Inside the 710-Horsepower Engine That Makes the Durango SRT Hellcat a Three-Row Muscle SUV

Towing a boat up Highway 11 to Lake Nipissing usually means choosing between a truck that hauls and an SUV that seats the family. The Dodge Durango lineup was built to remove that choice, and the range-topping SRT Hellcat trim takes it further than any three-row SUV on the market.

Three trims make up the current Durango lineup — GT, R/T and SRT Hellcat — each built around a different HEMI or Pentastar engine, and each still seating up to seven passengers. Here's what separates them, and why the SRT Hellcat's 710-horsepower engine puts it in a class of its own.

Durango GT — Standard V-6 Power With Full Family Seating

The Durango GT runs a 3.6-litre Pentastar V-6 engine rated at up to 295 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, paired with a standard eight-speed automatic transmission. It's the entry point into the Durango lineup, and it still includes the same three-row, seven-passenger layout and a standard 10.1-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen found across the range.

• 3.6-litre Pentastar V-6 engine, up to 295 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque
• Seven-passenger seating across three rows
• Standard 10.1-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Suited to Parry Sound District families who want SUV space without stepping up to a V-8

Durango R/T — HEMI V-8 Torque for Regular Towing

The R/T trim swaps in a 5.7-litre HEMI V-8 engine producing 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque, a best-in-class figure backed by Fuel Saver cylinder-deactivation technology that switches to four-cylinder mode during light-load cruising. Properly equipped with the Tow N Go package, the R/T tows up to 3,266 kg (7,200 lb); without it, towing tops out at 2,812 kg (6,200 lb).

• 5.7-litre HEMI V-8 engine, 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque
• Tow N Go package raises towing capacity to 3,266 kg (7,200 lb)
• Fuel Saver Technology with cylinder deactivation for everyday driving
• Built for Sundridge-area owners who tow boats or trailers on a regular basis

Durango SRT Hellcat — 710 Horsepower Without Losing the Third Row

At the top of the lineup, the Durango SRT Hellcat is powered by a supercharged 6.2-litre HEMI Hellcat V-8 engine producing 710 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque. It moves from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds, covers an NHRA-certified quarter-mile in 11.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 290 km/h — figures no other three-row gas SUV on the market can match. Despite that performance, the SRT Hellcat keeps the Durango's full seven-passenger layout and tows up to 3,946 kg (8,700 lb).

The SRT Hellcat pairs its engine with a TorqueFlite 8HP95 eight-speed automatic transmission, steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters and seven selectable Drive modes — Auto, Sport, Track, Snow, Tow, Eco and Valet. Braking comes from Brembo six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear calipers, sized to match the engine's output.

• Supercharged 6.2-litre HEMI Hellcat V-8, 710 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque
• 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds; NHRA-certified quarter-mile in 11.5 seconds
• Towing capacity up to 3,946 kg (8,700 lb) with seven-passenger seating retained
• Built for Parry Sound District drivers who want muscle-car performance and family-hauling capability in the same vehicle

Comparing the Durango Trims

Your New Durango Is Waiting

From the standard V-6 in the GT to the 710-horsepower Hellcat engine at the top of the range, the Durango lineup is built around one idea: performance and family seating don't have to be a trade-off. Visit Mac Lang Sundridge in Sundridge to test drive the Durango GT, R/T or SRT Hellcat and find the trim that matches how you drive.