Every HEMI-Powered Car You Can Buy New In 2024

HEMI engines are generally associated with classic and modern muscle cars, but the technology actually dates back to the early years of the 20th Century, when a few manufacturers followed the lead of Belgian automaker Pipe in designing "hemi" engines. The name comes from the hemispherical shape of the combustion chambers, which allows for a more efficient transfer of energy from the spark plug to the piston and the use of bigger intake and exhaust valves. Chrysler implemented the design for an automotive V8 starting in 1951 and began using HEMI as a brand name.

The HEMI built its status as an auto industry icon when the updated 426 cubic inch version debuted in 1964. That motor stayed in production through 1971 and went in muscle car legends like the original Dodge Challenger and Charger and the 1970 Plymouth HEMI 'Cuda. The third-gen 5.7 liter HEMI that premiered in 2003 was geared more toward street cars than racing models, and it got variable valve timing in 2009. A 6.1 liter version appeared in 2005, and two years later a 6.4 liter (392 cubic inch) HEMI was added to the Chrysler family. The 6.2 liter Hellcat joined the lineup in 2015, and the current HEMI offerings across the Chrysler lineup include a 5.7 liter version with variable valve timing, a supercharged 6.2 badged as the SRT (Street Racing Technology) HEMI, and a 6.4 liter version with a multiple displacement system, or MDS. The HEMI remains an important element in Chrysler's engineering strategy, but what 2024 models have a HEMI engine? 

Overlap with other brands and fading sales led Chrysler to drop the Plymouth division in 2000, leaving Dodge as its high-performance label. The Charger and Challenger nameplates were resurrected in 2006 and 2008, respectively, but both models were axed again after 2023 amid concerns about meeting corporate average fuel economy and emissions standards. Dodge still offers three HEMI engines as options on the 2024 Durango R/T and SRT models: the 5.7 liter with variable valve timing, the supercharged 6.2 liter, and the 6.4 liter SRT with MDS. 

Dodge will be pulling V8 HEMI engines from its offerings at the end of the 2024 model year, but a limited-edition "alcHEMI" Durango will feature the 392-inch HEMI V8 and plenty of "392" badging to remind buyers what's under the hood. The base price for the Durango alcHEMI is just under $90,000, which buys you two Tesla Model Ys once you collect your tax credit for buying an EV.  

Although Dodge is rapidly phasing out the HEMI V8, you can still purchase a RAM 1500 pickup with one of two HEMI engine options. The base RAM 1500 engine is a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 that produces as much as 305 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, but you can upgrade to the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 with mild hybrid assist or the supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI that turns the RAM 1500 into a performance juggernaut. 

If you pony up close to $100,000 for the TRX trim or almost $120,000 for the Final Edition RAM 1500, you get the 6.2-liter HEMI Hellcat engine that produces 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. That's enough power to get the TRX from 0-60 in a stunning 3.7 seconds and down the quarter-mile dragstrip in just 12.3 seconds. That performance comes at the expense of fuel economy, though; the TRX gets a pitiful 10 miles per gallon in the city and an equally wallet-draining 14 mpg on the highway.

For 2025, the RAM 1500 will drop the HEMI option in favor of a twin-turbo I6 that makes as much as 540 horsepower.

In November 2020, Jeep released the Wrangler Rubicon 392, which was named for the displacement of its HEMI engine in cubic inches. The 6.4-liter HEMI is still in place in the 2024 Wrangler Rubicon 392 Final Edition, which will have a limited worldwide production run of 3,700 units. Joining the chorus for the HEMI-powered Wrangler's swan song will cost you upwards of $100,000, but you get plenty of vehicle for your sizable investment. In addition to the 6.4-liter HEMI V8 that produces 470 horsepower, you get a 3.5 inch lift to accommodate the 35-inch BF Goodrich off-road tires, locking differentials on both axles, and an optional 8,000-pound Warn winch in case you get stuck despite those lockers. Inside, there's a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless phone mirroring, and the front seats have 12-way power adjustability.

The Wrangler Rubicon 392 isn't the only 2024 Jeep with a HEMI option, though. The current version of the Grand Cherokee comes with three engine choices: a 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 with plug-in hybrid assist, the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, or a 5.7-liter HEMI V8. That last option delivers 357 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque and gives the Grand Cherokee a maximum towing capacity of 7,200 pounds. It's only available on the Grand Cherokee L, which offers three rows of seating for up to seven people.