Your Ticket To V8 Power Is Now Cheaper Than Ever

Your Ticket To V8 Power Is Now Cheaper Than Ever originally appeared on Autoblog.

V8 engines are making a comeback

As many automakers have discovered, making the switch to EVs can alienate your core demographic. Not everyone wants the power of an EV, instead favoring combustion engines and their deep growls from beneath the hood. Stellantis, parent company to Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, saw major backlash when they discontinued the Dodge Charger and unveiled the Charger Daytona EV in its stead. Now, with new leadership at the helm, there’s a change in the wind over at Stellantis, and it looks like V8 performance will no longer cost an arm and a leg.

2026 Dodge Durango drops the V6

Dodge is - or was - in the process of transitioning from the Hemi V8 engine to a newer, more efficient Hurricane inline-six cylinder. With emissions regulations loosening, however, the automaker is leaning back towards V8 performance. Most recently, Dodge announced that the base 2026 Durango would swap out its V6 engine, creating an entirely V8-powered lineup.

The base 2025 Durango GT model came powered by a V6 engine that produced 295 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Going forward, the base Durango will feature a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine that produces 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. Starting at $42,495, the 2026 Durango stands out as the most affordable AWD V8 vehicle in the automotive industry.

Not all Durango models will come equipped with the same V8 engine, though. The Durango R/T trim gets upgraded to a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine that generates 475 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. Earlier this year, Dodge also stated that the Durango Hellcat, supercharged engine and all, would return for another year. That range-topping model boasts a 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8 engine that produces 710 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque, pushing the SUV to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds. That power will cost you, though, with the 2026 Durango Hellcat priced at just under $80,000.

Dodge isn’t the only Stellantis brand bringing back the Hemi V8 engine. Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis openly admitted the brand messed up when it did away with the Ram 1500’s V8 engine option in favor of a six-cylinder lineup. The truck brand is reversing course for the 2026 model year, largely thanks to customer input. While it won’t be the standard powertrain, the Ram 1500 will be available with a Hemi V8 engine upgrade.

"Everyone makes mistakes, but how you handle them defines you. Ram screwed up when we dropped the HEMI — we own it and we fixed it,” said Kuniskis, Ram CEO.

Former CEO Carlos Tavares was all-in on EVs

Carlos Tavares, former Stellantis CEO, had a vision that the company’s vehicles would carry lower production costs, higher price tags, and more eco-friendly powertrains. In other words, his vision for the company’s brands directly conflicted with what they’re known for. That “vision” ultimately led to a pretty dramatic decline in sales for Dodge, which saw its 2024 sales drop by 29% compared to 2023. Even Jeep, with its hardcore fan base, saw its sales decline by nine percent.

To be fair, the loss of engines like the Hemi V8 isn’t entirely the former CEO’s fault. Tightening environmental regulations certainly played a role as well - but that was just one side of the equation. Raising prices while cutting costs (or corners), on the other hand, was an entirely different story. While Dodge is circling back to ICE engines and combustion power, that doesn’t mean the brand is done with EVs.

"With the change in the administration, it's no secret that we're absolutely flexing into ICE production right now," said Matt McAlear, Dodge CEO. "But we are not walking away from the power, the performance, and the excitement that battery electric provides."

Final thoughts

Huzzah - the Hemi V8 engine returns! While Dodge isn’t completely giving up on EVs, it’s turning back the clock. All 2026 Dodge Durango models now wield the power of a V8 engine. Not only that, but you won’t have to break the piggy bank to get into a new model, with the base model priced under $43,000. Dodge CEO McAlear also indicated that dropping a Hemi V8 into the Charger Daytona isn’t out of the question either…but we’ll have to wait for more information on that front.

Your Ticket To V8 Power Is Now Cheaper Than Ever first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 19, 2025

This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 19, 2025, where it first appeared.