The 2024 Dodge Durango: The muscle SUV has macho looks and an impressive range of engines

Where most midsize SUV rivals — and there are a lot of midsize SUVs — seem satisfied with being SUV-shaped minivans, the Durango is unapologetic for sticking to its original SUV roots. Dodge’s entry is about engine performance, towing capability, and rugged adventure. It’s tough, almost to the point of brutish. Yet, it can still transport a family in comfort. It may not have the family-hauling cachet of the Kia 000270, -0.68% Telluride, Honda HMC, -0.62% Pilot, or Toyota TM, -0.75% Grand Highlander, but the Dodge Durango is a family-friendly workhorse, ideal for towing a boat or trailer or even spending an afternoon on a racetrack.

See: The all-new 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander: This 3-row midsize SUV offers expanded cabin space and a broad choice of trims

What’s new for 2024

For 2024, Dodge made blind-spot monitoring standard across the Durango lineup. Because of the Durango’s role as a tow vehicle, that blind-spot-monitoring system recognizes when a trailer is attached. Maybe one reason for so little change is that 2024 is Durango’s final year. The rumor is that its replacement will wear a revived Stealth nameplate.

2024 Dodge Durango pricing

The 2024 Dodge Durango starts at $ 40,420. This price is for the entry-level SXT trim. There are a total of six core Durango trim levels, capped off with the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat at $ 94,095. All-wheel drive is standard for the SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat trims, but a $ 2,000 option for all lower trims. If we were shopping for a Durango, we’d go for the GT and stick with the V6 because it’s nicely equipped and the V6 has enough grunt to satisfy most midsize SUV drivers.

The Durango’s listed base price is about average for the segment’s three-row entries. For example, the Toyota Grand Highlander is $ 43,070, while the Honda Pilot is $ 37,090.

Durango SXT	$ 40,420
Durango GT	$ 42,920
Durango R/T	$ 53,520
Durango Citadel	$ 54,420
Durango SRT 392	$ 73,195
Durango SRT Hellcat	$ 94,095

These are the manufacturer’s suggested retail prices and don’t include the $ 1,595 factory-to-dealer delivery fee (destination charge).

Before buying the Dodge Durango, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. The Dodge Durango has a slightly below-average record for retaining its value among three-row midsize SUVs. The class leaders in this regard include the Hyundai Palisade, Subaru Ascent, and Honda Pilot, which are all above average in holding value.

See: The 2024 Honda Pilot vs. the Kia Telluride: How these 2 top SUVs compare

Power, ride, and handling

The standard 293-horsepower V6 engine in the Durango provides plenty of power for everyday driving. Among mainstream midsize 3-row SUVs, only the Buick Enclave (310 hp) and the Ford F, -1.66% Explorer (300 hp) boast more ponies under the hood. Even with its base V6, the Durango is in the top tier of midsize SUV performance. Several rivals have turbocharged 4-cylinder powerplants as their standard propulsion. Some base engines in this segment have anemic highway passing ability with a full load of passengers, but we haven’t encountered that problem in our testing with the Durango’s V6.

In its SXT guise with the base V6, the Durango’s ride is a bit stiff but comfortable. A muscle car in its soul, even at the bottom rung of performance, the V6-armed Durango delivers better-than-average driving dynamics. However, if you’re shopping for a Durango, there’s a good chance it’s because you’re interested in its V8 engine offerings. The most affordable 5.7-liter V8 in the R/T models adds satisfying brawn (360 hp) to the Durango with a titillating exhaust note to match.

Read: The 10 most unreliable vehicles for 2024, according to Consumer Reports

Upgrading to the SRT 392 trim with its 475-hp 6.4-liter V8 is where you begin getting performance that’s hard to match in a 3-row SUV at this price point. More than just an engine upgrade, it also adds Brembo brakes and a Bilstein active-damping suspension system, significantly improving stopping power and handling. We find the SRT 392 a blast to drive, but it’s probably more exciting than most drivers will believe necessary or worth the massive bump in price. That goes double for the thrilling SRT Hellcat model, one of the most potent production SUVs on the market. It borrows the 710-hp supercharged V8 engine from the SRT Hellcat variants of the Dodge Charger and Challenger, transforming this SUV into a 6-seat rocket (second-row captain’s chairs are standard in the Hellcat).

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of midsize SUVs, including the Dodge Durango.

Fuel economy

The Durango’s mileage resides at the lower end of the midsize SUV mileage spectrum. Most rivals posting similar fuel-economy numbers provide all-wheel drive as standard. However, even the V6-powered 3-row Nissan Pathfinder manages 23 mpg. As you might expect, the Durango’s fuel-economy leader is the V6 with rear-wheel drive (RWD) that delivers 21 mpg in mixed city/highway driving. The fuel economy only goes downhill from the V6. The 5.7 V8’s number is 17 mpg. Neither the V6’s nor the smallest V8’s mileage varies with the addition of all-wheel drive (AWD). The two bigger V8s are only paired with all-wheel drive. The 6.4L V8 gets 15 mpg, while the supercharged 6.2L V8 in the SRT Hellcat delivers 13 mpg. You can find more Durango fuel economy information on the EPA’s website.

See: The 2024 Nissan Pathfinder: Rugged good looks, a well-appointed cabin and top safety ratings

3-row cabin

The interior of the 2024 Dodge Durango is spacious and practical. We found the third row (33.5 inches of legroom) a bit cramped for adults, but it is the same as the Honda Pilot and the Chevy Traverse. The first two rows, however, are spacious. The Durango boasts above-average cargo room for a midsize SUV, adding to its practicality. It has roughly the same cargo space behind the third-row seat as the Subaru Ascent but less than the Kia Telluride. Available second-row captain’s chairs make the second row more comfortable and the third row easier to access. The captain’s chairs are standard on the SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat models and optional on the lower trims. The Durango’s interior is starting to feel a bit dated in 2024 compared to more modern rivals like the Hyundai Palisade and Honda Pilot. However, you can make it feel more refined with options like Nappa leather seating and a Harman Kardon 19-speaker audio system.

Macho exterior

The Dodge Durango has muscular styling reminiscent of the Dodge Charger sedan. Many family SUVs tend to blend in with the traffic around them, but the head-turning Durango isn’t one of them. Like Dodge’s muscle cars, the Durango model range has some nice visual variety. The V8-powered models have a more aggressive hood, while the SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat models have unique wheel designs, red brake calipers, and SRT badging. The Durango is right in line with the midsize 3-row SUV class with dimensions resembling the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, and Jeep Grand Cherokee L.

Plus: 10 new SUVs coming soon—and worth the wait

Our favorite features and tech

Powerful engines
The Dodge Durango has a stunning range of engines similar to the ones available in the Dodge Charger and Challenger. These powerplants give Durango a thrilling performance, especially for a 3-row family SUV.

Muscular styling
The Dodge Durango is no sleeper, with macho styling to match its performance. It gets a meaner look as you upgrade to the more powerful V8 engines and has exterior styling options like over-the-top stripes, head-turning paint options, and the SRT Black package.

Uconnect
The Uconnect infotainment system in the Dodge Durango is feature-rich and user-friendly. The standard system comes with Android Auto and Apple AAPL, -0.52% CarPlay. Furthermore, you can upgrade it with navigation, Amazon AMZN, -0.95% Alexa, wireless smartphone connectivity, and multiple options for premium audio systems.

Tow up to 8,700 pounds
When properly equipped, the Dodge Durango boasts an impressive towing capacity of up to 8,700 pounds. That’s towing muscle comparable to more expensive full-size SUVs.

Seating for seven
You wouldn’t be far off if you call the Dodge Durango a 7-seat muscle car. 3-row seating comes standard. Captains chairs are standard in the SRT trims and optional in lower trims.

Blacktop Package
The Blacktop Package adds a more menacing look to the Durango with gloss black exterior trim, 20-inch black wheels, black badging, and a black headliner. It’s available on the SXT, GT, and R/T trims.

Engine and transmission

Depending on your wallet, you can pick from four engines: a V6 and three V8s. All are mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The Durango shines in two areas: towing and acceleration. You can tow up to 6,200 pounds with the V6 and up to 8,700 pounds with the 5.7-liter V8. In contrast, the Ford Explorer can tow a maximum of 5,600 pounds. We’re not sure exactly to whom an SUV that can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in under 4.0 seconds appeals, but the SRT Hellcat can do it. In fact, according to Dodge, the SRT Hellcat, with its supercharged V8, can reach 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. We don’t need to check direct competitors’ stats to argue; none can beat that time. Admittedly, we are impressed by this acceleration performance, but not $ 94,000 impressed.

3-year/36,000-mile warranty

Dodge covers the Durango with a bumper-to-bumper limited warranty for three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. This is typical coverage for mainstream car brands, as is Durango’s powertrain coverage for five years or 60,000 miles.

Check out: The cars, trucks, EVs and SUVs with the best resale value in 2024

Safety ratings

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the Dodge Durango an overall score of 4 Stars out of its best score of 5 Stars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety hasn’t reported full test results for the Durango, but it awarded Durango its highest score of Good in three of the four areas tested. A shortfall discovered in both organizations’ testing involved front-end collisions. The advanced safety technologies standard in every Durango are blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Other tech can be found in some option packages. Nearly every rival provides more advanced safety technology as standard.

KBB’s car review methodology.

This story originally ran on KBB.com.