Next-Gen Dodge Durango Coming In 2026 Model Year

The Dodge Durango (WD) is one of the longest-running and most popular SUVs in the American market today. Its history began in 1998, and the current Durango, the third generation, was launched in 2011 and updated in 2013 and 2021. However, an all-new Durango is scheduled for 2026, according to documents released during the recent … (read full article...)

 

[bill burke]

I hope the next generation Durango is developed with a more youthful athletic and performance oriented styling theme than the now emerging luxury, yet still capable, Grand Cherokee. Auto manufacturers have long used these distinctive but non essential differences to create a unique vehicle for different brands while structurally utilizing almost identical platforms and architectures. Think having two very similar but very distinct brand oriented SUVs for both Dodge and Jeep will work quite well. I can see a future for the same formula for a Jeep Cherokee and a Chrysler SUV. Throw the Wagoneer S and Recon into that last formula of platform siblings and you have a potential four for one jackpot.
I do hope the braintrust at Stellantis allows every one of these projected vehicles to follow the Durango broad approach to power as covered here with ICE still utilized in every offerings. That includes the Wagoneer S and Recon. The latest Jeep decision on the Jeep Avenger In eco obsessed Europe gives hope to that now very obvious necessity for a gas powered future for everything, for North America certainly, is implemented and to finally submit to consumer demands, eat some crow and give people what they want and that is clearly not an all electric strategy.
Looking forward to the next generation multi powered Dodge Durango.

 

[MoparRay]

I think that Stellantis needs to have an affordable Wagoneer to compete with the Tahoe. This is where Plymouth brand would help. If they make the new Durango more sport than there's no need for Grand Cherokee SRT.













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[bill burke]

I think that Stellantis needs to have an affordable Wagoneer to compete with the Tahoe. This is where Plymouth brand would help. If they make the new Durango more sport than there's no need for Grand Cherokee SRT.




Agree that performance is Dodge’s niche as Jeep goes more upscale. Dodge did a good job of making the Durango, launched as a traditional SUV, over time more sporty with success. The next generation Durango is more a blank sheet and a chance to shed weight, bulky appearance with a slicker roof line to enhance its aggressive look. The front must be shaped to look forward and eager, the tail more modern too. I’ve seen some computer renditions that have fit that design. No doubt, Dodge needs an SUV above the Hornet and a shortened aggressive spin off of the Grand Cherokee can do it for Dodge. The opportunity to redefine Durango beyond cosmetics is there, will Dodge go all in or stay safe? I know what I’d do.

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[MPE426HEMI]

Glad to hear there will be ICE options available. And yes, more aggressive styling and less luxury.

 

[bill burke]

Glad to hear there will be ICE options available. And yes, more aggressive styling and less luxury.

Pretty sure Dodge has figured this out and did not need me to clue them in on the deal with Durango. But what the heck I got nothing better to do other than watch Tommy DeVito tear things up on TV. Pretty good QB for a rookie. Wonder if he drives a Dodge.

 

[vbondjr1]

Trying to think if I were designing the next-gen Durango, how would I do it? Bill Burke said it best "More youthful, athletic and performance oriented." Maybe taking the spoiler and flying buttress design from the Wagoneer S concept with a more aggressive mid-gate spoiler and a revised racetrack taillamp design, Maybe adding in a more coke-bottle design like the 68-70 Charger. I guess in a sense, a longer, widebody Maserati Levante Trofeo with the looks of a Charger. Utility of a Crossover with the handling, styling and performance of a Muscle Car/Sports Car.

 

[UN4GTBL]

Trying to think if I were designing the next-gen Durango, how would I do it? Bill Burke said it best "More youthful, athletic and performance oriented." Maybe taking the spoiler and flying buttress design from the Wagoneer S concept with a more aggressive mid-gate spoiler and a revised racetrack taillamp design, Maybe adding in a more coke-bottle design like the 68-70 Charger. I guess in a sense, a longer, widebody Maserati Levante Trofeo with the looks of a Charger. Utility of a Crossover with the handling, styling and performance of a Muscle Car/Sports Car.

These two things are not compatible

 

[mikemike]

Big dissapointment - I was thinking next Durango gen will be based on body on frame Jeep Wagoneer DT platform and get 6.4 V8 HEMI. But now i see the news they will put it on Italian platform with EV

 

[TripleT]

Big dissapointment - I was thinking next Durango gen will be based on body on frame Jeep Wagoneer DT platform and get 6.4 V8 HEMI. But now i see the news they will put it on Italian platform with EV

Nice flaming first Post.... first off STLA Large is not a platform it's an Architecture. Superior to the Ancient heavy German Platform that was a Platform. 6.4 as awesome as it was gets trounced by Hurricane 6, AND Leaving the Durango name on a JGC mate doesn't preclude a DT based SUV.

 

[Stephen345]

I hope the next generation Durango is developed with a more youthful athletic and performance oriented styling theme than the now emerging luxury, yet still capable, Grand Cherokee. Auto manufacturers have long used these distinctive but non essential differences to create a unique vehicle for different brands while structurally utilizing almost identical platforms and architectures. Think having two very similar but very distinct brand oriented SUVs for both Dodge and Jeep will work quite well. I can see a future for the same formula for a Jeep Cherokee and a Chrysler SUV. Throw the Wagoneer S and Recon into that last formula of platform siblings and you have a potential four for one jackpot.
I do hope the braintrust at Stellantis allows every one of these projected vehicles to follow the Durango broad approach to power as covered here with ICE still utilized in every offerings. That includes the Wagoneer S and Recon. The latest Jeep decision on the Jeep Avenger In eco obsessed Europe gives hope to that now very obvious necessity for a gas powered future for everything, for North America certainly, is implemented and to finally submit to consumer demands, eat some crow and give people what they want and that is clearly not an all electric strategy.
Looking forward to the next generation multi powered Dodge Durango.

Bill, I sometimes wonder if the Dodge Durango could be marketed in non Dodge regions such as Australia as the "Ram" Durango. In saying that many people down here refer to Ram as "Dodge Ram" anyway!

 

[Side Hill Gouger]

The Durango remains one good looking truck and we will see the final styling cues when the time comes. Missing the Hemi.. but at least there will be options other than straight electric. If its not broken don't fix it.

 

[vbondjr1]

These two things are not compatible

Not really sure why they wouldn't be. Durango already has a bit of the current Charger's coke bottle shape anyway so tweaking it slightly really wouldn't be much of a stretch. Adding in a more performance oriented double wishbone suspension like in the Levante Trofeo probably wouldn't be much of a stretch either. Making an SUV handle more like a sports car is something that companies like BMW, Mercedes Benz and other European companies have been doing for quite some time. Think of vehicles like the Levante Trofeo, the BMW X6M, X5M and X4M, AMG GLE, the Audi RS Q8 and the Lamborghini Urus. Granted none of these have the length of a Durango, but they are all SUVs that very much have sports-car like qualities when it comes to handling, acceleration, etc. Taking the same conceptual ideas that went into the Aerodynamics of the Wagoneer-S concept, having a coupe-like roofline with the integrated roof spoiler along with a mid-gate spoiler, a revised racetrack taillamp design like the Hornet, a more well proportioned hornet-inspired front end, performance hood options and things like that and you'll have a decent next-gen Durango. Take alot of interior inspiration from the Charger Daytona concept and go from there. We already know what the Hurricane-6 engines are capable of and what a hybrid 8-speed ZF transmission behind that would do for the vehicle, not to mention using a bit of the handling technology and hardware from the Current SRT Durango and Trackhawk vehicles, and maybe even some fuel tuning tech from the CD170. throw in some Direct Connection stage kits, handling upgrades, optional wheels, Jailbreak cosmetics, etc. and right there you've got a beast of a Durango.

 

[UN4GTBL]

Not really sure why they wouldn't be. Durango already has a bit of the current Charger's coke bottle shape anyway so tweaking it slightly really wouldn't be much of a stretch. Adding in a more performance oriented double wishbone suspension like in the Levante Trofeo probably wouldn't be much of a stretch either. Making an SUV handle more like a sports car is something that companies like BMW, Mercedes Benz and other European companies have been doing for quite some time. Think of vehicles like the Levante Trofeo, the BMW X6M, X5M and X4M, AMG GLE, the Audi RS Q8 and the Lamborghini Urus. Granted none of these have the length of a Durango, but they are all SUVs that very much have sports-car like qualities when it comes to handling, acceleration, etc. Taking the same conceptual ideas that went into the Aerodynamics of the Wagoneer-S concept, having a coupe-like roofline with the integrated roof spoiler along with a mid-gate spoiler, a revised racetrack taillamp design like the Hornet, a more well proportioned hornet-inspired front end, performance hood options and things like that and you'll have a decent next-gen Durango. Take alot of interior inspiration from the Charger Daytona concept and go from there. We already know what the Hurricane-6 engines are capable of and what a hybrid 8-speed ZF transmission behind that would do for the vehicle, not to mention using a bit of the handling technology and hardware from the Current SRT Durango and Trackhawk vehicles, and maybe even some fuel tuning tech from the CD170. throw in some Direct Connection stage kits, handling upgrades, optional wheels, Jailbreak cosmetics, etc. and right there you've got a beast of a Durango.

I'm all in for that except for the stupid coupe roof design that kills utility.