The Dodge Durango is often overlooked, perhaps because it’s not as popular as its platform mate, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which outsold the Durango in the US through the first of 2026 by a margin of more than two to one. The Ford Explorer clobbered them both, with 127,000 first-half deliveries, compared with 39,000 Durangos. But the Dodge SUV keeps plugging along, riding on underpinnings and mechanical bits dating back to the DaimlerChrysler years.
Yes, the current Durango is one of the oldest vehicles currently on sale in America, having launched in 2011 for its third generation. How can Dodge continue dressing up this three-row unibody SUV to keep it relevant? This snazzy color certainly doesn’t hurt.
Slap A Sharp New Coat Of Paint On It
2027 Dodge Durango with After Dark blue paintStellantis
Dodge recently introduced the Redeye finish for the 2027 Dodge Durango, so why not one more color? It’s called After Dark, and it’s the ninth exterior color now offered for the 2027 Durango, including Destroyer Grey, Green Machine, Pitch Black, and White Knuckle. Those names are grabby, but we must say, seeing the name After Dark immediately conjures images of a murdered out all-black edition, which is all the rage across the industry.
But no, After Dark is a metallic midnight blue, certainly darker and more sultry than the sporty B5Blue also offered on Durango (and looked right at home on vintage Challengers and Chargers.) And the After Dark Durango doesn’t even have all-black rims. Instead, the brushed aluminum 10-spoke alloys look downright sophisticated, making the entire package ideal for a fancy night on the town. Oh Durango, you’ve grown up! And grown old, too.
Isn’t A Redesigned Durango Long Overdue?
2027 Dodge Durango with After Dark blue paintStellantis
That’s why Stellantis has confirmed that an all-new fourth-generation Durango is on the way. But it will take about three years before the next one rolls out of the Detroit Assembly Complex, alongside the Grand Cherokee. Perhaps launching in 2029 as a 2030 model?
Until then, we’ll see how clever the marketing and product-development teams can be in dressing up the current Durango, which got a big boost when Stellantis reintroduced the Hemi V8 engine lineup for the SUV one year ago. In fact, your only engine choice for the 2027 Durango is the Hemi, offered in three displacements.
How Much Muscle Do You Need After Dark?
Choosing the paint color might be easier than picking the powertrain. Your Hemi options are:
- 360-horsepower Durango GT with a 5.7-liter naturally aspirated V8.
- 475-horsepower Durango R/T 392 with a 6.4-liter naturally aspirated V8.
- 710-horsepower Durango SRT Hellcat and Durango SRT Hellcat Jailbreak with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8, billed as the most powerful gas SUV ever built.
This Factory Paint Job Won’t Break The Bank
2027 Dodge Durango with After Dark blue paintStellantis
It’s all a question of how much money you want to spend, but the After Dark paint job, now available for order, will add $595 to the sticker for your 2027 Dodge Durango. The color is about offering more personalization options, said Matt McAlear, Dodge CEO. “Dodge customers don’t blend in – and neither should their vehicles,” he said.
In direct sunlight, Dodge said the metallic highlights emerge, “while the dark base delivers a more aggressive, low-profile appearance after sunset.” The deep blue paint is intended to give the Durango a more commanding presence as the finish “transforms with changing light conditions.”
We can’t wait to see one on the street.
