Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat: Tremendous Power, Impressive Utility
Durango Hellcat offers better performance than the 392 in every way, from acceleration to top speed to braking.
The 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat was introduced earlier this year as the quickest, fastest and most powerful three-row SUV in the world. The supercharged Hemi is the key feature of the package, delivering 710 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque, but this new Durango isn’t just an SRT 392 model with a different engine. It also has a different transmission, unique suspension tuning and larger brakes, making it an all-around better performance vehicle.
The Durango SRT 392 has been a popular option for buyers who wanted the spirit of a muscle car in their three-row SUV since being introduced for the 2018 model year. Many owners of those 475-horsepower SUVs wonder whether the Hellcat is really all that much better. Some wonder if the additional horsepower can really be used in normal driving circumstances while others wonder if this is simply the same vehicle with lots more power.
Fortunately, Dodge recently invited me to travel to Carolina Motorsports Park where I tested the Durango SRT 392 and the Durango SRT Hellcat back-to-back on the road course. Today, we look at the vast difference between these two exciting three-row SUVs.
Durango Hellcat Power
The most obvious and most important difference between the two SRT Durango models is the engine. The SRT 392 is powered by the naturally aspirated 6.4-liter Hemi, delivering 475 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. The Hellcat is, of course, powered by the supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi, packing 710 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque. Those are peak power output numbers and in some cases, critics of models like the Durango Hellcat point out that the vehicle is really only making 710 horsepower at wide open throttle at high RPM. They insist that the conditions in which these vehicles are actually making peak output are rare under normal driving circumstances and they are right.
Thanks to the SRT Performance Pages dyno screen feature, both of the high performance Dodge Durango models allow you to watch the power levels on a hard pull. Generally speaking, both engines make their peak power at the top end of third, fourth and fifth gears, so that is where the Durango Hellcat is making over 700 horsepower. At the same time, the top end of the mid-range gears is also where the SRT 392 makes its peak power, but the Hellcat model offers more than the peak power of the 392 throughout the entirety of a pull through the gears.
When you are launching from a dig or hammering the throttle from a low roll, the Durango SRT 392 climbs to its peak power of 475 horsepower at the top of the gears. The Durango Hellcat climbs to its peak power of 710 horsepower, spending most of the time in the 400 to 600 range on those long pulls. In other words, the Hellcat offers more power where you really use it than the 392 offers at its peak. That leads to a dramatic difference in mid-range pull, so while the Hellcat is noticeably quicker when sprinting from 0 to 60, the power difference really shows itself on longer pulls.
That was most evident when we went from testing the SRT 392 on the road course of Carolina Motorsports Park. When coming out of a turn with the 392-powered Dodge SUV, it pulls well into the straightaway, but the Hellcat pulls dramatically harder coming out of the turns. While the SRT 392 gets up to 475 horsepower further down the straightaway, the Hellcat model is making more than 500 horsepower while exiting the turn. That makes the Hellcat far quicker around the road course and out on the open road. The advantage in 0-to-60 times and top speed look nice on paper, but when it comes down to useable power, the Hellcat packs monster power where drivers use it most.
Other Hellcat Advantages
There are several other key areas where the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat differs from the SRT 392. This includes the transmission, the suspension tuning and the braking system.
Both of the SRT-badged 2021 Durango models have a standard ZF 8-speed automatic transmission, but the SRT 392 comes with an 8HP70 while the Hellcat comes with the 8HP95. The key difference between the two is that the 8HP95 is built to handle much greater loads, but you can’t feel that while driving. What you can feel is the lightning-quick shifts of the 8HP95. The SRT 392 transmission offers quick, spirited shifts, but the transmission in the Durango Hellcat shifts more like a dual clutch. Both upshifts and downshifts in Track mode are insanely quick with rev-matching that is reminiscent of the Challenger and Charger Redeye. The SRT 392 doesn’t shift badly by any means, but the Hellcat shifts like a supercar.
Next, both of the Durango SRT models come with Bilstein adaptive dampers with adjustable drive modes, but the heavier Hellcat models introduce some new suspension components. This includes a rear top shock mount that is 18% stiffer along with a new tuned internal rebound spring, both of which play a role in improving cornering performance. Those two suspension components were not part of the SRT 392 package in past years, but they will be starting with the 2021 models.
As a result, the difference in handling stability between the current 2020 SRT 392 and 2021 Hellcat models will be more noticeable. That being said, I tested the 2021 version of the 392 and Hellcat models, and they both handled similarly to each other. For a large SUV, it really sticks to the corners surprisingly well, providing the confidence needed to push the Durango to its limits on the road course.
Finally, the final key difference between the SRT 392 and Hellcat Durango for 2021 is the braking system. Both models have six-piston Brembo calipers up front and four-piston calipers in the rear with 13.78-inch rear rotors, but the Hellcat has larger front rotors. The front discs of the SRT 392 measure 15 inches in diameter by 1.34 inches thick while the Hellcat has front rotors that are 15.7 inches across and 1.42 inches thick. The larger rotor leads to more contact space for the brake pads, leading to more stopping power that you can definitely feel.
When testing the two Durango SRT models at Carolina Motorsports Park, it rained off-and-on throughout the day. That left the track relatively damp, but we were still hitting speeds well over 100 miles-per-hour on the straights. As we approached the turns at these triple-digit speeds, we had to bring the 5,000+ pound SUV down to a speed where we could safely make it through the wet corners. Lap after lap, both of the Brembo systems performed flawlessly, but the larger Hellcat brakes brought the heavier SUV down from higher speeds more quickly.
Which is Right for You?
Both of the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT models offer a sporty exterior with a plush, tech-heavy cockpit. When deciding whether or not you want to spend the additional $18,000 for the Hellcat, you have to ask yourself whether you really feel the need to have all of that extra mid-range power. If you are into drag racing with a 5,700-pound SUV, the Hellcat is an easy choice, but if you don’t race, it all comes down to how badly you want that mid-range power.
If money is doesn’t play a role in your purchase, drive both and see which you enjoy more. We expect that the vast majority of people will opt for the Hellcat, but with it only being offered for 2021, finding one for sale will take some work. However, for those who get one of the 2021 Durango Hellcats, they are sure to love the most powerful three-row SUV in the world.
Photos for Dodge Forum by Patrick Rall
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