Volo Museum Auto Sales celebrates the rich history of American auto manufacturing. In this article, we'll discuss a sport-utility vehicle (SUV) that made waves for Dodge at the start of the 21st century, then impressed again after a surprise return in the 2010s. Read on to learn about the Dodge Durango R/T.

What Is the Dodge Durango R/T?

The Dodge Durango R/T is one of the numerous trims that have been available for the make and model. Dodge developed the Durango line to merge the muscular look and power of pickups like the Dakota and Ram with the passenger capacity of a sport-utility vehicle (SUV). 

Dodge has released three generations of the Dodge Durango, two of which have featured the R/T trim. Let's look at the Dodge Durango's history as it pertains to the R/T edition. 

First Generation

Dodge first began producing the Durango in 1997 for the 1998 model year. At the time, Dodge manufactured vehicles at the Newark Assembly plant in Newark, Delaware. The first generation of Dodge Durangos featured a body-on-frame design with front-facing features reminiscent of the Dakota line of pickup trucks. At the same time, Durangos had the look and feel of Dodge vehicles. 

The first Dodge Durangos included seats for seven passengers — two up front followed by two rows of theater-style seats where each row was higher than the last. The gradual elevation gave every passenger frontward visibility. Dodge designed the Durango with a slanted roof to ensure passengers in the rear had enough headspace. The middle row sat three passengers, while the back sat two. 

The first time Dodge produced the R/T version of the Durango was in 2000 for the 2001 model year. The Durango R/T was the first four-wheel drive version of the vehicle since its initial run in 1998. With a 5.9-liter Magnum V8 engine and 250 horsepower, the Durango R/T went from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 8.2 seconds and traveled a quarter mile in 16.3 seconds. The Durango R/T first hit the market at $28,770 — roughly $48,765.56 adjusted for inflation. 

Second Generation 

Dodge updated the Durango design for the 2004 model year. The second generation of Durango vehicles featured a fully boxed-in frame 7 inches longer, 2 inches wider and 3 inches taller than the first generation. Once again, Dodge designed the Durango to seat eight passengers. 

Dodge first announced the second generation of Durangos by displaying the Dodge Durango R/T concept at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show. However, Dodge would move away from the R/T trim during the second generation, instead focusing on versions like the SLT, SXT and Adventurer. 

The prospect of a Dodge Durango R/T began to look bleak toward the back half of the 2010s. As the economy took a downward turn, the chances became even slimmer. Dodge had to close the Newark Assembly plant in 2008, marking the discontinuation of the Durango and a few other Dodge and Chrysler models. All Durango production ceased by December 19, 2008. 

Third Generation

In 2010, two years after the Durango's discontinuation, Dodge announced it would resume production on its renowned SUV. Dodge took up residents at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit. There, Dodge's manufacturers would build the third generation of Durango models alongside the Jeep Grand Cherokee. 

The modern Durango adopts the Grand Cherokee's unibody platform design and features a 5.7 liter Hemi VVT V8 engine. This engine has a fuel-saving cylinder deactivation setting that boosts efficiency when traveling at a consistent speed on level ground. Dodge also boosted the Durango to 360 horsepower. 

During 2013's New York International Auto Show, Dodge unveiled another update to the Durango. New models would bump from a five-speed transmission to eight and receive a sportier design. New taillights featured LED racetrack taillamps like Dodge's Dart and Charger vehicles. Dodge also added a film transistor display screen, which was the standard until the 2021 model received a 10.1-inch touch screen. 

Dodge continues to produce the Durango at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant to this day.

What Years Was the Dodge Durango R/T Available? 

Dodge offered the Durango during the following years.

2001-2003

The Dodge Durango R/T was initially available in a single style — four-wheel drive. Early Durangos had a 5.9-liter V8 engine that achieved 250 horsepower. The 2003 edition, however, had a 245 horsepower rating. The Durango was available in seven colors in 2001, 10 in 2002 and 12 in 2003. The first Durango R/T cost $28,770, while subsequent models cost $36,920 and $38,925, respectively. 

2011-2013

When the Durango returned in 2011, Dodge released two versions — all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive editions. Both featured 360 horsepower, 5.7-liter, V8 engines. The all-wheel drive edition achieved 15 combined miles per gallon, whereas the two-wheel drive reached 16. 

In 2011, both editions were available in seven exterior colors. Dodge upped the number of colors to eight in 2012 and nine in 2019. Prices for all-wheel drive models started at $38,090 and rose to $39,245 by 2013. The two-wheel drive model cost $35,690, and the 2013 edition cost $36,495. 

2014-Present

From 2014 onward, Dodge altered the Durango line to seat six passengers rather than eight. At the same time, it boosted the engine to eight speeds. All Durango models from 2014 through the present have a 360-horsepower, 5.7-liter, V8 engine.

In 2014 and 2015, the all-wheel drive edition of the Durango achieved 16 combined miles per gallon, while the rear-wheel drive version achieved 17 combined miles per gallon. Every edition from 2016 to the present offers 17 combined miles per gallon regardless of its drivetrain.

The Dodge Durango was available in seven exterior colors in 2014 and 2015. Dodge offered eight exterior colors in 2016 and 2017, then nine in 2018. Ten colors were available in 2019 and 2020 and 11 in 2021. The 2022 editions came in six exterior colors. Dodge bumped the number of exterior colors available back to nine for the 2023 editions. 

The all-wheel drive editions of this time period started at $41,695 and are now available new for $53,595. Rear-wheel drive editions began at $39,295, while 2023's versions cost $51,595 new. 

Shop With Volo for the Dodge Durango and More

The Dodge Durango is a reliable vehicle thanks to manufacturing that stands the test of time. You can find Durango vehicles from all three generations through Volo Museum Auto Sales. We encourage you to browse Durango R/T SUVs on our website to see what we have in stock today!