Outrageous. That sums up the Dodge Durango Hellcat — charged with 710 horsepower. This high-end muscle car pulls out all the stops with its engaging hood scoop, rounded body panels and 20-inch Pirelli run flats.
On the practical side, there is generous room for six in three rows of well-cushioned seats. Throw out practical, though, when it comes to driving this beast. It hits 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds and rockets the quarter mile in 11.7 seconds at 117 mph.
Sadly, the 2024 Durango marks the end of the Hellcat engine, with Dodge Charger and Challenger Hellcats already off the books. The supercharged 6.2-liter V8 outputs 645 pound-feet of torque to propel this rocket off the line or anytime. The supercharger whine is thrilling for the performance-minded, and the accompanying thunderous exhaust when you stomp on the pedal is exhilarating. Just starting this machine will wake up the neighborhood. Top speed is 180 miles per hour.
With this penchant for high speed, Dodge engineers developed a Brembo brake system having 15.75-inch front rotors with six piston calipers and 14-inch rear discs with four-piston grabbers. Our SRT Hellcat braked the 5,500-pounder from 60 miles per hour in just 106 feet. Steering is also precise.
The Durango is available in six trim levels: SXT, GT, R/T, Citadel, SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat. All are rear-wheel drive and are powered by a V6 or one of three V8 engines — all mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard on the SRTs.
We spent a week of spirited driving with the Hellcat, and it brought out the kid in all of us. On interstates, the Durango rumbled most of the time with occasional skyrocketing acceleration. Surprisingly, other motorists yielded to watch the performance and it did not disappoint.
There is a six-figure price for all this fun but, what the heck, it’s worth the thrill of the moment bringing a silly smile along the way.
Don’t expect good mileage. We managed a solid 14 miles per gallon in sustained highway travel including the occasional gust. EPA testing gave the Durango 17 highway, 12 city and 13 average mpg. Fuel tank capacity is 24.5 gallons.
The Hellcat keeps its SUV practicality in its three rows of seating. It scores in the upper segment for cargo with 43 cubic feet available with the third row dropped and more than 85 cubes with both seats folded. Front seats are heated and ventilated with Nappa leather upholstery and microsuede seat inserts. A T-handle gear shift feels right at home.
Cupholders are plentiful in all rows and there is ample door panel storage. A large center console houses more cupholders and a large bin. There is also room for a wireless charging pad and tiny openings for keys and stuff.
The Hellcat will tow up to 8,700 pounds, giving it added utility.
Driver assist, safety features and tech gear are above average. An upgraded 10.1-inch infotainment screen has multi-functions, including displays of performance data with longitudinal and lateral g forces, acceleration runs and quarter-mile times, expanded voice commands and dual Bluetooth connectivity with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.