---
title: '2026 Dodge Durango | V8 Only, What Could Go Wrong?'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=WJSIQ1mg7uQ'
video_id: 'WJSIQ1mg7uQ'
date: 2026-06-30
duration_sec: 561
---

# 2026 Dodge Durango | V8 Only, What Could Go Wrong?

> Source: [2026 Dodge Durango | V8 Only, What Could Go Wrong?](https://youtube.com/watch?v=WJSIQ1mg7uQ)

## Summary

The video reviews the 2026 Dodge Durango, focusing on the return of the V8 engine. It highlights the 392 RT model's significant power increase (nearly 500 hp) and its competitive pricing at around $50,000. The presenter also compares it to more expensive German V8 SUVs, praising its value towing capacity and interior features while acknowledging the irony of a V8 in an era of high gas prices.

### Key Points

- **V8 Return and Power Boost** [0:09] — The V8 returns for 2026, making nearly 500 hp (30% more power, 20% more torque).
- **Pricing and Value Comparison** [0:25] — Starting price around $50k for the 392 RT; competitive with German V8 SUVs that cost ~$100k and lose value quickly.
- **Interior and Space** [1:10] — Fully leather interior suede headliner good audio system and lots of space. Known reliable platform.
- **Towing Capacity and Depreciation Strategy** [1:30] — Towing capacity ~8,700 lb nearly matching larger SUVs. Price advantage due to depreciated tooling costs.
- **Driving Dynamics and V8 Character** [7:51] — Adaptive dampers handle well; minimal understeer for a heavy SUV. V8 character is a key selling point.

## Transcript

The 2026 Dodge Durango. If you followed
any of this brand's marketing, you'll
know that the V8 is back and they're
going to put it in everything that they
can. They're pulling it out of their
janitor's closets, their basements, you
name it, so you can have one. For '26,
the Durango now comes standard with it.
And if you get the RT 392 that I'm
sitting in,
you are getting the kitchen sink and
more power. It makes about 30% more
power and around 20% more torque, which
means you're pushing nearly 500
horsepower and this thing is fast in a
straight line. And they're going to tell
you it's track inspired, which clearly
you're not going to take it on track
like we did, but I'm going to tell you a
few things about this. The main thing is
if you if you wanted a V8 in a three-row
SUV, you had to get your
the Germans to spend around $100,000 to
do so and then having about half of its
value eviscerated in 3 years.
The 392 RT starts at about $50,000.
And what you're getting here is you're
getting fully leather interior, full
leather accents, you're getting the
suede headliner, you're getting a really
good audio system, a ton of usable
space, and a known quantity. The Durango
has been out forever. Their V8 they've
been milking forever and
the thing is they've depreciated it.
They've depreciated this, the tooling,
everything to make the drivetrain, so
they can drive down the price. It's not
that they just magically lowered it. I
think they figured out how to package
this to give people what they actually
want is a fun three-row SUV that has the
space for kids, things, and it can
actually tow. We're talking around like
8,700 lb of towing capacity. And to put
that in perspective, you know, some of
the bigger SUVs are pushing like 9,000
lb of towing and you're getting a
a nearly sorted out as much as you can
get a sorted out Dodge with some
physical controls, things that they know
people want that you're not going to get
tired of having every single day. And
again, at that price point, that's why
you would consider this over so many
other vehicles that if you want some
character, you want to have a little bit
of fun, you want to have that V8 sound,
there's nobody else doing this and this
is what this brand is really good at.
And if they can sweat some of the detail
work of getting their quality back up
and some of their attention to detail
back where it needs to be, at this price
point, it's it's really unrivaled. So,
if that's what you're looking for,
you're going to love this. Jack and I
are going to take [laughter] this out on
track briefly and have kind of a fun
conversation and meaningless
conversation about what it's like to
drive.
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So, with that, let's head back into the
video.
>> [music]
>> You hear that?
That's the [music] sound of America
creating building winning.
And that can never stop. We won't let
it.
Our muscle runs [music] deep.
>> Last time I was in this,
I did watch this thing drive away after
my third divorce.
>> Thank god Mike got a V8.
>> But I'm here with you now. Everything's
way better. [laughter]
>> [music]
>> Durango RT Mark 392
500 500 horsepower. It's got less
understeer than that up to we just got
out of.
Honestly, this thing hustles really
really well.
I was talking to poor Chris who can't
speak to us because he's in the back
seat. Oh my god, dude.
>> [laughter]
>> Hey,
I told you when I brought Joey to
school, his friends would talk about,
you know,
"Joey, does your dad have the 392?" I
said, "Yeah, I got the 392."
>> the credit score?
>> Yes, it is.
>> [laughter]
>> And that's what happened. She took all
my didn't pay off the credit
cards, and now I'm stuck with all this
debt, and I don't even have this. So,
it's great to be able to drive it again.
>> Well, thankfully for you, this RT 392 is
pretty affordable. I believe it costs
less than $60,000 when you can start
ordering one.
>> Well, what other V8 SUVs exist?
>> Other than the X5, the GLC or GLE,
the Q7 in this price category, none of
them. What I was saying earlier to you,
Mark, Oh my god, dude. What I was saying
to you earlier is that
this
because it's on the older, very old
uh, platform that was originally sourced
from Mercedes under Daimler,
and the RAM are probably the two
Stellantis products I actually think are
genuinely well-sorted vehicles and
competitive in their class. Like,
dynamically,
this V8 has a ton of character. The 392
hasn't changed in 400 years, and it's
great for it.
The ZF 8-speed does it Jesus Christ.
>> it way too much sense, pal. Nobody gives
a about this. My wife didn't care
about any of this stuff.
>> [laughter]
>> She wanted the 392,
and I told her I would get it. I worked
three different jobs. Joey went to a
private school. Guess what? Now she's
got another kid on the way with this new
guy, and they got a free car out of me.
>> Well, Mark, I'm sorry you're sad, but
the drivetrain in this thing is great.
It handles well. It's double wishbone
car. The all-wheel drive systems are
good, and the brakes, despite being a
house, have not faded out yet.
>> did. It faded out.
>> Oh, it did?
>> Yeah, no. Well, then we'll just we won't
use the brakes.
>> [laughter]
>> The whole idea is not to use the brakes.
>> All right. Is there anything else you
want to talk about, Mark?
>> Yeah.
The V8. It's great.
>> Did you talk about it?
>> I did. I talked about it at length. It's
been around for 10 years or 15 years.
>> paying attention.
>> Look, you've probably seen like 40 of
our videos in the Durango at this time.
>> No, this this this brand exists because
of this.
>> Yeah, the V8.
>> This entire experience is why you buy a
Dodge, right? You're You don't care
about anything else. I can get a V8, uh,
souped-up
I'm going to
get get drunk and drive through the
front of a liquor store in this thing.
That's what I'm going to do.
That's what I'm going to do in this
thing. And then I'm going to hire a
lawyer to get me out of it so I can do
it again.
Okay?
>> You can't use any of that. [laughter]
>> Why not?
>> Dude, but why do you think you can't use
any [laughter] of that?
Uh
>> All right, fine.
>> [music]
>> Now, despite us having some fun during
the drive, we've done an asinine amount
of videos on the Durango. And all the
things that were good about it are still
good about it. They're just giving you
more. You know, the adaptive dampers do
a really good job for the price point on
the street and if you want to have some
fun, it doesn't feel like a massively
understeer prone vehicle. And you know,
the V8 makes a massive difference. Now,
clearly, you know, this brand has some
of the worst timing ever and it's not
really their fault. They bring back the
V8 and then our gas prices in Illinois
are over $6 a gallon for premium. It
just seems like they can't catch a
break. But clearly, you're not buying a
V8 because you wanted Toyota hybrid
levels of fuel economy. You're buying it
for a completely different reason and
that's why the Durango continues and has
sold for quite
uh quite well for a long period of time.
It is that known quantity and I
understand why people buy it and you're
going to really enjoy it. Now, clearly,
the used market is going to be amazing.
So, if you need one of these for more
affordable, you're going to find it. But
if you're also looking for a deal that
is basically a loaded three-row SUV for
50 grand, this is very, very, very hard
to argue and we appreciate that it
exists in a world of boring SUVs. Thanks
for watching. We'll see you next video.
>> [music]
>> Woah.
Woah.
>> [music]
>> Woah.