It was supposed to be a one-year special and die, yet here we are. Never would I have guessed that in the year 2026 I'd drive a new Hellcat-powered WK2-based Durango, but I did, and it's exactly the vehicle you know and remember.The 2026 Dodge Durango Hellcat is the only three-row, supercharged V8-powered crossover SUV with a factory warranty. It's loud, it's quick, it's fast, it's comfortable, it's thirsty, and it's the same as it ever was. Joel FederThe BasicsDodge has turned the three-row family hauler into a V8-only affair and leans heavily into the Americana muscle persona. The V8 basically kept the WK2-based Durango, which is now 15 years old. The Hellcat models, well they've been a breakout success. Now you can "Jailbreak" the thing, opening a dizzying number of build configurations. There are four seat belt color options alone. That's before the six wheel options, four brake caliper colors, six paint choices, six badge color choices, five dual-stripe designs, a gloss black hood option, five interior color choices, three seating configurations.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Durango doesn't look any different. We are three facelifts deep, and there's a fourth coming. I've seen it but wasn't allowed to take photos. The current car? It's sharp. The curved fenders hid the wide rolling stock on the Hellcat-powered model. The hood gets scalloped vents to extract heat and let cool air in for that supercharged V8. Large dual exhaust tips indicate this thing is going to be loud. Personally, I appreciate that the wheels are only 20s and barely clear the huge brakes. This isn't flashy, but it looks the business.Joel FederInside, the Durango's been kept surprisingly competitive and modern thanks to all its refreshes. The 7-inch digital gauge cluster is augmented by a 10.1-inch touchscreen, which features a bevy of SRT-specific screens, ranging from digital gauges for the various powertrain systems to launch control settings and more. Even better, the climate control screen features a driver with a racing helmet, because Hellcat. Traditionalists are going to love that this is augmented with buttons and knobs for the entire climate control system, plus a volume knob.Joel FederSomething in all my years of experiencing the WK2-based Durango that marked a first was the five-passenger seating configuration in the car tested. There was no third row. Instead, there were two under-floor bins that opened to reveal a healthy amount of hidden storage.Joel FederDriving the 2026 Dodge Durango HellcatYou've heard this before. The 2026 Dodge Durango is powered by a venerable supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 engine rated at 710 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque. A ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission sends power to all four wheels. Dodge quotes a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, a quarter-mile time of 11.5 seconds, and a top speed of a hilarious 180 mph.AdvertisementAdvertisementLook, this thing rips. It's loud as hell, especially on cold start or at full throttle. It can drone on the highway depending on the speed and RPM, and you'll always, always hear that supercharger whine when under load.Joel FederThe ancient WK2 chassis is still fantastic and shames plenty of newer platforms in both packaging and feel. The semi-adaptive dampers are tuned to be firm, but never jarring even on broken Midwest pavement. This is completely livable as a daily driver.That said, it's hard not to ignore the EPA fuel economy ratings of 12 mpg city, 17 highway, and 13 combined. That's for the good stuff, too: Premium. Over the course of 307 miles of mixed suburban driving, the Durango Hellcat averaged 13.7 mpg according to the onboard trip computer. Joel FederQuick VerdictAt $81,990, including a $1,995 destination fee, the 2026 Dodge Durango Hellcat isn't cheap. As tested with the Jailbreak options, including the stripes, red badging, red seatbelts, and the Premium Group, which added niceties like a 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with an 825-watt amplifier, I was all in for $88,160.AdvertisementAdvertisementIronically, a Rivian R1S dual-motor with the Performance Upgrade will deliver essentially the same 0-60 mph sprint time and similar power (less hp, more torque) for the same money. But that's with the Large battery, not the Max battery, and a 329-mile EPA range estimate.Living well beyond its original shelf life, now on every one of its nine lives, the 2026 Dodge Durango Hellcat might be the most American three-row crossover SUV money buys. It embodies what our country values on multiple levels, and nothing else in the market directly competes against it.Dodge provided The Drive with a seven-day loan of this vehicle for the purpose of writing this review.2026 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat SpecsBase Price (SRT Hellcat Jailbreak)PowertrainHorsepowerTorqueSeating CapacityCurb WeightTowing CapacityCargo VolumeGround Clearance0-60 mphTop SpeedEPA Fuel EconomyScore$81,990 ($88,160)6.2-liter supercharged V8 | eight-speed automatic | all-wheel drive710 @ 6,100 rpm645 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm55,575 pounds8,700 pounds43.3 cubic feet behind second row | 85.1 cubic feet behind first row8.0 inches3.5 seconds180 mph12 mpg city | 17 highway | 13 combined8/10
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