Dodge Killed The V6 Durango To Go All-V8
In 2025, you could’ve had a V8-powered Dodge Durango, but that’s all you can have in 2026.
Dodge has announced that it is discontinuing the Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 option for the three-row SUV when the 2026 models start shipping later this year.
The entry-level Durango GT will come with a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 rated at 360 hp and 390 lb-ft at a starting price of $44,490.
Dodge is also bringing the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 back to the Durango. It was discontinued last year, but returns in the Durango R/T with 475 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque at a price that Dodge says will be less than $50,000. The Durango SRT Hellcat will also be available with the 710 hp supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 starting at $81,990.
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The all-V8 plan is in stark contrast to just last year when Dodge and its Stellantis sister companies, Chrysler, Jeep and Ram were working toward eliminating all V8s from their lineups. Company and regulatory policy changes have allowed it to expand the use of the engine again.
“Dodge Durango is on a tear, with Q2 U.S. sales surging more than 50% over Q1 and topping the upper midsize SUV segment in the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. APEAL Study,” said Matt McAlear, Dodge CEO. “We’re harnessing that momentum to do what Dodge does best: bring more horsepower to the masses. Starting with orders placed on August 13, every Durango will come standard with a Hei V8. It’s another Dodge power move that delivers the ‘affordable performance’ our Dodge customers demand and deserve.”
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The Durango SRT Hellcat is also being offered through Dodge’s Jailbreak program, which unlocks customization options that can create more than six million combinations, for $86,990.
Dodge still sells a six-cylinder engine, but it’s the turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six in the Charger. It hasn’t officially confirmed plans to offer a V8 in the new model, but the brand’s CEO has suggested the Hellcat engine will fit.