2023 Dodge Durango SRT

There hasn't been a new Dodge Durango SRT SUV since this model was first released in 2018, and even then, the regular Durango it was based on hailed from 2010, so to say it's aging is an understatement. Dodge has been trying to teach this old dog new tricks for years to extend its lifecycle, and it's done a surprisingly good job. This rude, 475-horsepower hotrod of an SUV is still hilarious to drive, delivers a grin-inducing V8 soundtrack, and holds the road better than it has a right to. Because of its age, the NHTSA's safety review of the Dodge Durango SRT is less than stellar, and neither does it have the assembly quality of European SUVs. Rivals are few at this price level though, with the BMW X5 M costing a far sight more. This makes the Durango SRT superb value - and as a spacious mid-size SUV, it's still practical and boasts an impressive towing ability. Buyers may want to cross-shop the cheaper Ford Explorer ST and similarly priced Acura MDX Type S with their small turbocharged V6s, but neither delivers the SRT 392's muscular brand of performance. This brute is of a dying breed, so you better get your order in while you still have access to such a brash symbol of conspicuous gas consumption.

With a $72,715 MSRP, the price of the new Dodge Durango SRT 392 base model is quite a bit higher than the regular Durango trims. The SRT 392 Plus will cost you $78,715, and the top Premium trim retails at $83,920. These prices don't include Dodge's destination fee of $1,595.

For a heavy SUV of over a decade old, the Durango's underpinnings still do a remarkable job of keeping the whole package right side up. It can trace its platform to the 2000s W166 Mercedes GLE, back in the day when Daimler Chrysler was still a thing. Yet it's been tuned to deliver a sporting feel, and while it's firmer than lowlier Durangos, it doesn't jar unless you put it in its Track mode, which is best avoided for everyday driving. The Brembo brakes are powerful, and the hearty Hemi V8 roar will put a smile on the face of even the most jaded motoring journalist as the Durango roars from corner to corner, staying composed and finding a lot of grip, thanks to its summer tires - who's going to take this off-road anyway? The drive settings are customizable, so you can put the suspension in Sport and the steering in Street, which is a great combo for backroad blasting. Track is simply too harsh, and the sporty modes make the steering too sticky. The tiller is quick, providing surprising feel and feedback. It's still better in the sedate modes.

The Durango SRT 392 is shockingly good, and great fun to drive for a behemoth so big, heavy, and old. Dodge has done an excellent job tuning this big SUV, and its 475-hp Hemi makes it plenty fast enough so you won't be hankering for a Hellcat unless you are an incurable adrenaline junkie. It has an undeniable charm and is a proper hotrod SUV with a big-chested V8 roar, yet it's spacious and practical enough for the whole family, can tow a big rig, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. You'll soon forgive its aging cabin, and we can look past the cheaper surfaces when we're getting so much for our money. Its prodigious thirst might be harder to stomach, but hey, as they say, if you want a big fire, you need lots of gas, right?

Most people will be perfectly happy with the base trim, but we'd go for the mid-range Plus. Although all three are well-equipped, the Plus gets a few features we miss on the regular SRT 392, and the most noteworthy ones are the full leather upholstery in eye-catching Demonic Red, the power sunroof, and the trailering package. Then there are the additional driver aids, of which the base car has very few, with the Plus adding adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, and lane-departure warning. The glorious Harman Kardon audio system of the Premium is sadly not offered on the Plus, but the standard system is adequate and in a car like this, you'll just listen to the engine most of the time, which plays a beautiful tune all its own.