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Most of our coverage on the all-new 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat will focus on its amazing capabilities on a racetrack, dragstrip, or lonely mountain road. Our Managing Editor, Patrick Rall is the global expert on all things Hellcat, so we will refer our readers to his coverage. If there is a media member that has more on-track and on-road experience than Patrick with Hellcats, we don’t know him or her.
More Images Here: 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat: A Detailed Look at the New Cockpit
At Torque News, I’m one of the experts in family vehicles and daily drivers. So, my story here will help inform those shoppers considering a 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat and intending to drive it as an everyday vehicle. The short version is this Durango is as comfortable as many luxury vehicles. Please read on to see how we justify that claim.
Related: Dodge Tops 2020 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study
2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat – Luxury Seating For Six
Families with more than two children need a three-row vehicle to serve their daily needs. The Durango platform is ideal for this. My closest neighbors, Eddy and Jacki, own a Durango and they have family that comes to visit in another Durango. Here in New England, the Durango is a very popular choice among families looking for a roomy cabin, outstanding cargo volume, and the rugged body-on-frame capabilities that this vehicle offers those who tow or venture past where the pavement ends.
Related: On-Track Durango SRT Testing Footage - See It Here
Our test Durango came with a 2+2+2 seating layout. We were impressed that the premium microfiber seating was found on all three rows of seats. Dodge didn’t skimp and just use it up-front. Given the Earth-shaking launches that the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat can produce, and the G-pulling turning ability, a bucket seat for the front two rows makes good sense. The layout also makes an already roomy SUV feel even bigger inside.
Related: 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat – Infotainment You Can Use
Exotic vehicles with the capabilities of a supercar are notorious for having bad infotainment. We won’t name those models from other brands, but we will say that the Dodge brand knows that many drivers “test drive the tech” as much as the vehicle these days. We did the same.
Price Info Here: Dodge Announces 2021 Durango Lineup Pricing, Hellcat Starts at $80,995
We hopped in, initiated Android Auto, changed the SatRad station presets, and configured the lighting and locking to our preferences in less than 2 minutes. This Durango is as easy to operate as it is quick in the quarter-mile. Dodge makes wise choices everywhere in this vehicle’s infotainment setup. The heated seats are buttons, not menu options you need to search for. The HVAC is divorced from the screen and can be operated without looking. There is a volume knob. Dodge checks off all of our usual infotainment convenience wish-list items.
2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat – Spare Tire
One thing that many high-performance vehicle owners have to settle for is a lack of a spare tire. 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat owners are not in that club. We crawled up under the Durango to see for ourselves that Dodge has included a light-weight spare tire. In this age of COVID, a spare tire can be a very important safety feature. Kudos to Dodge for not eliminating the spare in this sport utility vehicle.
2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat – Tires
Our test vehicle was wearing sensible shoes as well. The all-season tires are a smart choice on an all-wheel drive SUV. Changing these big tires twice a year is a hassle no owner wants. The all-season rubber will make it possible to use this Durango SRT Hellcat in winter conditions for ski trips, or commutes.
SRT, Jeep, and Dodge have been generous in finding racetrack time for the Torque News staff to test its Challengers, Chargers, Trackhawks, and most recently the performance versions of its Durango. All of the FCA brands make incredible machines available to the press throughout the year. We relish the chance to report how fun, fast, and durable these machines are on closed courses. Consider this daily-use story just one more test of these vehicles that a Dodge SRT product passed with flying colors.
Fun Fact! The story above has exactly one word for every horsepower the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat has.
John Goreham is a long-time New England Motor Press Association member and recovering engineer. Following his engineering program, John also completed a marketing program at Northeastern University and worked with automotive component manufacturers. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American newspapers and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on Twitter, and view his credentials at Linkedin
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Liked this article. I would
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Liked this article. I would have no earthly reason to ever purchase this vehicle but found the story interesting, informative and enjoyed the fun fact at the end.