The Dodge Durango GT vs RT decision is an engine decision: the GT runs the 3.6 litre Pentastar V6 at 295 hp and 260 lb ft, and the R/T, listed for 2027 in Canada as the R/T 392, runs the 6.4 litre HEMI V8 at 475 hp and 470 lb ft. If the trailer you pull weighs well under the V6's 2,812 kg (6,200 lb) rating, the GT is the sensible order. If it weighs more, or you want the most power in the lineup below the SRT Hellcat models, the R/T 392 earns its place. Before you settle on a trim, see which Durangos this month's offers cover on our Dodge finance deals page.

Shopping already? Browse our new Dodge Durango inventory in Portage la Prairie.

A note on model years. Dodge Canada's Durango model page describes the 2026 Durango. Stellantis Canada's release of June 3, 2026 describes the 2027 Canadian lineup with the same four engines, and our 2027 Dodge Durango update lists every change. Fuel figures are Natural Resources Canada's 2026 ratings. For an older Durango R/T, read the engine line on its window sticker, because this post covers the 2026 and 2027 Canadian lineup only.

Key Takeaways

• The 3.6 litre V6 GT or the 6.4 litre HEMI V8 R/T 392. Stellantis Canada lists 295 hp and 260 lb ft for the V6, and 475 hp and 470 lb ft for the 6.4 litre HEMI V8.
• Towing is the dividing line. Dodge Canada lists best in class V6 towing of 2,812 kg (6,200 lb). Stellantis Canada lists 3,946 kg (8,700 lb) for the R/T 392.
• There is a middle path. The GT HEMI pairs the 5.7 litre HEMI V8 (360 hp, 390 lb ft) with standard all wheel drive, and Stellantis Canada lists it at 3,946 kg (8,700 lb) with the Tow 'n Go package.
• Fuel favours the 3.6 litre V6 GT. Natural Resources Canada rates the 2026 Durango AWD 3.6 litre at 11.9 L/100 km combined. Its 2026 file has no row for the 6.4 litre HEMI V8.
• Seat heat climbs with the trim. The 2027 GT lists heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The R/T 392 Plus lists heated and ventilated front seats and heated second row seats.

Dodge Durango GT vs RT: What Each Engine Is For

Stellantis Canada's June 3, 2026 release lists nine 2027 Durango models. The SXT and GT use the 3.6 litre Pentastar V6 with an eight speed automatic. The GT HEMI grades use the 5.7 litre HEMI V8, the R/T 392 Plus and R/T 392 Premium use the 6.4 litre HEMI V8, and the SRT Hellcat models use a supercharged 6.2 litre HEMI V8. So a GT or R/T question in Canada covers three engines, not two.

The 3.6 litre V6 GT is the family hauler. Dodge Canada's 2026 model page lists seven seats, 20 inch wheels and all wheel drive on the GT. Our Dodge Durango GT guide walks through the trim.

The 6.4 litre HEMI V8 R/T 392 is a performance SUV that also tows. The release lists red Brembo brakes and an adaptive damping suspension on it, and our post on the 2026 Durango R/T 392 Launch Edition covers the first run.

Towing a Trailer: Weigh It Before You Choose

Start with the trailer's weight loaded the way you actually travel, not the figure for the empty unit.

A trailer at 2,000 kg loaded sits about 800 kg under the 3.6 litre V6 GT's 2,812 kg (6,200 lb). That margin is what you want on Highway 1 west of Portage la Prairie in a July crosswind, or on the Yellowhead toward Riding Mountain with the family aboard.

A trailer at 3,000 kg loaded is over the V6 rating. Now the choice is a V8. Stellantis Canada lists the 6.4 litre HEMI V8 R/T 392 at 3,946 kg (8,700 lb) and calls that best in class. It lists the 5.7 litre HEMI V8 GT HEMI at the same 3,946 kg (8,700 lb) with the Tow 'n Go package. Without that package, the GT HEMI's rating is lower, so read the towing line on its window sticker.

Tongue weight, passengers and cargo all count against payload, so a Durango full of family and gear can reach its payload limit before the tow rating. Check the payload on the placard of the exact vehicle. Our guide to Dodge Durango towing capacity breaks the ratings down by engine and package.

All Wheel Drive on a Minus 30 Morning

Dodge Canada's 2026 model page lists all wheel drive on the SXT, GT and GT Plus. The 2027 release lists standard all wheel drive with the 5.7 litre HEMI V8 on the GT HEMI and with the 6.4 litre HEMI V8 on the R/T 392. For a 2027 GT, read the drive line on the window sticker. On the models these sources describe, the drive system does not split the GT and the R/T 392; the engine does.

All wheel drive helps a loaded Durango pull away from a stop line polished to glass by a January of idling traffic. It does not help it stop or turn, because that grip comes from the tires. We are a participating retailer in the MPI Winter Tire Program, and you can book a winter tire changeover with our service team for either trim.

Fuel on a Winnipeg Run

Natural Resources Canada rates the 2026 Durango AWD this way, in L/100 km:

• 3.6 litre V6: 13.5 city, 9.9 highway, 11.9 combined.
• 5.7 litre HEMI V8: 17.0 city, 11.0 highway, 14.3 combined.
• 6.4 litre HEMI V8: NRCan's 2026 file has no row for it as of October 2026, so we will not guess at one.

Portage la Prairie to Winnipeg and back is about 170 km. At the highway rating, that is about 16.8 litres for the 3.6 litre V6 and about 18.7 litres for the 5.7 litre HEMI V8, as arithmetic on NRCan's ratings, not a measured figure. To see what winter does to your own Durango, note the litres and kilometres over two fill ups in January and two in July. For another model year, look it up in Natural Resources Canada's fuel consumption ratings search tool.

Heated and Ventilated Seats by Trim

Dodge Canada's 2026 model page lists heated front seat cushions for the driver and passenger on the GT. Stellantis Canada's June 3, 2026 release lists heated front seats and a heated steering wheel on the 2027 SXT and GT.

The same release lists heated and ventilated front seats with heated second row seats on the GT Plus, on the GT HEMI Plus package, and on the R/T 392 Plus with Nappa leather trimmed seating. On a minus 30 morning that list is worth reading, so check the window sticker of the exact vehicle line by line.

Where the 3.6 Litre V6 GT Wins

• Fuel. NRCan rates the 2026 Durango AWD 3.6 litre at 11.9 L/100 km combined, against 14.3 for the 5.7 litre HEMI V8.
• This month's offers. In October 2026, our current Dodge Durango offers page lists offers on the Durango GT, GT Plus and GT HEMI V8, each with its end date, and none on the R/T 392.
• Enough towing for many family trailers. Dodge Canada calls 2,812 kg (6,200 lb) best in class V6 towing.

Where the 6.4 Litre HEMI V8 R/T 392 Wins

• Towing with no package to add. The release lists 3,946 kg (8,700 lb) for the R/T 392.
• Power. At 475 hp and 470 lb ft, it sits behind only the 710 hp SRT Hellcat models.
• A V8. Dodge Canada's Durango page calls the V8 Durango the only V8 in the segment.
• Seat comfort. Ventilated front seats and heated second row seats are on the R/T 392 Plus list.

The honest middle: if you need the 3,946 kg rating but not the 475 hp, the 5.7 litre HEMI V8 GT HEMI with the Tow 'n Go package gets you there.

Order for How You Use It, and for the Trade Later

One day this Durango comes back on trade, and the next buyer reads the same window sticker you do. Order the engine your trailer needs and the seat heat you will use, and keep the sticker and the service records.

We do not print a price here. Check our current pricing here for the most up to date pricing information on the Dodge Durango. For a 2027 build, ask our team whether the trim and package you want can be ordered.

At Dunn Ram Trucks in Portage la Prairie, you can find out what your current vehicle is worth before you shop. We honour the instant cash offer: the number you get online is the number we stand behind when the vehicle matches what you told us. When you are ready, apply for financing online. Any approval, rate or term is on approved credit.

FAQs

Is the Dodge Durango R/T a V8?

Yes. Stellantis Canada lists the 2027 R/T 392 Plus and R/T 392 Premium with the 6.4 litre HEMI V8 at 475 hp and 470 lb ft. The GT uses the 3.6 litre Pentastar V6, and the GT HEMI uses the 5.7 litre HEMI V8.

Which tows more, the Durango GT or the R/T 392?

The R/T 392. Stellantis Canada lists it at 3,946 kg (8,700 lb), and Dodge Canada lists 2,812 kg (6,200 lb) for the 3.6 litre V6 GT. The 5.7 litre HEMI V8 GT HEMI reaches 3,946 kg (8,700 lb) with the Tow 'n Go package.

Do the Durango GT and R/T 392 both have all wheel drive?

On the models Dodge's Canadian sources describe, yes. Dodge Canada's 2026 model page lists all wheel drive on the GT, and Stellantis Canada's June 3, 2026 release lists standard all wheel drive on the 2027 R/T 392. For a 2027 GT, read the drive line on the window sticker.

What fuel economy does the Durango GT get?

Natural Resources Canada rates the 2026 Durango AWD 3.6 litre V6 at 13.5 city, 9.9 highway and 11.9 combined L/100 km. Its 2026 file has no row for the 6.4 litre HEMI V8 in the R/T 392.

Which Durango trims have ventilated seats?

Stellantis Canada's June 3, 2026 release lists heated and ventilated front seats with heated second row seats on the GT Plus, the GT HEMI Plus package and the R/T 392 Plus. It lists heated front seats and a heated steering wheel on the 2027 GT, so check the window sticker of the exact vehicle.

The Bottom Line

In the Dodge Durango GT vs RT choice, weigh your trailer first. Well under 2,812 kg (6,200 lb), the 3.6 litre V6 GT is the sensible order, with the lowest combined rating among the 2026 Durango rows Natural Resources Canada lists. Over it, choose between the 6.4 litre HEMI V8 R/T 392 and the 5.7 litre HEMI V8 GT HEMI with Tow 'n Go, both listed at 3,946 kg (8,700 lb). If the Durango itself is still in question, we have also compared it with the Jeep Grand Cherokee L and the Chevrolet Tahoe. When you are ready, read the window stickers on our new Dodge Durango inventory.

Tyler Dunn, Dunn Ram Trucks, Portage la Prairie