2024 Dodge Durango SRT 392
Overview
This year may be the final one for the current Dodge Durango, but it’s not going quietly. You can credit that to the Durango SRT 392. Essentially a Durango with a 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 underhood in place of the standard Pentastar V-6, it stands with the even more powerful Durango SRT Hellcat as a testament to the brief period in the early 21st century when Dodge embarked on a crusade to stuff V-8s into its entire model line. Its namesake 392-cubic-inch naturally aspirated pushrod engine develops a healthy 475 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, and its performance-tuned exhaust isn’t shy about letting the neighbors know when it wakes up. A ZF 8-speed automatic and standard all-wheel drive harness the engine’s output and help send the nearly 5500-pound SUV to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. Standard Brembo brakes are on hand to slow its roll, and electronically adjustable adaptive dampers strive to keep the ride as smooth or firm as conditions dictate. All this, with room for seven and most of their luggage, and remarkably, it can tow up to 8700 pounds. Still, the Durango SRT 392 remains a bit of a novelty in a class chock full of worthy models that trade outright muscle for a more versatile and fuel-efficient experience: the Kia Telluride, the Hyundai Palisade, and the Mazda CX-90 come immediately to mind. But if you’ve got an itch that can only be scratched by a V-8-powered muscle SUV, now’s the time.
What’s New for 2024?
For 2024, the entire Durango lineup gets Blind Spot Monitoring as standard. Otherwise, the SRT 392 carries on with no changes.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The 2024 Dodge Durango SRT 392 is offered in three trims with few options available in each. The standard model comes well equipped with features such as performance-tuned all-wheel drive, an adaptive suspension, 20-inch 295/45 all-season tires (summer rubber is optional), navigation, heated-and-ventilated front seats covered in leather and microsuede, heated second-row captain’s chairs, and three-zone automatic climate control. As for the option packages, buyers can opt for a Lightweight Performance Package, which deletes the third row and replaces the second-row captain’s chairs with a 60/40 folding seat. A trailering package is also available and equips the SUV with a trailer brake controller, a Class IV receiver hitch, and a wiring harness (7- and 4-pin).
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The Durango SRT’s 6.4-liter V-8 is its raison d’eter; without that hulking 392-cubic-inch V-8 under the hood, it’d be just a Durango with exaggerated bodywork and comically outsized tires and brakes. But the thumping V-8 is there, and it delivers gloriously linear power like only a big, naturally aspirated V-8 can. The 8-speed automatic funnels torque to all four wheels via a full-time all-wheel drive system, the entire powertrain operating with the single-minded goal of maximum acceleration. In our hands, the Durango SRT managed a blistering 4.1-second run to 60 mph, fast enough to make you forget you’ve got the kids in the back. NHRA fantasies aside, the SRT’s steering is more exact and communicative than you’d expect from an aging platform with a massive V-8 mounted above the front axle, and the stiff suspension does a commendable job of disguising the Durango’s weight and high center of gravity. The ride can get harsh, however, a trade-off for the performance-focused setup, and the Track mode feels downright punishing on all but the smoothest surfaces. And it’s worth reminding you: the SRT 392 can tow up to 8700 pounds.
More on the Durango SRT 392 SUV
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
With EPA fuel economy estimates of 13 mpg city and 19 mpg highway, the Durango SRT 392 is far from the most efficient SUV in the segment. There’s a price to pay for that rowdy 475-horsepower V-8 under the hood but when you consider that the thriftiest rear-wheel drive V-6 Durango only manages EPA estimates of 19 and 26 mpg, it almost seems rational. In C/D real-world testing, the SRT 392 returned a combined 13 mpg overall, and 17 mpg in our 75-mph highway test. For more information about the Durango’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
Part of the SRT 392’s charm is that it provides all the comfort and family-friendly utility of the normal Durango but infuses the space with SRT-worthy equipment and features. That means standard leather and suede sport seats, leather-wrapped armrests and console, second-row captain’s chairs, a flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle shifters, and the requisite “SRT” stitching and badging. Both first- and second-row occupants get heated seats; the fronts are vented, too. With only 17 cubic feet of cargo area behind the third row the Durango falls behind the Ford Explorer and VW Atlas in overall volume, but in C/D testing we fit 26 carry-on cases with both rows folded flat. There’s also a fair amount of in-cabin cubby space to help keep life organized.
The Car and Driver Difference
Infotainment and Connectivity
The 2024 Durango 392 runs Dodge’s latest infotainment system via a 10.1-inch touchscreen interface mounted front and center in the dashboard. Familiar and intuitive, the display is legible, and the software responds crisply to inputs. Standard connectivity includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, as well as navigation and real-time traffic and weather updates courtesy of SiriusXM Travel Link. What sets the SRT’s system apart from those of lesser Durango models is the Performance Pages menu. This set of features allows users to monitor all sorts of car-geek data, such as horsepower, cornering g-force, and even acceleration-time stats. Think you can beat our 4.1-second 60-mph blast? Turn on the timer from the appropriate tab in the Performance Pages, set your launch control, and find out. Three 12-volt accessory outlets and six USB ports dot the cabin, and more of both are available as an option. Finally, there’s a standard 506-watt Alpine audio system with an 825-watt Harmon Kardon system on offer.
How to Buy and Maintain a Car
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
A handful of driver-assistance features are offered, but few are standard equipment. For more information about the Durango’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
Standard rear automated emergency braking Standard automatic high-beam headlamps Available automated emergency braking and adaptive cruise control
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
The warranty package 2024 Durango SRT 392 is straight out of the Dodge playbook, matching the same coverage as the rest of its brand siblings. Buyers looking for a little more long-term assurance can, however, purchase an extended warranty through their local Dodge dealership, one of which provides lifetime coverage for the Durango SRT. There is a catch, however, as the lifetime warranty applies only to the first owner and is not transferred to subsequent owners.
Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles No complimentary scheduled maintenanceArrow pointing downArrow pointing down
Specifications
Specifications
2021 Dodge Durango SRT 392
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 6-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE AS TESTED
$74,250 (base price: $64,490)
ENGINE TYPE
pushrod 16-valve V-8, iron block and aluminum heads, port fuel injection
Displacement
391 in3, 6410 cm3
Power
475 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque
470 lb-ft @ 4300 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): control arms/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 15.0-in vented disc/13.8-in vented disc
Tires: Pirelli P Zero, 295/45R-20 (110Y)
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 119.8 in
Length: 200.8 in
Width: 76.4 in
Height: 72.1 in
Passenger volume: 141 ft3
Cargo volume: 17 ft3
Curb weight: 5457 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.1 sec
100 mph: 11.0 sec
130 mph: 22.1 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 4.9 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 2.5 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.0 sec
1/4 mile: 12.7 sec @ 106 mph
Top speed (C/D est): 155 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 163 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 323 ft
Standing-start accel times omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 13 mpg
75-mph highway driving: 17 mpg
Highway range: 410 miles
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 15/13/19 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
More Features and Specs
