Dodge Durango vs. the Competition: Why V8 Power Matters on Family Road Trips

The Dodge Durango stands out among three-row SUVs because it pairs available V8 muscle with genuine family utility, so it can haul the whole crew, their gear, and a trailer without breaking a sweat. Against a turbocharged rival like the Ford Explorer, the Durango’s optional V8 delivers the kind of confident passing power and towing headroom that matters most on long desert highways. For Las Vegas families who split their weekends between school pickup and a run out to Lake Mead, that mix of performance and space is the whole point. Here is how the Durango compares feature by feature, and why the engine under the hood should shape your decision.

Most three-row SUVs in this class now lean on small turbocharged engines to chase fuel-economy numbers. That works fine around town. It gets a lot less reassuring when you are merging onto I-15 in triple-digit summer heat with a full load of passengers and a cargo box on the roof.

The Durango is one of the few mainstream three-row SUVs that still offers a V8, and the difference shows up exactly where families feel it: climbing grades, passing slower traffic, and pulling away from a stop with the air conditioning working overtime. The available 5.7-liter HEMI® V8 produces 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque, and the lineup climbs from there, all the way to the supercharged SRT Hellcat’s 710 horsepower, which translates to steady, unstrained acceleration instead of a small engine straining to keep up. On a family road trip, that means fewer white-knuckle moments and a calmer drive for everyone on board.

If your Nevada weekends involve a boat on Lake Mead, a camper headed toward the mountains, or a utility trailer for a desert getaway, towing capability is not a nice-to-have. It is the deciding factor.

Properly equipped, the Dodge Durango tows up to 8,700 pounds, giving families real flexibility to bring the boat, the trailer, or the toys. Compare that with the Ford Explorer, which tops out at 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. That gap is the practical case for the Durango: it is engineered to carry the family and pull the load at the same time, rather than asking you to choose. Always match your trailer weight to the vehicle’s rated capacity and use the manufacturer-recommended towing equipment.

Both SUVs seat up to seven, and both cover the family-hauler basics, but they solve the problem differently.​

Power delivery. The Explorer relies on turbocharged engines that prioritize efficiency. The Durango offers a V8 option for buyers who want maximum thrust and towing muscle, plus a capable V6 for those who want a lighter footprint.

Towing. As covered above, a properly equipped Durango’s 8,700-pound rating gives it a meaningful advantage over the Explorer’s 5,000-pound figure for families who tow.

Cargo and space. Call this one even. The Durango offers 85.1 cubic feet of cargo room with the seats folded and 17.2 cubic feet behind the third row, while the Explorer measures slightly larger on paper at 87.8 cubic feet maximum. Both swallow strollers, coolers, and luggage without a rooftop overflow; the difference families will actually feel is what’s on the hitch, not in the hold.

Fuel economy. Here the turbocharged Explorer typically returns higher EPA-estimated numbers, at 24 mpg combined (2.3L, RWD) versus the Durango V6’s 20 mpg combined and the V8’s rating (an EPA-estimated 14 city / 22 highway) sits lower still. If your driving is almost all city commuting and you never tow, that is a fair point in the Explorer’s favor. If you regularly load up and head out, the Durango’s capability usually outweighs the difference at the pump.

Specs only matter if the vehicle works on a Tuesday morning and a Saturday adventure alike. The Durango is designed around that reality. The second and third rows are made for actual passengers, not just occasional use, and the seats fold flat when you need to swap people for cargo.

Up front, the driver gets modern convenience features that make long hauls easier, including available adaptive cruise control and a large touchscreen for navigation and media. For parents, the combination of a commanding view of the road, easy-to-reach controls, and available driver-assist technology adds up to less fatigue on the drive home from a long day out.

When shoppers ask about the best three-row SUV for Las Vegas life, the honest answer depends on how you actually use it. Weigh these three questions:

For families who want one vehicle that handles the school run all week and the desert escape all weekend, the Durango’s blend of power, towing, and space is tough to match in this segment. And current Dodge specials or manufacturer offers can make the math even friendlier; the finance team can run your exact configuration.