Think of it as a Ferrari that can carpool, carry up to 68.3 cubic feet of stowage, and tow up to 7,200 pounds. The new-for-2018 Trackhawk version of the popular Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV packs the 6.2-liter 707-horsepower supercharged V8 engine that otherwise resides under the hoods of the Dodge Challenger and Charger Hellcat models and, along with suspension and other performance-minded enhancements, imbues the popular people mover with abilities that leaves mere mortal SUVs in its dust.We were fortunate to put a Grand Cherokee Trackhawk on loan from the automaker through its paces over a week’s testing and found it to be the most extraordinary vehicle we’ve driven this year. It’s essentially an over-the-top American muscle car that’s disguised as a Little League carpooler. Only those with an eye for such things will likely notice the Trackhawk’s distinguishing styling tweaks, which include a slightly lower ride height, a redesigned front fascia that optimizes airflow and cooling, hood scoops, black chrome quad exhaust tips, and 20-inch rims over massive Brembo brakes with four calipers up front and six at the rear.Nonetheless, the Trackhawk starts up and signals its arrival with a rumble and a roar. With 645 lb.-ft. of launch-happy torque on tap the supercharged V8 enables a sprint to 60 mph in a pulse-pounding 3.5 seconds, and can reach a highly felonious top speed of 180 mph. That’s essentially the automotive equivalent of the Millennium Falcon going into hyperspace and is actually a hair quicker than the Hellcats can muster. But unlike many overly aggressive sports cars we’ve driven over the years, which spin rear wheels furiously while the back end kicks out before finally gripping the road for launch, the Trackhawk leaps from a standing start in a perfectly straight track while limiting the dramatics to the staggering g-forces it That’s what adding all-wheel-drive to the mix accomplishes, and it also helps the Trackhawk handle far more securely at higher speeds than most SUV drivers would expect. We were able to test its mettle on some twisty remote roads and was amazed by how well it adhered to the pavement without any drift or drama, exhibiting only modest understeer when pushed hard, and with minimal body roll. It’s almost surreal how well this big and tall box on wheels performs. As with the Hellcat models, the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk allows drivers to tune in a more or less aggressive attitude via separate driving modes that include selections for driving in snow and for towing, along with an encoded “valet” selection. The latter cuts the engine’s muscle enough to let In “Auto” mode, various settings are optimized for amenable street use, with the engine torque split 40-60 front to rear, while the “Sport” setting goes further into rear-drive territory with a 35-65 split, quicker shift times, and more aggressive settings for the stability control, all-wheel-drive and steering systems. Meanwhile, “Track” mode goes all in with a 30-70 rear-biased torque split, even quicker shifting, and fully furious tuning. Unfortunately for those who like to take such things into their own hands (so to speak) in traffic, the eight-speed automatic
WHY THE JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE TRACKHAWK IS A TRULY EXTRAORDINARY SUV AND BODY SPORTS - YouTube |
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