The 2020 Dodge Durango SRT is a family car with powerful performance
Room for the family with a power to spare.
The 2020 Dodge Durango is a seven-passenger SUV with a roomy interior that offers plenty of space for cargo. There are lots of choices in this segment, but the Durango stands out for its range of powerful engine options. If you want all the practicality of an SUV combined with the fun of a sports car, then make some time to take the 2020 Dodge Durango SRT for a test drive.
The full Durango lineup includes five trims with the SRT sitting at the top of the range. It comes standard with a 6.4-liter V8 that offers 475 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque and is paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission. That’s a lot of power for an SUV, making the Durango SRT truly unique.
The SRT also features Brembo performance brakes, SRT performance tuned steering, high-performance adaptive damping, and a performance-tuned all-wheel drive system. Dodge gave the SRT its own look with a unique grille and front and rear fascias. There’s no mistaking that this Durango is different than the rest.
It has the power and it looks the part, but the bigger question is whether it lives up to expectations behind the wheel. The Dodge Durango SRT goes from 0-60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds, and it feels every bit that fast when you press on the accelerator. Power comes on quickly and makes merging into highway traffic effortless.
The transmission shifts smoothly and there’s no unwanted noise from the engine. Instead, you’ll hear that engine in all the best ways and never forget that you’re behind the wheel of a performance vehicle. Add in a rich, throaty exhaust note and you have the sports car you want with the SUV capability you need.
The downside to all that power is low fuel economy. The Durango SRT gets an EPA-estimated 13 miles per gallon in the city, 19 on the highway, and 15 combined. While that’s easy to live with for shorter drives, it requires budgeting for road trips.
The interior is roomy with performance front seats covered in Nappa leather and suede along with an embroidered SRT logo. They’re eight-way power adjustable with four-way power lumbar making it easy to find a comfortable seating position. They’re also heated for cold New England mornings and ventilated for when summer finally arrives.
Second-row seats in the SRT are heated captain’s chairs, which brings seating down to six, while the third row offers a 50/50 bench seat. The captain’s chairs make the second row more comfortable than the bench seats found elsewhere in the lineup. They also provide easy access to the third row, which is a tight fit and best left for only the kids.
The Durango offers good cargo capacity with 17.2 cubic feet behind the third row, 43.3 cubic feet behind the second row, and 85.1 cubic feet behind the first row. That’s good, but there are other SUVs in the segment with higher numbers if cargo is a priority. The Durango can also tow up to 8,700 pounds of additional cargo.
Infotainment in the SRT includes a 8.4-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM, navigation, and a nine-speaker Alpine audio system. It’s easy to use with a responsive touchscreen and intuitive icons reducing driver distraction. There’s also an available rear entertainment system with dual nine-inch screens mounted in the front seatbacks for keeping the kids busy on road trips.
This SUV offers good standard safety. It includes hill-start assist, rear park assist, and front park assist along with the option for blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-path detection, forward collision warning with active braking, and lane departure warning.
The Durango SRT is something that’s difficult to find in an SUV. It fills the SUV requirement of easily reconfiguring to carry people or cargo with the addition of true performance driving. Just because you have a family and need a big vehicle doesn’t mean you don’t want a bit of performance as a part of the package.
The 2020 Dodge Durango SRT is now available at dealerships nationwide with a starting price of $62,995.
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