The 2026 Dodge Durango R/T 392 Launch Edition is a Muscle Car Disguised as an SUV

The Dodge Durango is spicing up the daily driver market with more HEMI power than ever. The Durango is once again showing why it isn’t your average SUV. For the first time ever, the legendary 392-cubic-inch V‑8 HEMI engine is standard on Durango R/T. The new 2026 Dodge Durango R/T 392 Launch Edition has 475 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque from its 6.4L HEMI V‑8. This Durango is not the typical SUV waiting in line to pick the kids up from school. It is a muscle car disguised as an SUV.

“The new Durango R/T 392 Launch Edition instantly sets the value‑performance benchmark for three‑row SUVs,” said Matt McAlear, Dodge CEO. “As the only muscle SUV of its kind — with a heart‑pounding 4.4‑second 0-60 and an NHRA-certified 12.9‑second quarter-mile — the Durango R/T 392 brings authentic Dodge muscle to more drivers than ever.”

2026 Dodge Durango R/T 392 Launch Edition

The 2026 Durango R/T Launch Edition posts impressive improvements over the 2025 Durango R/T. 

• 32% more horsepower (+115 horsepower)
• 21% more torque (+80 lb.-ft. of torque)
• Quicker 0-60 time, lowered from 6.2 seconds to 4.4 seconds
• Top speed of 160 mph
• 20% more standard towing capacity

For the first time in Durango history, Dodge drops the 392-cubic-inch HEMI V‑8 into the R/T. Equipped with the powerful new HEMI, the Durango offers the most horsepower in the SUV segment under $50,000. Dodge adds a number of important features to harness the HEMI power. The Durango R/T 392 Launch Edition includes an adaptive damping high-performance suspension, red Brembo six-piston front/four-piston rear brakes, electronic limited slip rear axle and high-performance exhaust. 

The Durango R/T 392 Launch Edition also includes serious interior upgrades. The interior design team has added Nappa leather and suede seating with SRT performance bolsters and heated/ventilated front seats and heated second-row captain’s chairs. An available premium package adds carbon-fiber interior accents, 18-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, premium leather-wrapped instrument panel/door panels, suede headliner, sunroof, upgraded two-piece rotors that deliver improved braking performance and cooling and a Trailer Tow Package.

The 392 V-8 HEMI-powered Durango R/T 392 outdoes every three-row SUV on the road when it comes to towing power. The standard towing capability is now a best-in-class 8,700 pounds. 

Behind the wheel, drivers experience a true performance cockpit. The automatic transmission adapts to engine load, traction and driving style. It can also be manually shifted via performance steering‑wheel paddle shifters or through the “M-gate” manual shifter located on the center console, allowing the driver to select and change gears much like a sequential shifter.

A rear-wheel-drive-based architecture provides ideal balance, and standard all-wheel drive on the R/T 392 maximizes traction for all-weather confidence and full power delivery. All-wheel drive in the R/T 392 features an active system that continuously balances the torque between the front and rear axles based on performance driving demands.

Exterior color options for Durango R/T, as well as the full 2026 Durango lineup, include new Green Machine, B5 Blue, Destroyer Gray, Diamond Black, Night Moves, Red Oxide, Triple Nickel, Vapor Gray and White Knuckle.

2026 Dodge Durango Lineup

• Durango GT (V‑6): 295 horsepower, 260 lb.‑ft., starts at $38,995 (AWD adds $2,000)
• Durango GT HEMI AWD: 360 horsepower; the most affordable AWD V‑8 in the industry at $43,675
• Durango R/T 392: 475 horsepower; most horsepower in the segment under $50,000
• The Durango R/T 392 Launch Edition Premium model starts at an MSRP of $57,595.
• Durango SRT Hellcat: 710 horsepower; starts at $79,995 as the quickest, fastest and most powerful three-row gas SUV
• Durango SRT Hellcat Jailbreak: offering ultimate personalization, price depends on customization

The current spike in gas prices may give some drivers pause but once prices stabilize, this Durango will be popular for its performance and fun factor. 

Image by Dodge

About the Author

Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin. Follow Mary at @MaryConwayMedia on X  and on Facebook, and send her car news tips for future stories. Mary Conway is an esteemed automotive and business reporter who was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame in 2019. Mary is a member of the Automotive Press Association, Rocky Mountain Automotive Press, Society of Professional Journalists, and NATAS.