Dodge Brings Back The Pentastar To The Durango Lineup

Well, that didn’t take long. Just months after Dodge announced the Pentastar V6 was being dropped from the Durango lineup, the 3.6-liter V6 is back in action for 2026. This time, it’s returning under the hood of the Durango GT—once again giving customers a more affordable, reliable, and efficient option that doesn’t require HEMI power.

If you follow me over on my The Mopar Junkie YouTube channel, you already know I was one of the first to call out Dodge for cutting the V6 from the lineup. I said it was a mistake—and clearly, Dodge customers agreed. V6 Durangos made up the bulk of sales, and let’s face it, not everybody wants or needs a HEMI.

That’s especially true these days with insurance companies going after HEMI owners. The Durango HEMI has been one of the most stolen vehicles in recent years, which has driven up insurance costs for many folks. So having a lower-cost, lower-risk option like the V6 just makes sense.

Yesterday, Dodge made it official. The Pentastar is back.

According to Dodge CEO Matt McAlear, the decision to reintroduce the V6 GT model was tied to customer demand. “Dodge Durango is on a tear,” he said. “This year, Durango ranked No. 1 in the J.D. Power APEAL Study for Upper Midsize SUVs. We launched the new Durango SRT HELLCAT Jailbreak with 7 million potential customization options, brought back B5 Blue exterior color, opened SRT HELLCAT orders in 10 additional CARB states, and announced the HEMI engine in the all-wheel-drive (AWD) Durango GT. Our strategy is working.”

He’s right—Durango just had its best third-quarter sales in 20 years. But while McAlear says the move is about “meeting demand while HEMI engine supply ramps up,” I think that only tells part of the story. Dodge needs to finish 2025 strong, especially with the all-new 2026 Dodge Charger SIXPACK Scat Pack two-door about to launch. Now’s the time to expand Durango’s appeal even further, and this gives them the chance to do just that.

The return of the V6 also means Durango is back to having a starting price under $40,000—$38,995 to be exact (plus $1,995 for destination, taxes, title, and fees). That’s for the rear-wheel-drive (RWD) version. If you want all-wheel-drive (AWD), it’ll run you $2,000 more. Either way, it still undercuts the Durango GT AWD with the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 by $1,700.

Now, don’t get me wrong—if you want HEMI power, it’s a great value. But for folks who just want a comfortable, stylish, three-row SUV with solid performance and proven reliability, the Pentastar V6 is hard to beat.

And that’s not the only big Durango news, either. We just got confirmation that the new 2026 Dodge Durango R/T 392 will be available to order in Q1 2026. It’ll pack the new 6.4-liter (392 cubic-inch) HEMI V8 with 475 horsepower and is expected to start under $50,000 before destination and fees. Personally, I think Dodge is missing an opportunity by not branding it as a “Scat Pack,” but we’ll see if that changes.

At the end of the day, I’ve got to give Dodge credit. They listened. They made the right call bringing the V6 back. They’ve restored some real customer choice—and in the process, made Durango the most affordable Dodge vehicle in the 2026 lineup. In this market, that’s a big deal.