It is obvious that drivers will buy V8-powered Dodges for as long as they are allowed to. With the Hemi-powered Charger and Challenger gone, Mopar muscle fans turned to the Durango SUV. It posted its best sales year since 2005.

Dodge introduced the Dakota-based Durango in 1998. The SUV received its last full redesign in 2010. It has kept chugging along ever since.

The Durango has outlasted the Dakota pickup it was based on. Dodge discontinued that midsize truck in 2011.

While the Durango is far from the most technologically advanced SUV on the market, it clearly has old-school charm. It also helps that it is the cheapest V8 SUV you can buy.

V8 demand drives a sales surge

During the 2025 model year, Dodge sold 81,168 Durango SUVs. That marks a 37% increase over 2024, when the brand sold 59,357 units. U.S. buyers have not purchased this many Durangos since 2005.

For much of 2025, Dodge offered the Durango exclusively with V8 power. As of November, the more affordable V6 option returned. The supercharged Hellcat Durango was originally planned as a one-year-only model in 2021. Instead, the top-trim SUV is here to stay.

Now Dodge will watch closely. The mix of V6, V8, and Hellcat variants will determine how the Durango performs in 2026.