SUV built to satisfy high-horsepower fans
Latest model can intimidate the crossover at the mall while remaining practical
In a bid to keep their rowdy populations distracted from the crushing grind of their daily lives, the ancient Romans held enormous gladiatorial circuses designed to stir the blood and fan the flames of passion in a decidedly nonrevolutionary direction.
With the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT, it’s clear that FCA is employing similar tactics to get in touch with the rebel lurking within the hearts of crossover-bound commuters, offering them an eminently practical three-row SUV whose ridiculously powerful V8 engine screams “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?” in stereo from each of its twin tailpipes.
While the Durango SRT’s spiritual lineage may arch back over thousands of years of history, its oily bits are more recent. The sport utility rides on a stretched version of the same platform that underpins the very successful Jeep Grand Cherokee, which means when the SRT team came calling, it was a relatively simple matter to swap over the Grand Cherokee SRT’s drivetrain into the Durango’s welcoming chassis.
It’s this Jeep connection that goes a long way toward explaining why Dodge has me sitting on the pit lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, ready to tackle an abbreviated version of the famous race venue’s infield GP course from behind the wheel of 2,400-plus kilograms. I’d be nervous had I not already experienced first-hand just how capable the Durango SRT’s Grand Cherokee sibling felt on the similarly worldclass Circuit of the America’s Formula One configuration several years previous.
Also reassuring is the Dodge Durango SRT’s on-paper persona, as described by its spec sheet. With a 6.4litre V8 engine churning out 475 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission and fulltime AWD, the Durango SRT has the skills to lay down a quarter-mile pass of 12.9 seconds. More germane to my immediate situation, however, is the SUV’s upgraded suspension system, which relies primarily on its adaptive dampers linked to the vehicle’s various drive modes as well as the enormous 295/45R-20 Pirelli P-Zero tires fitted at each corner. Together with the all-wheel drive system’s ability to actively manage torque distribution, it’s these improvements that give the truck a fighting chance to slip the surly bounds of Earth.
Leaving the pits in rapid-fire succession of barks from the 2.75-inch exhaust reveals immediately that the transmission’s reprogramming has dramatically shortened shift times, with SRT claiming a 50-per-cent reduction in Track mode versus Auto (and a 23-per-cent improvement when set to Sport). In fact, the SUV’s gearbox is so adept at selecting the appropriate forward ratio that I made no attempt to correct it via the provided paddle shifters, preferring instead to concentrate on steering the bulky bruiser. It was here that I made my second surprising discovery of the day: regardless of how heftily the Durango SRT might tip the scales, it demonstrated remarkably little understeer when asked to change direction, a tribute in part to the 52/48 weight balance made possible by its longer wheelbase and third-row seat. Even braking from 168 km/h at the end of Indy’s ultralong front straight was drama-free thanks to the efforts of the Dodge’s massive 15-inch six-piston front and 13.8-inch four-piston rear Brembo brakes.
The Dodge Durango SRT’s ability to almost casually handle the twists and turns at Indy demonstrates just how far both tire technology and chassis tuning have come over the past five years. As fast and competent as the SUV might be though, and despite SRT’s intention to erase the 90-kilogram weight difference between the Durango and the Grand Cherokee by introducing a third-row/tow- ing package delete, there’s still more novelty than engagement on offer when lapping a road course. I’d be more likely to keep the Durango SRT as-is and use its whopping 3,950 kilograms of towing capacity to cart my own car to the track than to deputize the seven-seater through the esses.
The Dodge’s fantastic acceleration and passing power on the street are underscored by the surprisingly civilized nature of its daily drive. With its tow rating untouched as compared to the standard Durango, and its springs and rear sway-bar only marginally stiffer than the 5.7-litre edition of the truck, the only sacrifice you’ll be making is whenever you have to fill up its undoubtedly thirsty fuel tank. Estimated figures place the Durango SRT at a similar-to-GCSRT 15.7 L/100 km combined.
And, of course, there’s also the pain induced by the Durango SRT’s purchase price. This is a truck that starts at $72,495 but costs more once you’ve optioned it how you’d want it. This puts it head-and-shoulders above its domestic brethren when cross-shopping similarly comfortable and useful three-row rivals. Besides performance upgrades, the only other difference is cosmetic stuff, which makes it harder to justify that price. While nothing in its class can compare in a straight line, you have to really want a muscle car-shaming behemoth to be comfortable paying premium coin for a Dodge. Jeep, with its more upscale market position, doesn’t have quite the same issue with its own hotted-up SUV.
The verdict
Then again, are there really any casual SRT buyers out there? I’d venture that the answer to that question is no. The 2018 Dodge Durango SRT was built to satisfy a pre-existing audience of high-horsepower fans seeking a tow vehicle that can at least pretend to keep up with the Hellcat already in the garage. It’s the perfect lifestyle accessory for the SRT completist, and it makes all the right noises required to intimidate the more frugal crossover parked next to you at the mall.