- 475-hp, 3-row SUV
- The ultimate muscle SUV
- Loud and quick
- Ownership Update 10/23/19
When we first heard that there was even such a thing as the Dodge Durango SRT 392, our first reaction was “Why?” On the surface, we have to admit, that a high-performance SUV with a 475-horsepower 6.4-liter V8 and Brembo brakes seems kind of ridiculous. Really, what’s the point? But then you get a look at the Durango SRT’s $63,000 base price you realize that this brawny SUV is no more or less pointless than a Land Rover Range Rover Sport Supercharged, a Porsche Cayenne Turbo or a Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 63. All of these are over $100,000. In fact, a base Cayenne with a turbo V6 is $3,000 more than the SRT Durango. We’re not saying the Durango SRT and the Porsche Cayenne are equal, they’re not. But when you remove brand cache, the comparison makes a bit more sense, especially from a performance standpoint. In fact, for the price of a new Cayenne Turbo, you could buy the Durango SRT with a few options AND get a really clean, low-mileage used Porsche Cayman or a vintage Chevrolet Corvette then still have some money left over.
Why we got it
The whole idea of a Dodge SRT 3-row SUV is intriguing. Can you really have it all? The basic premise is that this version of the Dodge Durango would allow you to have a useful family car but also get the muscle car bug out of your system. OK, maybe that’s true. Even Dodge would admit, this SUV isn’t for everyone. If you’re seriously considering a Lexus, the 2019 Dodge Durango SRT probably hasn’t even come up in conversations or your search results.
See: 7 affordable luxury SUVs from nonluxury brands
The main reason we wanted to spend a little quality time with this hot rod Durango is to see if it can live up to our expectation in terms of everyday usefulness. We have no doubts about its performance credentials. Dodge has literally reinvented themselves as a performance brand, selling cars that do three things really well — frighten the neighbors, chew up drag strips and cruise down memory lane.
Our Durango SRT
The Dodge Durango SRT is surprisingly luxurious. We opted for a few extra comfort items that bumped the price up. First, we got “Demonic Laguna Red leather trim performance seats” for an extra $1,595. The Uconnect with navigation and an 8.4-in display is standard on the Durango SRT, but we did check the box for a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio speaker system with subwoofer. That’s an extra $995. A power sunroof is another $1,295. We also got the second-row console with storage box, that costs $595. Blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are $395 and our Durango has the Technology Group for $2,395. This package includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with active braking intervention, and lane departure warning.
Total price is just a bit over $72,000 although there seems to be a fairly significant incentive in certain regions to that price might be even lower. In the Southeast, there’s $4,500+ price reduction.
Here are some options we didn’t get — big dual stripes running the length of the car, that costs an extra $1,200. We like the idea of a simple but tough looking SUV a lot more than one with big stripes that seem to be shouting “HEY, LOOK AT ME!” A single-disc CD player is $495 and there are various packages like a lightweight performance package that deletes the third row of seating, this is a no-cost option. For $2,500 you can get an upgrade inside with carbon fiber accents, as well as the one option most SUVs have, a rear-seat DVD player with two seat-mounted screens, that’s $1,195. Finally, you can get a towing package for another $1,195.
Initial impressions
Wow! That’s our initial impression. If you love the roar of a 392 cu in. HEMI V8 (6.4-liter), but have to pull carpool duty also, this is the exact right car for you. In fact, if you even know what “cubic inches” are and have a few kids, you might like the Dodge Durango SRT better than most SUVs. It’s also a way to get a very quick performance-oriented SUV with three rows of seats for a fraction of the price you’d pay with a European luxury brand. We’re looking forward to putting it to use every day.
Ownership Update — Now that I’ve been driving the Durango SRT for a few weeks, I have some more concrete impressions. First, it’s surprisingly nice inside. The touchscreen and most controls are essentially the same as what you’ll find in any Durango. Most shoppers will gravitate toward the Durango R/T because of its combination of “good enough” performance, cool sound and useful demeanor. So while the SRT version of the Durango sounds uncivilized, the interior is actually very comfortable thanks to features like heated and cooled front seats, a big touchscreen to run Apple AAPL, +0.88% CarPlay or XM Radio and easy-to-fold second- and third-row seats. I wish all SUVs and minivans had seats that are as easy to fold up and down as those in the Durango.
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Those folding second- and third-row seats mean the Durango SRT is both quick and useful. I hauled some stuff to the dump, carried my daughter’s bike to the shop for a repair and took five other adults to dinner the next night. At first, I was thinking of the Dodge Durango SRT as kind of silly. However, in everyday use, it’s the perfect combination of fun and functional.
I’m not sure my neighbors are thrilled with the sound of the exhaust when I leave for work at 6 a.m…
This story originally ran on Autotrader.com.
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