There’s just one trim on offer with the 2022 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat. The SRT Hellcat is the ultra-powerful variant of the humble Durango full-size SUV. Prices for the super SUV start at $81500. As standard, it gets features like 20-inch machined alloy wheels with dark pockets, Nappa leather upholstery, Dual-zone automatic climate control, a 9-speaker Alpine sound system, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment display.

Which trim should you buy?

There’s just one trim on offer with the SRT Hellcat and hence the buying process gets simple and easy when it comes to buying a Dodge SRT Hellcat. Apart from offering a modern features list, it also comes with some additional features like an optional rear-seat entertainment system, 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, and a Blacktop package that offers black-painted wheels with blacked-out exterior trim.

Release date:

The Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is expected to arrive at the nearest dealerships by the second quarter of 2021.

The 2022 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is equipped with a massive 6.2 liter, supercharged, V8 engine that is mated to an 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. The engine churns out a bonkers 710 horses and 640 lb-ft of torque and those are crazy numbers for a full-size, 3 row SUV. This thing smokes the track and would put some sports cars to shame. On the drag strip, the 710 horses shoot the SUV to cover the quarter-mile distance in just 11.5 seconds. 

This SUV hits the 60 mph mark in just 3.5 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 180 mph. Not just that, this SUV can also tow up to 8700 lbs. The Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat has a crazy powertrain and those are just mad performance numbers. The exhaust has a loud grunt and the large supercharger has a very unique whine and the orchestra is an absolute joy to the ears. The powertrain is super torquey and super responsive; just a gentle dab on the throttle and the SUV just rockets ahead. You’ve to be very careful while driving around the city, especially in heavy, bumper-to-bumper traffic.

The 2022 Durango SRT Hellcat is the most powerful and fast SUV in the competition. It shares its powertrain with its Stellantis sibling, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Trackhawk but the Jeep makes 3 horses less and is slower than the Dodge by half a second. The BMW and the Land Rover SUVs on the other hand make 523 and 518 horses respectively and are quite slower than the Dodge and Jeep SUVs. You do not often say that 500 horsepower is less but in this case, it certainly is.

How well does the 2022 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat handle?

Well, if you’re looking for an SUV that can deliver dynamic and crisp handling, well then you perhaps will be disappointed. This simply isn’t that kind of an SUV. Yes, it is unforgivingly fast but the handling package isn’t the most impressive. Dodge has developed adaptive dampers and tweaked the suspensions specifically for the SRT Hellcat and Dodge says that the suspension setup on the other Durango model simply could not handle that kind of power.

Even with specifically developed suspensions and a grippy set of Pirellis, the body still tends to roll a bit. Yes, it has better control than the other Durango models but we would have liked it more agile. The SUV grips onto the ground well but at times, you do feel like you’re losing a bit of grip. Nonetheless, it is an enthralling vehicle to drive and the sheer power and torque that it has on offer shall get you sold.

2022 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Braking Performance

The Durango SRT Hellcat comes equipped with a large set of brakes that Dodge has built along with Brembo, again specifically for this one. The brakes have a very solid and aggressive bite on them and that’s necessary on such a powerful vehicle. Stopping 700 horses isn’t a simple task and the Durango travels about 165 feet before coming to a complete halt from 70 mph.

The Dodge and Jeep SUVs both come equipped with a similar set of Brembo brakes. But the Jeep posts a shorter stopping distance than the Dodge credit to its lower weight. The Jeep, on the other hand, comes with a 15.8 inches rotor in the front and 13.8 inches rotor in the rear. However, the brake specification and performance figures of the BMW X5 and Range Rover remain unstated.

The Dodge Durango’s massive engine is a proper gas guzzler and chugs lots of fuel, without having any form of mercy for the environment and your pocket. In the city, it travels just 12 miles for every gallon of fuel that it chugs and on the highway, it can just go for 17 miles on a single gallon. It gets an EPA rating of 13 MPG. So, whether you’re driving around the city or hauling on the highway, you always need to keep an eye on the fuel indicator as the level goes down in no time.

The Dodge and the Jeep SUVs have the lowest fuel economy numbers in the competition. The Land Rover on the other hand has slightly better fuel economy numbers and posts 19 MPG combined. The BMW SUV on the other hand delivers 18 MPG combined. Fuel economy isn’t something you should look at when you’re shopping in this segment of cars.

The 2022 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat has a driver-focused cabin and everything revolves around the driver. The infotainment screen and the switchgear on the center console are slightly angled to the driver so that the driver has better accessibility. The SUV indeed gets a few sporty touches like Alcantara accents and red stitching all over the place. You cannot call the interior of the Durango plush and there indeed are a few cheap plastic bits but Dodge has tried to cover up the imperfections by offering some premium touches like Nappa leather upholstery and heated and ventilated front seats as standard.

At the front, you get very snug and heavily bolstered bucket seats. The seats are wrapped in premium Nappa leather and offer great support and hold you tight in place. On the second row, you have individual captain chairs and just the front seats, those are quite comfortable and snug as well. The third-row seats are pretty spacious as well and 2 adults can fit in quite comfortably. The passenger space on all the rows of seats is pretty decent and people of all shapes and sizes can fit in comfortably in the SUV.

There are a few storage spaces on the inside and Dodge has tried to make the SUV practical as well. For starters, there’s an average-sized glove box at the front along with cupholders in the center console and a deep storage bin below the front center armrest. There are large pockets on all 4 doors and you can store bottles, magazines, or some other stuff. Behind the third row, you get 17.2 cubic feet of cargo space but you can always expand it to 43.3 cubic feet by folding the third row down.

The Hellcat Durango’s interiors are not very luxurious or sporty but they’re just functional and fit perfectly to the nature of the car. If you want something more luxurious or opulent, then you may perhaps not like the Durango’s interior and then you may probably go for the X5 M50i or the Range Rover Sport HSE Dynamic. The Durango Hellcat gets some pretty cool and optional interior features as well, we’ve listed a few of them down below:

• 12-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats
• Nappa leather upholstery
• Leather-wrapped, flat-bottom heated steering wheel
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Leather Gear Shifter Material

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The Durango SRT Hellcat comes with Dodge’s UConnect 5 infotainment system. The system consists of a 10.1-inch touchscreen display and you can control all the functions and settings through this screen. The system is fairly intuitive and is simple to use. It comes with a 9-speaker Alpine audio system which is high quality. Surprisingly, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto get a miss. Other standard infotainment features include:

• 506-watt, 9-speaker Alpine sound system
• 10.1-inch infotainment system
• HD radio
• SiriusXM Satellite radio
• Bluetooth smartphone integration

The Hellcat Durango doesn’t look all that different from the regular Durango but there are a few subtle differences that would help you differentiate. First up, it’s the SRT badging on the blacked-out grille that’ll tell you that you’re not looking at an ordinary Durango. The front bumper is also tweaked slightly and the Hellcat’s bumper is slightly shaped like a front lip spoiler, Then there are those boomerang-shaped air vents in front of the wheels and they look cool. There’s a slightly off-set and rather large hood-scoop and it just provides the engine with more air apart from giving the SUV an aggressive aura.

On the side, there’s nothing all that interesting. You get large 20-inch machined alloy wheels with dark pockets along with red-colored Brembo brake calipers. The rear is interesting though; there’s that split taillight cluster along with a long light bar that runs across the SUV’s entire width. You also get real dual exhaust tips at the back and those again look cool. On the whole, the SUV has a pretty inconspicuous appearance, and only after you hear the loud exhaust, you realize that this isn’t yet another regular Durango.

The Durango and the Grand Cherokee share the same platform and hence look pretty similar. The BMW X5 M50i on the other hand is a handsome vehicle and has a lot of drama going around its design. The Range Rover Sport retains the old-school charm and looks pretty distinct and has a rugged yet upscale appearance. On the flip side, the Durango is the largest vehicle of the lot and it has a better presence on the road. The Range Rover has the largest ground clearance in the competition and that just gives it an extra bit of advantage while off-roading. Key exterior features in the 2022 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat are:

• 20-inch machined alloy wheels with dark pockets
• Pirelli all-season tires
• Power-folding heated outside rearview mirrors
• Lip spoiler
• Powered liftgate
• Auto on/off projector-beam LED headlights
• LED brake lights

The 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat hasn’t yet been rated by the NHTSA while it has been tested and rated by the IIHS. Safe to say, the Durango gets ‘4 star’ and an overall ‘good’ ratings in almost all the tests conducted by the NHTSA and IIHS. It doesn’t get all that many safety features though, which is a bummer because a powerful SUV like this one does need to be equipped with a good number of safety features. Nonetheless, we’ve listed a few standout safety features of the SUV below:

• Side impact beams
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Driver knee airbag
• ParkView backup camera
• Blind-spot monitor

2022 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat vs. 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Trackhawk

The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is the Durango Hellcat’s platform siblings and they share the same mechanicals and performance numbers. The only difference between them is that the Jeep just has 5 seats and is marketed as a slightly premium product and comes equipped with some more creature comfort features. The only reason to buy the Jeep over Dodge is if you badly need those extra sets of luxury features. If you need those 6/7 seats though, then the Dodge’s the one you should stick to.

2022 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat vs. 2022 BMW X5 M50i

The Durango’s SRT Hellcat’s power and performance are no match to the X5 M50i’s. However, if you do not need those 700 horses but rather be sufficed with 500 and the tonne of luxury and creature comfort items that the Beemer comes with, then put your money on the BMW. The BMW is also a great handler and is a pretty exciting vehicle to drive. In our opinion, 700 hp for an SUV is overkill and the BMW X5 M50i is just a more sensible option and we’d put our money on the Beemer than on the Durango.

2022 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat vs. 2022 Land Rover Range Rover Sport HSE Dynamic

Again, the Range Rover isn’t as powerful or fast as the Durango Hellcat but then the Land Rover is more off-road capable and luxurious on the inside. Moreover, it’s a sane SUV that can go off-roading and also go quite fast on the track while keeping you pampered on the inside. The Range Rover Sport is a more balanced option. Even then, if you badly need the mad Durango package, then you may put your money on it.

The 2022 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is an insane machine. It has crazy power and performance numbers, poor fuel economy, decent interiors, and low safety features. Yes, the performance and power all sound and look fascinating but you have to think rationally and ask yourself whether all that power is of any practical use. Well, in our honest opinion, that kind of power is unnecessary for a full-size SUV and so we think that the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat does not attract us all that much. We’d instead put our money on the BMW or the Range Rover Sport and that would just fetch a practical and sensible package but if you're someone who is addicted to power, then the Dodge Durango is a better pick here.