Next-Gen Dodge Durango Could Mirror Charger Powertrains

The Dodge Durango has been instrumental in the Dodge brand’s “Brotherhood of Muscle” mantra for over a decade. While the first two generations of Dodge Durangos were body-on-frame three-row SUVs, the third generation that debuted for the 2011 model year placed the Durango on a unibody architecture. Still offering HEMI® V8 power and three-row functionality, the third-gen Durango (WD) morphed from a capable family hauler to a performance machine in 2018 with the introduction of the long-awaited Durango SRT.

Since then, Dodge has reworked and updated the Durango into more of a performance-oriented offering, thanks to Dodge Charger-inspired looks, a HEMI® HELLCAT V8 under the hood, and bringing in a more aggressive suspension and brake setup that not only helps on the track but provides the Durango with best-in-class towing numbers.

And while the current Durango will soldier on for one more model year, during the United Auto Workers (UAW) contracts this past year, we learned that a new generation of Durango dubbed (D6U) will debut for the 2026 model year.

This time, Durango will move to the new STLA Large architecture, an evolution of the successful Giorgio architecture. The UAW contract stated that Durango would benefit from internal combustion engine (ICE) and battery-electric vehicle (BEV) powertrains. This could mean that the next Durango, sharing its platform with the new 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona, could share its powertrain lineup.

In the Charger Daytona, a dual e-motor setup on the R/T allows for 456 standard horsepower and all-wheel drive (AWD), which is not that far off from the current Durango SRT392 numbers. The Charger Daytona Scat Pack also features a dual e-motor setup with AWD; however, it produces 590 horsepower as its base output. Mopar Direct Connection eStage upgrades can push the output of the R/T to a maximum output of 535 horsepower and the Scat Pack to 670 horsepower. Undoubtedly, Dodge will shove the 800-volt Banshee architecture under the next-gen Durango, pushing it to over 800 horsepower.

The 2025 Dodge Charger SIX PACK has shown us that Dodge isn’t giving up on piston power and is putting the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter Hurricane I6 under its new muscle car lineup hood. With two different outputs ranging from 420 horsepower in the standard-output (S/O) and 550 horsepower in the high-output (H/O), the I6 could be a hot choice for many ex-HEMI buyers looking to continue with ICE. The Hurricane numbers outpower the current R/T and SRT392 numbers easily and will probably be the choice for most law enforcement agencies if a Durango Pursuit model is carried over.

While many Charger fans might be hesitant to move past the HEMI in their muscle cars, we believe it will be much easier for Durango customers to transition, especially if the Hurricane engine can outperform the current lineup of HEMI Durango models.

Only time will tell.