The last of its kind, officially extended
The Durango's platform dates to 2011 — and Dodge just doubled down. Instead of ending after 2026 as long reported, production now continues to about 2028, with an all-new generation confirmed for 2029 out of Detroit Assembly. Until then, the current truck sells what nobody else will: V8s in a three-row, from the 360-hp 5.7 R/T to the 710-hp supercharged Hellcat — which for 2026 becomes 50-state legal for the first time and starts at $80,590, with a Jailbreak edition offering millions of custom combinations.
Mainstream trims with the 295-hp V6 start in the low $40,000s.
Why it still sells
Character and capability. The Hellcat is the only 710-hp three-row on Earth — 0–60 in 3.5 seconds with seven seats and an 8,700-lb tow rating. Even the R/T delivers a soundtrack and effortlessness the four-cylinder-turbo class abandoned. The chassis, though ancient, was born from a Mercedes-era platform and still cruises with big-body composure.
The honest assessment
Everything else is its age. The cabin's design and tech trail rivals by half a decade or more; driver-assistance is generations behind; V6 economy (~19–21 combined) is unremarkable and the Hellcat's (~13) is a statement of intent. Safety tech and refinement buyers should shop literally anywhere else in the class.
Which is the point: nobody buys a Durango rationally. They buy the last analog muscle-family-truck before the 2029 reset — and with the timeline now public, the collector math on late Hellcats writes itself.
The questions buyers actually ask
Is buying a 16-year-old design foolish? For tech-first buyers, yes. For V8-first buyers, it's the only store left open — and parts/knowledge are everywhere.
Hellcat as a daily? Livable, loud, thirsty — and now legal in all 50 states. Insurance quotes first.
Wait for the 2029? If you want modern everything, yes. If you want a V8, the clock is the argument against waiting.
- Extended through ~2028; all-new Durango confirmed for 2029
- Hellcat: 710 hp, 50-state legal for 2026, from $80,590
- V6 trims from the low-$40ks; tows up to 8,700 lb
- Ancient cabin tech and driver-assist — buy for the muscle, not the menus
- Rivals: Grand Cherokee L, Explorer ST, Tahoe RST
Key takeaways
- Extended through ~2028; all-new Durango confirmed for 2029
- Hellcat: 710 hp, 50-state legal for 2026, from $80,590
- V6 trims from the low-$40ks; tows up to 8,700 lb
- Ancient cabin tech and driver-assist — buy for the muscle, not the menus
- Rivals: Grand Cherokee L, Explorer ST, Tahoe RST
Sources & further reading
- Stellantis production announcements
- 2026 pricing
- US performance-SUV coverage, 2026
Figures, prices and policy details were current at the last-updated date above. Automotive pricing, incentives and regulations change frequently — verify time-sensitive details with the linked primary sources. Read our editorial policy and fact-checking standards.
