2024 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Review, Pricing, and Specs (2024)

Overview

A ludicrous beast born largely of opportunity, the 2024 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat blends the 6.2-liter supercharged “Hellcat” engine of Challenger and Charger Hellcat fame with a traditional SUV body style and succeeds with remarkably tractable results. In this tune, the engine makes 710 horsepower; all-wheel drive is standard, and ginormous Brembo brakes are on hand to cool things when necessary. A requisite hood scoop, bulging bodywork, and 20-inch wheels telegraph the muscle with near-cartoonish visuals, and 12-second quarter-mile times are a push of the throttle away. A standard adaptive suspension does its best to blend ride quality and lively—for an SUV— handling. But for all its punch, there’s room for six passengers in the spacious cabin, the seating is comfortable, and the accommodations are pleasant if not class-leading. Not only is it entirely possible to drive the Durango SRT Hellcat in a respectable manner, but its 8700-pound towing capacity adds a layer of utility to its over-the-top resume. If this surprisingly versatile muscle SUV appeals to you, 2024 is your last chance to get in on the fun, as it will be discontinued at the end of the year.

What's New for 2024?

Though the entire Durango lineup receives standard blind-spot monitoring across the board and a few towing-feature upgrades, the 2024 Durango SRT Hellcat returns with no updates for its final year of production.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

The Durango SRT Hellcat isn’t cheap, but its limited production volume and brazen personality ensure no example goes unclaimed. For that reason, we think it’s petty to quibble over price and go straight for the Premium trim. Plus, you're buying a 710-horsepower SUV; if maximum value is a priority, there’s a plethora of mild-mannered non-Hellcat Durango models to choose from, which we review separately. Specifically, the Premium trim includes a 19-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system in place of the Alpine unit, a leather-wrapped dashboard, and carbon fiber interior bits. As we mentioned before, we’d take ours sans the available gaudy stripes, but we would upgrade to the Pirelli P Zero summer tires for maximum performance. At that point, the only other variable is the Black Package, which brings blacked-out aluminum wheels, black exhaust tips, and grey metallic badges for about $2k.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

With a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 serving as the undisputed heart—and namesake—of the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, it’d be humiliating if its performance didn’t live up to its name. Thankfully, the supercharged V-8 works overtime to avoid embarrassment, cranking out 710 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque, which is funneled through an eight-speed automatic transmission and then directed to all four wheels via a full-time all-wheel drive system. So equipped, the mightiest Durango hit 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds (matching a 797-hp Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye we tested) and clobbered the quarter mile in 12.0 seconds flat at 115 mph.

Hammering the Durango SRT Hellcat summons its built-in soundtrack, the whine of the supercharger playing off the thunderous exhaust note under wide-open throttle. With all that straight-line speed on tap, it’d be easy to forget that stopping and turning have been addressed as well. The former is addressed by a Brembo brake system that clamps its 15.75-inch front rotors with six-piston calipers and 13.8-inch rear discs with four-piston binders. So equipped, our Hellcat halted the 5534-pound Durango to stop from 70 mph in just 165 feet. Ride and handling are addressed by a specifically tuned suspension with adaptive dampers and 20-inch wheels wrapped in standard Pirelli all-season tires or optional Pirelli P Zero summer donuts. Equipped with the latter, our example worked to defy its mass with unexpectedly impressive body control and 0.87-g of cornering grip. Despite its specialized hardware and single-minded focus on performance, one of the Durango SRT Hellcat’s most intriguing stats is that it can still tow 8700 pounds, more than any other mid-size crossover SUV.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

To the surprise of no one, fuel efficiency is not the Durango SRT Hellcat’s forte. In fact, it's not even in its vocabulary. With EPA estimates of 12 mpg city and 17 mpg highway, it lands right about where we’d expect, as 710-horsepower supercharged V-8s and full-time all-wheel drive tend to do that. Once we have the opportunity to test the 700-plus-hp family hauler on our 75-mph highway fuel economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen, we can evaluate its real-world mpg. For more information on the 2023 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat’s fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

There’s no shortage of style in the Durango SRT Hellcat’s interior. Unsurprisingly, the driver-centric layout and dashboard echo that of the Durango's muscle-bound siblings, the Dodge Charger and Challenger Hellcats. The flat-bottomed steering wheel—complete with a backlit SRT logo—and paddle shifters make the Hellcat’s intent clear. Heated-and -ventilated front seats crafted with Nappa leather upholstery and microsuede inserts on the front cushions are standard, but Laguna Leather in “Demonic Red” with silver accent stitching and Hellcat logos are available. The center console contains a pair of cupholders, a prominent T-handle shifter, a capacious storage bin, and space for a wireless charging pad. Though the Durango provides comfortable accommodations and decent storage (models we've tested in the past have swallowed four bags behind the rearmost row and up to 26 with the second and third rows stowed), the interior is showing its age—and the quality of some materials is inexcusable in a $100,000 vehicle. On the other hand, the Durango is just a vessel for the glorious, supercharged V-8 and the performance it provides, and few buyers will even notice.

Infotainment and Connectivity

The Durango Hellcat runs Uconnect 5 infotainment via a 10.1-inch touchscreen. (Base Durangos uses a standard 8.4-inch touchscreen). The Uconnect 5 software is the latest version of the long-running system, and although it’s beginning to show its age, it's familiar and intuitive. Manual rotary volume and tuning knobs and four USB ports in the front row and two in the rear add convenience. Dodge Performance Pages software allows users to log and display critical performance data for acceleration runs, quarter-mile times, and longitudinal and lateral g forces. The addition of Amazon Alexa functionality allows expanded voice commands, and the system also allows two Bluetooth devices to be simultaneously connected. Other popular features include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot. The Durango can also be equipped with a rear entertainment system that features a pair of 9.0-inch screens mounted on the back of the front seats.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The Durango Hellcat has a handful of standard driver-assistance technologies, but other mid-size SUVs offer more than the mere basics that are available here. Blind-spot monitoring is finally standard for 2024, as are adaptive cruise control, forward collision braking, and lane departure warning. For more information about the Durango SRT Hellcat's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Standard automated emergency braking
• Standard automatic high-beam headlights
• Standard adaptive cruise control

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Dodge offers the bare minimum when it comes to its limited and powertrain warranty. Likewise, the company doesn't offer any type of complimentary maintenance, unlike rivals from Hyundai and Toyota.

• Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
• No complimentary scheduled maintenance

More Features and Specs