The @Dodge Durango SRT is a lot cheaper than its @Jeep counterpart: https://t.co/Dy997NeTKD pic.twitter.com/55UD6sEPvk
— Autoblog (@therealautoblog) July 10, 2017
The upcoming 2018 Dodge Durango SRT has a nearly identical powertrain to the current 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT. They both have an eight-speed automatic transmission mated to a 475-horsepower HEMI V8, identical axle ring gear diameters, and identical axle ratios. The biggest difference is that the Durango SRT has a longer wheelbase and overall length, and is a few pounds heavier thanks to a third row of seating.
Despite being heavier, the 0 to 60 and quarter-mile times reported for the Durango SRT are both slightly faster than its Jeep-brand counterpart. At first glance, you may wonder how this is possible.
To start, the Durango SRT's longer wheelbase gives it an advantage during the hard acceleration of launch. However, the real discrepancy may lie in testing procedures. The SUVs were not tested under identical conditions, and stickier tires, a better driver, or better weather could easily make a slower, heavier vehicle seem faster. Since the difference in track times were only around half a second apart, this explanation feels plausible.