V8 or bust: 2026 Dodge Durango goes all-in on HEMI V8s

Yesterday, Jeep officially confirmed that it will be adding more V8 models to its lineup. With it, we can expect the Gladiator, the Grand Cherokee, and perhaps even the Grand Wagoneer to be available with HEMI V8s under the hood in the not-so-distant future.

But if you thought Stellantis was done bringing back the V8 to its North American models, Dodge just announced that starting in the 2026 model year, the Durango will only come with V8 engines. That's right, the 3.6L Pentastar V6 will no longer be offered in the 2026 Durango range as the base engine will be a HEMI V8.

For the first time, every Dodge Durango from the entry-level GT to the fire-breathing SRT Hellcat will come standard with the brand's HEMI V8 under the hood. Dodge believes that this will give drivers more power, more performance, and more value than before.

Starting with the base model GT, this particular Durango swaps out the 3.6L Pentastar V6 for the 5.7L HEMI V8. The naturally aspirated eight-cylinder produces 365 PS and 528 Nm of torque. This translates to an increase of 66 PS and 176 Nm of additional torque compared to the V6. More importantly, the Durango GT can now sprint from 0 – 97 km/h in 6.2 seconds, which is better than the V6-powered version from before, which can do it in 7.4 seconds.

To help drivers save on fuel while on the go, the 5.7L HEMI-powered Durango GT comes with Fuel Saver Technology via cylinder deactivation. This allows the engine to seamlessly run on just four cylinders when cruising and switch to full V8 mode when power is demanded.

Up next is the more powerful 2026 Dodge Durango R/T, which used to have the GT's 5.7 HEMI. For 2026, the R/T variant now comes with the 392 HEMI, AKA the 6.4L V8. It generates 482 PS with 637 Nm of torque and allows for quicker acceleration and better throttle response.

But for those who want something with even more horsepower under the hood, there's the mighty Durango SRT Hellcat. It has a 6.2L supercharged HEMI V8 that delivers 720 PS with 874 Nm of torque, which allows the three-row SUV to sprint from 0 – 97 km/h in just 3.5 seconds. It also has an impressive top speed of 290 km/h. When it comes to hitting the quarter mile, Dodge claims the supercharged Durango can do it in 11.5 seconds.

With the HEMI V8 well and truly back in the Dodge lineup, we're curious if Inchcape Philippines would eventually offer the V8-powered Durangos soon. After all, the Dodge Durango continues to be available in the country and has built quite a reputation in the local market.