Dodge recently doubled down on bringing back the Hemi, dropping the base V6 and putting a V8 under the hood of every 2026 Durango. However, there is a catch. Dodge confirmed to Mopar Insiders that the R/T 392 and SRT Hellcat trims will not be available in CARB-compliant states. That means only the base Durango GT will be available in California and states that follow its more strict emission standards than the federal guidelines.
The Durango GT is nothing to sneeze at. It now gets the 5.7-liter V8 that used to come only in the R/T, making 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, increases of 65 hp and 130 lb-ft compared to the old GT’s 3.6-liter V6. Its 0-to-60-mph time is reduced from 7.4 to 6.2 seconds. With a starting price of $44,490 including destination, Stellantis says it’s “the most affordable AWD V8 vehicle in the industry.” But that’s not enough for some people. Dodge provided Mopar Insiders with the following statement:
The HEMI-powered Durango R/T 392 and the Durango SRT HELLCAT are available in non-CARB states. We’re continuing to evaluate the opportunity to provide the full V8-powered Durango lineup to all customers.
In other words, the R/T 392’s 475-hp 6.4-liter V8 and the SRT Hellcat’s 710-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V8, as well as the numerous upgrades besides the engine in these higher trim levels, are now unobtainium for many potential customers.
CARB states get the short end of the stick, again
This isn’t the first time Stellantis has put the brakes on for CARB states. In 2023, Stellantis withheld gas-only vehicles from CARB-compliant states, delivering only EVs to dealer lots unless gas guzzlers were specially ordered. (At the time, Stellantis had dropped the Hemi like a hot potato and was all-in on EVs before reversing that decision under new management.) This caused a shortage of electric models in the rest of the country, resulting in the opposite situation of CARB states, where a special order was the only way to get an EV.
CARB’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulations take effect for the 2026 model year, and it seems that Stellantis can’t, or won’t, get the bigger Hemis to pass its stricter emission standards. That means that these engines will not be available to customers in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. People will have to look to the used market for an upgraded Durango with these bigger engines.
The Trump Administration is trying to ban California’s ability to set its own emission policy. However, that matter has been tied up in the court system since California immediately sued the federal government over it. Perhaps Stellantis is holding out for a federal victory, meaning a cleaner CARB-compliant tune for its bigger Hemis won’t be necessary, because who needs clean air, anyway?
