What SUV Shoppers Need to Know
- Dodge’s 6.4-liter V-8 is once again available in the Dodge Durango R/T for the 2026 model year.
- With a maximum towing capacity of 8,700 pounds, a 4.4-second 0-60 mph time and three rows of seats, there’s little the Durango R/T 392 can’t do.
- There’s a pleasant familiarity to the Durango, with zero learning curve if you’ve driven a Dodge product in the last, oh, decade or so.
Is the 2026 Dodge Durango R/T 392 a Good SUV?
The mid-level Dodge Durango R/T entered the 2026 model year with an upgrade under its hood. After the SRT 392 rode off into the sunset after the 2024 model year, Dodge seemed to be moving on from big V-8s, but a 392 version returns for 2026: The new R/T 392 gives shoppers a powerful option without having to spend big for the bonkers, 710-horsepower Durango SRT Hellcat — because 475 hp is probably enough, right?
Related: Shop for a New Dodge Durango Near You
Expert Rating: 6.9/10
- Powertrain: 9/10
- Ride quality: 7/10
- Driver comfort: 8/10
- Passenger comfort: 8/10
- Interior quality: 4/10
- User interface: 5/10
- Cargo space: 8/10
- Value: 8/10
- Overall appeal: 9/10
- Fuel economy: 3/10
Our test vehicle: 2026 Dodge Durango R/T 392 Launch Edition
Starting price (all prices include destination fee): $51,990
As-tested price: $66,020
Powertrain: 475-hp, 6.4-liter V-8 with eight-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive
EPA fuel-economy rating: 13/19/15 mpg city/highway/combined
We tested a Durango R/T 392 Launch Edition Premium. There’s also a 392 Launch Edition that likewise gets you the 6.4-liter V-8, but the Premium adds more bells and whistles, including a towing package, premium stereo, better brakes and more. Its as-tested price was $66,020 (including destination fee); of that total, $7,600 is for the Premium Package and another $4,335 is for cosmetic options.
What’s Good About the 2026 Dodge Durango R/T 392?
V-8 sound, power: The return of the naturally aspirated 6.4-liter V-8 to the Durango’s R/T trim means the return of a familiar burble at idle and roar under hard acceleration — and it makes the Durango R/T 392 almost concerningly quick for a vehicle of its size and heft. The first time I turned out of my neighborhood onto a road with a 40 mph speed limit, I got to that limit very quickly, then said “Yes” to an otherwise empty SUV. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a V-8.
Value: With an as-tested price of $66,020, the Durango R/T 392 is not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. But with more than $4,000 of that price going to cosmetic options that I might skip if I were optioning one up myself — plus another $1,500 for a day of performance driving instruction I did not receive (I’m writing my complaint letter in another tab) — that price drops closer to $60,000, which puts it more in line with loaded versions of the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade three-row SUVs. That said, the Durango’s size and capabilities — performance- and towing-wise — are better replicated in much more expensive full-size SUVs like the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Tahoe. The Durango may be something of a tweener, but it’s also a relative bargain.
Interior space: Minivans are king when it comes to carrying people, but the Durango is impressively roomy and comfortable for adults in all three rows. I found its third row more comfortable than those spaces in many three-row family SUVs. Accessing the third row is easy, as well, and there’s a usable amount of cargo space even when those seats are in use.
Towing capability: With an 8,700-pound maximum towing capacity (when properly equipped, like our test vehicle), almost anything that doesn’t fit inside the Durango can still come with you. An integrated trailer brake controller is helpfully located right next to the launch control button, making towing even easier. The R/T 392 could easily tow a car and supplies to a drag strip or racetrack — then rip off a few runs of its own once the trailer is unhitched.
Physical controls: One benefit of the Durango’s receiving very minimal updates over the years is that there are still plenty of physical climate and audio controls below the infotainment system’s dashboard touchscreen. The controls may not have a high-end look or feel, but they work well and are easy to use without having to look directly at them. That allows the driver to keep their eyes on the road as they pilot a 2.5-ton-plus SUV producing nearly 500 hp.
More Dodge Durango News From Cars.com:
- For $51,990, Dodge Will Sell You a 2026 Durango 392 With 475 HP
- How Much Is the 2027 Dodge Durango?
- Which 3-Row SUVs Offer Captain’s Chairs?
- These 10 SUVs Have the Highest Towing Capacity
- Return of the … Smaller Guy: Dodge Resurrects V-6 for 2026 Durango
What’s Bad About the 2026 Dodge Durango R/T 392?
Interior quality: Even at $66,020 as tested, this SUV doesn’t sport a luxurious interior. It’s comfortable, yes, but more in the vein of “basement couch” than “living room sofa.” Cheap plastic lurks everywhere, giving off a familiar (and honestly comforting) smell. My biggest issue with the interior was the speaker grille in the driver’s door; on sharper turns, my left calf pushed the grille inward as I turned, and when pressure from my leg disappeared as the turn ended the grille would audibly pop back into shape. That’s the first time I’ve ever put those words together in that order, but it turns out I found it annoying.
It chugs gas: With EPA ratings of 13/19/15 mpg city/highway/combined, the Durango R/T 392 is unsurprisingly inefficient. Worse still given how enjoyable it is to drive, it requires 91-octane-or-higher premium gas. According to the EPA, its range with a full tank of gas is just 369 miles — more than 120 miles fewer than a V-6 Durango. And given the Durango is, once again, really fun to drive fast, owners will probably need to hit the pump before 369 miles. As of this writing, the national average for a gallon of premium gas is about $5. Yeesh.
Smartphone connectivity: Let’s give the Uconnect 5 touchscreen interface some credit: It’s intuitive and user-friendly, and the graphics look modern. On the downside, I was constantly beset by a slow smartphone connection that either left me waiting in my driveway to bring up navigation through the wireless Apple CarPlay connection or not accessing CarPlay (and my music library) until several minutes into my drive. Sometimes I had to make my phone forget the Durango and the Durango forget my phone, then re-pair them to get the connection to work again.
Questionable, pricey styling options: How your vehicle looks is a matter of personal preference, but there’s no world where I’d pay $1,695 for silver racing stripes, especially over the bright B5 Blue paint our test Durango wore. Everything is more expensive these days — and maybe you’d be willing to pay that much for stripes — but I’d rather have that money for gas.
Tiny paddle shifters: A minor issue in the Durango is the size and layout of the paddle shifters on the back of the steering wheel. First of all, they’re tiny and plasticky; they look and feel like an afterthought. (Hey, Dodge: Maybe steal the gigantic metal paddles from fellow Stellantis brand Alfa Romeo’s Quadrifoglio models — it’s not like they’re using them over there.) Second, the paddles sit just above the audio controls on the back of the steering wheel. I never unintentionally upshifted while trying to turn up the stereo’s volume, but it felt like a distinct possibility and discouraged me from using the paddles much.
Should You Buy a 2026 Dodge Durango R/T 392?
In my heart, the answer to that question is hell yeah, absolutely. It ticks so many boxes: It’s fun to drive, good at carrying people and stuff, and it’s a powerful enough tow rig for most people. But it’s also pricier than some vehicles that can do at least one of those things well. What is essentially one of the last true muscle cars (strange as it may be to say that of a big SUV) probably isn’t for everyone. Its aging interior likely won’t impress shoppers with … particular … tastes, either. But if you need one vehicle to do everything but be fuel-efficient — a big concern these days, for sure — a big honkin’ V-8 under the hood makes the Durango a delight.
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