The 2026 Dodge Durango lineup offers exclusively a V-8 engine option. The 5.7-liter Hemi engine, which adds 65 horsepower and 130 pound-feet of torque, replaces the Pentastar V-6 in the base GT grade. The R/T increases production by 115 horsepower and 80 pound-feet of torque by replacing the 5.7-liter with a 6.4-liter Hemi. “V-8, long live,” says Dodge. After starting to move away from the venerable Hemi V-8 engine in favor of the more recent Hurricane inline-six, Dodge is now back to its eight-cylinder-loving ways thanks to the Trump administration’s repeal of emissions rules. The American carmaker has now disclosed that all 2026 Durango SUVs will have V-8 muscle, following its announcement earlier this year that the Durango Hellcat and its 710-hp supercharged engine would be extended for a further year. The base Durango GT, which previously ran on a 295-hp V-6, will now feature a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, boosting power by 65 horsepower to a total of 360. The V-8 also delivers 390 pound-feet of torque, nearly double the 260 pound-feet produced by the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6. As a result, Dodge claims the GT’s zero-to-60 mph time has dropped by over a second, from 7.4 seconds to 6.2 seconds. The 5.7-liter Hemi was also upgraded in the Durango R/T, which now has a 6.4-liter 392 Hemi V-8 for the 2026 model year. The upgrade significantly enhances the R/T’s performance, adding 115 horsepower and 80 pound-feet of torque, bringing the totals to 475 horsepower and 470 pound-feet. The SRT Hellcat, with its supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V-8 with 710 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque, remains the top model in the Durango lineup. According to Dodge, the Hellcat variant has a top speed of 180 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Additionally, the Hellcat receives a Jailbreak edition that offers greater customization options and a greater selection of colors. Starting at $44,490, the 2026 Durango GT will be $4000 more expensive than the previous model. With an entrance price of $81,990, which is actually $5,000 less than in 2025, the 2026 Durango Hellcat tops the range, while the Durango R/T now starts at $51,990, which is the same price as in 2025. Before cars arrive at showrooms in the fourth quarter, orders for the Durango GT and Hellcat go live on August 13. Orders for the R/T are set to open later this year.
