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 generates.
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 you enjoy a night on the town without fears of what might happen should all that power fall into the wrong hands. An “Eco” setting calms things down a bit in a misguided attempt to bolster the Trackhawk’s paltry fuel economy (11/17 mpg city/highway with premium grade required).
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 transmission’s paddle shifters are disabled when the Trackhawk is in Auto mode.
The ride gets rough, and then rougher in Sport or Track mode, though its softened up a bit, actually becoming a bit bouncy over bumps, when the selector is set to Auto. Our tester rode on the standard 20-inch Pirelli “Scorpion Verde” all-season run-flat tires, which tend to ride less harshly than the optional “P-Zero” “three season” performance Pirellis, and are recommended for those who traverse snowy roads in winter.
Launch Control is standard and optimizes engine, transmission, driveline, stability control and suspension performance in Track mode for what Jeep describes as “a textbook launch,” with improved straight-line acceleration, but given the Grand Cherokee’s AWD system it’s not as necessary here as it is in pure rear-drive muscle cars like the Challenger and Charger Hellcats. Besides it’s a bit too cumbersome to use at a stop light, and as it is the Trackhawk is already a “point and shoot” affair when it comes to straight-line acceleration.
Fortunately, for all its Superman-like abilities, the Trackhawk easily settles down and becomes Clark Kent when driven passively in polite traffic. And it’s a good thing, too, as this ride can get those possessing a lead foot in some serious trouble anywhere near civilization. At that, in practice it’s the rare high-performance vehicle that excels as a daily driver. Inside, it’s much like a regular Grand Cherokee, with plenty of head- and leg-room in both the front and rear of an otherwise comfortable and surprisingly quiet cabin (active noise cancellation helps in the latter regard), though an abundance of faux metal and carbon-fiber trim surfaces look and feel unnecessarily cheap.
Our tester was fitted with suede/nappa-clad seats finished in a curious burnt orange, but at least Jeep resisted the temptation to install stiff and restrictive sport seats up front in favor of a pair of more user-friendly buckets that afford long-distance comfort. At that, they provide just enough lateral support to keep the driver and front passenger from sliding around unduly through the curves. Split-fold rear seats expand an already generous cargo hold into furniture-moving volume, with added storage under the load floor (where the spare tire would otherwise reside).
The Trackhawk comes generously equipped, and includes FCA’s superior Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch display, navigation, XM satellite radio, and both the Apple Car Play and Android Auto interfaces with an Alpine premium sound system. It also includes exclusive Performance Pages that showcase various timers and gauge readouts.
Also on tap – thankfully – is a full range of accident avoidance gear, including adaptive cruise control, a blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic detection, and forward auto-braking. It even includes trailer sway control, and how many other high-performance vehicles can say that?
Options include a super-premium Harman Kardon audio system, dual-screen rear-seat Blu-Ray DVD player, a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, and a signature leather-wrapped interior package.
If there’s a downside to all this four-wheel goodness (aside from the possibility of collecting tickets like a train conductor) it’s the vehicle’s lofty sticker price. Starting at a staggering $87,645 and running close to $103,000 packed with options, it’s the costliest Jeep on a dealer’s lot, but we’d consider it an absolute bargain given its amazing amalgam of performance and practicality. The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is the rare high-performance vehicle that can serve as a daily driver – and one that can tow a fairly sizable trailer, no less – without much in the way of compromise, so it’s like owning two disparate types of vehicles in one.
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