Compare the2025 BMW M5VS 2025 Dodge Durango SRT

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the M5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The BMW M5 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The M5 has standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The M5 has standard Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The M5’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Durango SRT.

The M5’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the M5 and the Durango SRT have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

The M5 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Durango SRT’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The M5’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Durango SRT’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the M5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Dodge doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Durango SRT.

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the M5 has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the engine in the Durango SRT.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Dodge vehicles. With 95 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Dodge.

The M5’s 4.4 turbo V8 hybrid produces 7 more horsepower (717 vs. 710) and 93 lbs.-ft. more torque (738 vs. 645) than the Durango SRT’s 6.2 supercharged V8.

As tested in Car and Driver the BMW M5 is faster than the Dodge Durango SRT:

The M5 can travel with zero emissions for 25 miles. The Durango SRT can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the M5’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the M5’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

For better stopping power the M5’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Durango SRT:

The M5 offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

The M5 stops shorter than the Durango SRT:

The M5’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Durango SRT’s standard 45 series tires. The M5’s 285/40R20 front and 295/35R21 rear tires have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile than the Durango SRT’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the M5 has standard 21-inch rear wheels. Only 20-inch wheels are available on the Durango SRT.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the M5 is 1.8 inches wider in the front and .6 inches wider in the rear than on the Durango SRT.

The M5 is 12.7 inches shorter in height than the Durango SRT, making the M5 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

The front grille of the M5 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The M5 has .7 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front legroom and .7 inches more front shoulder room than the Durango SRT.

The M5 has a larger cargo volume than the Durango SRT with its rear seat up (17.7 vs. 17.2 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the M5’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The M5 has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The M5’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Durango SRT’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The M5’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Durango SRT’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The M5’s standard Comfort Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the trunk, and start the car, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Enter-N-Go standard on the Durango SRT doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the M5 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer cornering lights. The M5 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the M5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The M5 offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Durango SRT.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW M5 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Durango SRT.

The M5’s Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling the transmission and speed with the brake pedal. With its available fully controlled system, the driver just activates it and it parks autonomously, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The BMW M5 comes in sedan and station wagon bodystyles; the Dodge Durango SRT isn’t available as a sedan.