The Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat has been revived for the 2023 model year on the back of strong demand for the vehicle.
Dodge first introduced the Durango SRT Hellcat for the 2021 model year but made the peculiar decision to produce it for just one year. Now it’s back and has been showcased at the three-day Dodge Speed Week event for the very first time.
Much like the original, the 2023 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is powered by the automaker’s beloved 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat V8 churning out 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque. This engine sports a forged-steel crankshaft, forged-alloy pistons, powder-forged connecting rods, and is coupled to a TorqueFlite 8HP95 eight-speed automatic transmission with seven available Drive modes.
Also Read: 2022 Dodge Durango R/T Gets New Hemi Orange Appearance Package
In a straight line, the Durango SRT Hellcat can sprint to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds and storm down the quarter-mile in 11.5 seconds. It tops out at 180 mph.
As with the 2021 model, the 2023 Durango SRT Hellcat is immediately distinguished from lesser variants thanks to a host of visual and aerodynamic modifications. Among the most obvious alterations is a revised front fascia with a chin splitter, a snorkel for the cold-air intake, and a rear spoiler that produces 140 lbs of downforce at the SUV’s top speed.
Various other upgrades have been made. These include the fitment of Brembo brakes with six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers, clamping down on 15.75-inch front and 13.8-inch rear vented rotors. Dodge has also equipped the ultimate Durango with a Launch Control system and a Launch Assist program that uses wheel speed sensors to watch for wheel hop at launch and adjusts engine torque to maximize grip.
Customers will be able to order their 2023 Durango SRT Hellcat with one of two available Plus and Premium packages. The first of these adds high-performance Laguna leather seats, the trailer tow group, a power sunroof, and various adaptive and advanced safety features. The Premium package adds to the Plus and includes red seat belts, a leather-wrapped instrument panel, carbon fiber interior accents, and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.
“The Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat has generated a crazy amount of enthusiasm and demand since it was introduced in 2020 — we even extended its initial production run — so it seemed appropriate to bring back the most powerful SUV ever as part of our historic 2023 model-year Dodge lineup,” Dodge brand chief executive Tim Kuniskis said. “Muscle enthusiasts also have families, and the 2023 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat can get those families where they want to go and has the ability to tow 8,700 pounds.”
Orders for the 2023 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat will open in September 2022 with the first dealer deliveries penciled in for early 2023.
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- The Durango Hellcat is largely carried over from 2021 and doesn't lose any horsepower or torque from its 6.2-liter V8.
- From a standing start, the Durango Hellcat can reach 60 mph in 3.5-seconds—not bad for a three-row family truckster.
- The Durango Hellcat goes on sale this September, with models hitting the road early in 2023.
Dodge stuffed its popular 6.2-liter Hellcat under the hood of its Durango for 2021. This short-run performance crossover was popular, but Dodge didn’t have long-term plans for the model in mind, and it went away for 2022. Well, the team at Dodge did some moving and shaking and will bring this short-lived Durango model back for 2023.
The three-row Durango Hellcat returns without any serious changes. That means the Hemi V8 still sends 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque to the eight-speed automatic transmission. From there, power heads to all four wheels by way of the all-wheel-drive system. This combination is good enough to rocket the Durango Hellcat from a standing start to 60 mph in 3.5-seconds—not bad for a family truckster.
Dodge says the Durango Hellcat is heading back to order forms this September. There’s no word on the price, but the 2021 model started at $82,490. Now, it’s almost safe to bank on a price hike for 2023.
Considering the Charger and Challenger are both ending production next year, 2023 could be the end of the road for this hopped-up Durango. Though, that was what everyone expected after this limited-run model went away after its only scheduled production year. With that in mind, we’ll be watching this 6.2-liter-powered Durango on a year-by-year basis.
Did you think the Durango Hellcat was going to make a comeback? Tell us your thoughts below.
Wesley Wren Wesley Wren has spent his entire life around cars, whether it’s dressing up as his father’s 1954 Ford for Halloween as a child, repairing cars in college or collecting frustrating pieces of history—and most things in between.