2023 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Performance

There simply aren't three-row performance SUVs that can compete with the Durango SRT Hellcat's outrageous performance figures. The benchmark 0 to 60 mph run is done and dusted in just 3.5 seconds, but the Hellcat keeps hauling beyond that mark and will cross the quarter-mile in just 11.5 seconds. According to Dodge, the Hellcat's 2.1-mile road course lap time is 1.5 seconds quicker than the Durango SRT 392, the next most powerful Durango. A top speed of 180 mph is achievable. Standard all-wheel drive, launch control, and launch assist help the Durango SRT Hellcat put down the epic 710 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque delivered by the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine.

One of the few performance SUVs that can match the powerful Durango up to 60 mph is the older Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, but other three-row SUVs like the Ford Explorer ST have nothing comparable. Even the BMW Alpina XB7 fall to the Durango Hellcat's might. The Durango SRT Hellcat also has an excellent maximum towing capacity of 8,700 lbs, the best in its class.

Not many SUVs are as defined by their engines as this one. At the heart of the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is the 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8 engine with a massive 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque. All of that power goes to all four corners via an eight-speed automatic TorqueFlite transmission that comes with standard paddle shifters. The combination makes for riveting progress, with the big SUV blasting off the mark with similar ferociousness as the drag superstar that is the Challenger. With standard launch control and launch assist, the Durango effectively eliminates tire slip and wheel hop for aggressive, smooth launches. As expected, there is more passing power on tap than most will ever need; this is one SUV that you'll spend more time reining in than anything else.

Though it still feels blisteringly quick, it is worth noting that the tuning on the eight-speed TorqueFlight transmission feels more restrained than in other Hellcats like the Charger and Challenger. Perhaps Dodge knew Durango Hellcat owners might still want a livable SUV that can also go fast. The shifts come as quickly as we'd like, though they lack the available ferocity found in the Charger or Challenger.

Just like the previous model, the SRT Hellcat isn't going to achieve good gas mileage figures - while the base Durango can do 18/25/21 mpg on city/highway/combined cycles, the SRT Hellcat will only manage 12/17/13 mpg, according to the EPA.

Despite the fitment of a large 24.6-gallon gas tank, we don't to manage more than 315 miles on a full tank of gas.