5 Of The Best-Looking Dodge SUV Models Ever Designed

Dodge is primarily known for its fast sedans and muscle cars, like the 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona and the now-discontinued Dodge Challenger. These cars often look good, with their low-slung body and aggressive looks that embody speed and precision. However, the company did not limit itself to these exciting cars — it also made trucks, which it has now spun off as the Ram brand, and SUVs.

So, let's look at Dodge's best-looking SUVs today. Note that we're only looking at external appearance, nothing else. This means you might find some rather controversial models on this list, maybe because they're considered unreliable, uncomfortable, or just plain slow. But since this is a beauty contest, our finalists today are only judged by their appearances.

Also, note that our chosen cars for today are sorted by year, not any sort of ranking. While we might have a favorite or two, we're leaving it up to you to pick which one caught your eye the most. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The Ramcharger was the company's first-ever SUV, having been introduced in 1974 and remaining in production until 1993. Although the truck's front fascia is similar to other large, truck-based SUVs built during the 70s and 80s, what made this SUV unique and good-looking was its fully removable hardtop fiberglass roof. That meant you could enjoy the sun and the wind as you cruise down the mountainside in your Ramcharger.

If you want to fully embrace the convertible life, a fabric top with vinyl roll-up windows was also available as a dealer option. This SUV's two-door, top-down setup is really what makes it stand out from the Dodge lineup, putting it among the ranks of other iconic two-door SUVs like the old Chevrolet K5 Blazer, the best years of the Ford Bronco, and, of course, the various generations of the Jeep Wrangler.

Dodge did bring back the Ramcharger nameplate under the Ram truck brand. It's now called the Ram 1500 Ramcharger, and we expect it to arrive soon. However, it's not an SUV that pays homage to a classic model like the new Ford Broncos — instead, it's a range-extended hybrid pickup truck based on the Ram 1500.

The Dodge Nitro was a compact SUV the carmaker released from 2007 until 2011. It had a unique design that gave it quite an aggressive look, and its boxy form made it stand out from the rounded looks that other small SUVs had. The Nitro was closely related to the Jeep Liberty, but its designers shed everything Jeep from this car and made it uniquely Dodge.

Some say that the Nitro should have been one of the cars that Dodge shouldn't have discontinued, especially as SUVs have never been more popular in the history of the automobile. But even though the model looked good from afar, it had some glaring issues that needed to be worked out. For one, it had a lot of issues with build quality, with its interior trimmings made from low-grade scratchy plastics. It also had those fake vents on the fenders, which made it feel cheap.

As long as you keep your distance, the Dodge Nitro is a pretty good-looking SUV. Hopefully, the suits at Dodge and Stellantis revive this nameplate in the future while fixing the shortcomings of the previous generation. That way, we can get a unique, aggressive-looking compact SUV we can daily drive in the city and on the highway.

Dodge discontinued the Nitro in 2011, but it still had a larger mid-size crossover SUV in the Dodge Journey. This model launched in 2009 with a starting price of less than $20,000, making it one of the more affordable options available in the market. But more than that, it was available in both five-seat and seven-seat options, allowing you to pile the entire family inside your car.

This SUV was eventually discontinued in 2020 in the U.S. when Dodge decided to focus on performance vehicles. But even if it was one of the Dodge cars that never received the HEMI treatment, it was still quite a good-looking vehicle in an understated way. When it released the top-trim 2019 Dodge Journey Crossroad, Dodge was finally able to make this SUV stand out from the pack.

Its blacked-out grille and the gray trim on its front bumper are more than enough to catch your attention. And when you pair those with its square-cut headlamps and blacked-out rims, the Dodge Journey turns from a harmless, docile ride into an aggressive SUV that's out to get you.

The Hornet is a compact SUV based on the Alfa Romeo Tonale that Dodge launched in 2022, and the company claims that it's the most powerful compact SUV in the segment. This performance is paired with a gorgeous front clip that looks absolutely aggressive. But instead of the usual large gaping grille that most fast cars are known for, the Hornet comes with several cutouts that help it stand out from other fast SUVs on offer on the market. 

Despite being based on the Italian Alfa Romeo, the Hornet still looks very much like an American product. Its headlight design still feels like it came out of a muscle car, while the rear lights are reminiscent of the one-piece design you'd find on the Dodge Charger after its 2015 facelift.

Unfortunately, the Hornet isn't a particularly great car. It has suffered several recalls and there are numerous owner complaints, leading to poor sales for the vehicle. Some of the Hornet's common problems include electrical issues involving the 360 camera, alert sensors, battery cables, and high-voltage connectors. Hopefully, Dodge and Stellantis can sort out these issues, especially as you could get a PHEV Hornet for under $30,000 — quite a good deal for the looks, performance, and features you get.

If you want speed but also want to haul your family around, the Dodge Durango has got to be one of your options. This mid-size SUV is available in a lot of options, starting with the base GT all the way to the SRT Hellcat Hammerhead, which hits 710 hp and 645 pound-foot with its 6.2-liter Supercharged HEMI V8 SRT engine. This propels this mid-size SUV from zero to 60 in three and a half seconds, giving you the time of your life during the weekends, but also carrying your kids to school on weekdays. But what's great about the Dodge Durango is that it will catch your eye — whether you're admiring it in the parking lot or if it's passing by you in a blur.

The front clip of this mid-size SUV says that you're all business, with the large grille allowing it to take in as much air as needed. And if you pick the R/T trim or higher, you're getting a hood scoop that tells everyone how much power your SUV is packing without even popping the hood. What's interesting about the current generation Dodge Durango is that it arrived in its current form in 2011 and hasn't been updated since then. Sure, it did receive facelifts and a few upgrades over the past 14 years, but it's essentially the same SUV since it first arrived on the showroom floor.