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2026 Dodge Durango R/T Gets Redline Style and Muscle Upgrades

HEMI® Power, Muscular Design, and Best-In-Class Towing Return For 2026

For 2026, Dodge is keeping the Durango R/T at the front of the pack by blending old-school V8 muscle with new style and capability. With the competition downsizing or ditching V8s altogether, the Durango stands alone as the only V8-powered SUV in its class, boasting best-in-class 360 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque from its 5.7-liter (345 cubic-inch) HEMI® V8. It’s a muscle car wrapped in a family SUV body—perfect for hauling gear, trailers, or the whole crew.

Every Durango R/T is all-wheel-drive (AWD) as standard, and comes with a performance hood, upgraded suspension and steering, and a long list of comfort and tech features that make it just as suited for the daily grind as it is for weekend duty.

Introducing the Blacktop Redline Package – 

2026 Dodge Durango R/T Blacktop Redline. (Dodge).

New for 2026 is the Durango R/T Blacktop Redline package, designed to offer even more attitude both inside and out. Priced at an additional $3,495 on R/T Plus and R/T Premium models, this new package builds on the already popular Blacktop look but adds Redline-specific touches that make it stand out.

Outside, it comes with 20-inch x 8-inch Black Noise wheels, blacked-out HEMI fender badges, a black Dodge grille script, and SRT-style front and rear spoilers. Gloss-black roof rails with crossbars and black exhaust tips finish off the look, giving the Redline a seriously aggressive presence.

Inside, the Blacktop Redline steps up the game with six leather and suede-trimmed SRT performance seats, red accent stitching, and second-row fold/tumble captain’s chairs. Dodge even added a laser-etched “crypto sweep” pattern to trim surfaces, delivering a unique feel that blends upscale materials with modern design.

Tow N Go: Capability with No Compromise – 

2026 Dodge Durango R/T with Blacktop and Tow N Go. (Dodge).

For those who want their SUV to perform like a muscle car but work like a truck, Dodge is bringing back the Durango R/T Tow N Go package as a standalone option for 2026. With a price tag of $5,990, it adds serious muscle where it matters.

The package boosts the Durango’s towing capacity to 8,700 pounds, the best in its class, thanks to features like SRT-tuned suspension and steering, adaptive damping, a performance exhaust, and an electronic limited-slip rear differential. You’ll also get 20-inch x 10-inch Satin Carbon wheels, black Brembo brake calipers, and widebody flares that hint at the power underneath.

Tow N Go also gives the Durango a more interactive driving experience, thanks to hard-button drive modes mounted just under the 10.1-inch Uconnect touchscreen—offering direct access to Dodge Performance Pages, including real-time data on engine output, timers, and more.

Combine Redline and Tow N Go for the Ultimate R/T – 

2026 Dodge Durango R/T Blacktop Redline. (Dodge).

Buyers don’t have to choose between the bold looks of the Blacktop Redline and the brawn of Tow N Go—they can combine both. When ordered together, the Durango R/T swaps its Black Noise wheels for ultra-aggressive 20-inch x 10-inch lightweight Forged Lights Out wheels, making it one of the most complete packages in Dodge’s performance SUV lineup. It’s a full-on muscle machine with room for seven.

A Fresh Wheel Lineup Across the R/T Range – 

2026 Dodge Durango R/T Plus. (Dodge).

Beyond just packages, Dodge is refreshing the Durango R/T’s wheel lineup for 2026 to better match each variant’s purpose:

  • 20-inch x 8-inch Satin Carbon wheels: Standard on base R/T

  • 20-inch x 8-inch Black Noise wheels: Standard with Blacktop and Blacktop Redline

  • 20-inch x 10-inch Satin Carbon wheels: Standard on Tow N Go

  • 20-inch x 10-inch Forged Lights Out wheels: Featured on combined Tow N Go + Blacktop Redline builds

This updated selection doesn’t just look the part—it helps distinguish each configuration at a glance.

Premium Tech and Safety Features Standard – 

2026 Dodge Durango R/T Blacktop Redline. (Dodge).

Every 2026 Durango R/T includes a long list of standard tech and safety gear to keep up with the times. Features include:

  • Uconnect 5 system with a 10.1-inch touchscreen

  • Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto™

  • Wireless charging pad

  • Alpine™ nine-speaker audio with subwoofer

  • Dodge Performance Pages

Safety features are strong across the board, with Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Path Detection, Trailer Sway Control, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop, and seven standard airbags, including full-length three-row curtain airbags and seat-mounted side thorax airbags.

Pricing and Release Timing – 

2026 Dodge Durango R/T Plus. (Dodge).

The Durango R/T starts at $49,995 (before destination charges of $1,995). With pricing like that, Dodge remains the only brand offering a true V8 muscle SUV for under $52,000.

Ordering for the Durango R/T lineup opens in June, with dealership arrivals slated for Q3 2025. If you want American muscle in a three-row package with real towing capability, the Durango R/T remains your best—and possibly only—choice.

Robert S. Miller

Robert S. Miller is a diehard Mopar enthusiast who lives and breathes all that is Mopar. The Michigander is not only the Editor for MoparInsiders.com, 5thGenRams.com, and HDRams.com but an automotive photographer. He is an avid fan of offshore powerboat racing, which he travels the country to take part in.

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So the good ol’ 7 passenger OG Durango marches on with better engine choices then the 7 passenger Jeep Grand Cherokee. As much as I love the Durango (and currently own one) I have to say this is what is hurting Jeep! This really needs to be corrected. Good for Dodge, but bad for Jeep.

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Like Rexy from the original Jurassic Park, this beautiful, lovable, battle scarred Hero of a veteran is truly showing its age. Anemic and archaic powertrains (3.6L & 5.7L Hemi) do little to nothing in the face of modern-day powertrains. Both being bested by the 2.0L 4Xe powertrain that puts out 375hp and 470tq and that's with the older 8-speed hybrid and the non-EVO version of the 2.0L Turbo engine. I'm willing to bet the next-gen Hurricane-4 hybrid will put out closer to 400-405hp and 500lb-ft of torque, slotting it just below the Hurricane-6 Standard output in terms of horsepower (420hp) but with more torque (500lb-ft vs 469lb-ft). The vehicle desperately needs to be put on the STLA: Large platform with the Hurricane-4 Hybrid as the base GT trim, the 420hp/469tq Hurricane-6 S/O as the R/T package, the 550hp/531tq Hurricane-6 H/O as the "Outlaw" trim, a 600hp EV Citadel trim (Wagoneer S) and a 670hp EV SRT trim package, Same as the Charger. The interior Design needs to be switched up as well to something more modern and up to date but still giving nods to the Durango styling, same as the outside. A clean widebody coke-bottle styling, Racetrack taillamps, Floating rear spoiler design like the Wagoneer-S along with the mid-gate lip spoiler with more of that SRT type styling, "Evolved" Durango front end styling and some new wheel designs like the ones on the new Charger, would definitely work well for the Durango.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Hemi V8 engines, especially the 6.1L and the 6.4L Hemi engines, so yes, I am truly a fan of Mopar's magnificent N/A Hemi V8s. But, the problem with the 5.7L Hemi engine is that it's not competitive as a performance engine in nearly anything. Yes, they sound good, but they're not fast and can be outpaced by most nearly all of the turbocharged and twin turbocharged mid-sized modern SUVs. A Dodge Trailduster SUV (since Ramcharger is being used by Ram on the hybrid Pickup) designed to compete with something like a Chevy Tahoe or Suburban would have been a great vehicle for the 5.7L Hemi engine to continue on in. Nostalgic, classic and more focused on utility than performance, this would be a perfect match for the 5.7L Hemi to continue it's life in and still be a part of the Dodge lineup. A Dodge SUV on a truck platform with optional 4x4 packages from the Warlock and Rebel and powered by the 5.7L V8 makes way more sense than having a "performance oriented" SUV with an embarrassing anemic 360hp from an almost 6-liter V8. My point is, the 5.7L Hemi engine is better suited for utility than performance. The 5.7L Hemi in an SUV like a Dodge Trailduster would fare favorably against the Tahoe with the 355hp 5.3L Chevy Small block that also makes 383hp in comparison to the 390hp of the 5.7L. Throw in an optional Trailduster R/T with a 510hp/500tq Hurricane 3.0TT to compete with the 420hp/460tq 6.2L Chevy Tahoe RST and the 450hp/510tq Expedition Stealth Performance SUVs and now Dodge has a proper home for the 5.7L Hemi V8 along with an expanded lineup that makes sense. To me, taking the Hornet and putting on the STLA Large frame with a hybrid powertrain consisting of the new Hurricane-4 EVO engine, a 9-speed transmission and an electric rear EDM as a two-row 5-seater SUV slotted below the Durango along with the "Trailduster" full size SUV would be a great SUV lineup for Dodge.

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