Automakers push boundaries to create muscle SUVs

Are you in the market for a muscle car but worried about seating for the kids? Automakers like Dodge and Chevy are starting to push the boundaries of what it means to own a muscle car.

The 2019 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye is a great muscle car that will pin you to your seat. It has nearly 800 supercharged horsepower, but the backseat is not family friendly.

But not to worry, Dodge has another muscle car with lots of room for the family: the Durango SRT, a muscle SUV.

It's not quite the Hellcat power, but it's nothing to sneeze at either. The Hemi V8 makes 470 horses, more than enough to scoot seven people along quite rapidly.

Chevrolet is another brand with a muscle car side. Earlier this year, it introduced the Tahoe RST as a performance-oriented family hauler.

Now, the gigantic Suburban gets the RST treatment, too. It has big power, big wheels, a magnetic ride control and huge Brembo brakes. You can even get a gnarly sounding Borla exhaust.

The average American, they just love their big, flexible, put-anything-in-it SUV, but they also still love horsepower and performance, and the manufacturers recognize this," said Karl Brauer of Kelley Blue Book.

In the muscle car race, it's a three-way battle between Dodge, Chevy and Ford. So what about Ford? The Explorer is due for a redesign next year.

"I think we're going to see a high-performance version of that, too. They already make a police version of that, so I think an even more high-performance version is just waiting to happen," Brauer said.

You might need a family vehicle for practicality's sake, but that doesn't mean you can't make it a fun vehicle at the same time.