New Dodge Durango Is Coming, But Will It Still Have a V8?

Yes, after 15 years, the Dodge Durango is due for a new generation. However, it is not quite ready yet, and the all-new Durango will show up in a couple of years.

And yes, after 15 years, I think the current Durango still looks really good. It just doesn’t seem to age much. And Dodge had the very smart idea of focusing on the V8. The brand’s CEO explains: “Durango continues to do extremely well for us, as we have positioned that properly in the marketplace, really focused in on the V8s and offering consumers something they can’t get from any other vehicle in that segment”. And he’s absolutely right; it was a genius idea.

Over 80,000 Durangos were sold last year. Its best year since 2005! Which is quite amazing. And by far the best year of the current generation. However, focusing on the V8 might not last forever. With gas prices up over 30% in just a few months, and getting worse, many buyers could turn to more fuel efficient options. Even the ones who craved a V8. There will be a point when it’s just too expensive to drive an SUV with a V8. Most of these “V* SUV” buyers might be gone in a year or two.

The next model is scheduled to be produced in Detroit. However, with all the political turmoil invading the US Auto industry these days, who knows what will be going on in 2 years. It will probably be based on the new Stellantis One platform. Which can accommodate a variety of powertrains. For a while, it was rumored to use the STLA Large platform from the Dodge Charger and others. Dodge seems to be hard at work to make a V8 fit in the Charger. But again, in a year or two, it might just be too late.

Dodge CEO already mentioned the design would not be a revolution. The illustrations above show what an updated Durango could look like. As a 2029 model.