is a stretch.
It feels like yet another example of Stellantis undermining their own efforts of progress. Hard to get those miles of reliability if you’re not selling them.
I just know that the engine is those things plus just a generally “great to drive” experience. I wouldn’t necessarily say amazing, but they’re definitely a powertrain with personality.
Well the tooling has long been paid off for these, so that’s a big cost cutting factor.
The very thing that the depreciation article stated was the cause of the depreciation on Durangos, the age of the platform and being “behind” the competitors, is the VERY reason I think I really like them. I sat in a new SRT recently and I really liked the interior, and I’ve always like the exterior.
I’m saddened $50K is average, but at least I would consider this one. I won’t buy it. I will wait until that 30% depreciation hits in the first year, and then wait a few more, then buy it. But I like it.
I had the opposite end of the spectrum Durango in 2020, base v6 without the third row of seats, and no options. My only complaint was how thirsty it was, and how big the gas tank is because of that. Before Covid hit, I had to refuel twice a week and with cheap gas it was still like $70/tank. I assume the 392 will want premium, and given our current gas prices; well I liked the thing, but not at triple digit refueling costs. Was a comfy commuter thing though, even did decent in the snow without AWD, probably because it weighed so much.
That sounds like a standard rental I used to get, when we wanted a “large” vehicle.
We’d all hope to get a Sienna instead.
The few times I’ve hard to rent large vehicles for work, I always wound up in a Pacifica. Best feature is the chip drawer for roadtrip snacks!
Pacifica’s are great rental cars. Wouldn’t want to own one, but renting one for a road trip is always a good time.
I have a first gen durango as the family daily driver. But daily mileage is quite low overall, so fuel pricing impact is minimal as a monthly cost. Especially since that first gen only gets like 14MPG with that 5.9 in it.
Really, what I would prefer would be an early 3rd gen body with an even earlier non fuel management 6.4 swap in it.
Having owned several Stellantis products I do not want a few years old dodge anything the thing would be in the shop more than I could tolerate.
not going to lie, I didn’t think the Durango was still being made at all.
I saw a new(?) Hornet on the highway this weekend and had the same thought.