Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk all it’s Cracked up to be?

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jeep grand cherokee trackhawk review

Introduction

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has been in Jeep’s roster for quite some time but its new iteration known as the Trackhawk is a fairly recent addition.  Last year Jeep introduced the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and it’s simply a marvelous piece of engineering.  Kudos to the crazy boys at Fiat Chrysler for coming up with yet another home for the ludicrously powerful engine that originated in the Dodge Charger and Challenger models.  Perhaps next they’ll stuff one into a Fiat 500?

The Jeep Trackhawk pretty much has it all.  It’s insanely fast (especially for an SUV), highly capable for off-road adventures (as you’d expect with this brand), comfortable for five and can still tow a slug (7,200 lbs to be exact).  That’s a lot to love about the Trackhawk!  Now comes the price.  With an $88,145 price tag, the Trackhawk earns the title as the most expensive Jeep ever.  Most traditional Jeep buyers are priced out of owning a new Trackhawk, however for the lucky few that can, they’re actually getting a relative bargain.  Compare this Jeep Grand Cherokee’s price with its rivals and it’s easy to see the value.

Take a look at the $160k Porsche Cayenne Turbo S for example, the Jeep Trackhawk can give it a run for its money if taken on a drag strip.  All you need is the Pirelli P Zero tire package to make this SUV invincible.  The Tesla Model X P100D starts about $52k more that the Jeep, although admittedly has cooler tech, no need for gas, and is even quicker.  Still, I’d take the Jeep with all its raw noisy horsepower, and get a loaded Model 3 with the spare change.  The Lamborghini Urus and Bentley Bentayga are on another level in terms of design, materials and refinement, but a big draw is their power and performance.  These two exotic SUV’s have much less power than the Trackhawk and start (before pricey options) at more than twice the price!
 

Exterior

From the outside, the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk looks like an SUV that means business.  Although it boasts serious off-road prowess, this Grand Cherokee trim is clearly groomed for track days.  Its boxy shape with rounded edges gives the vehicle a handsome appearance.  The lines on the side panels are more pronounced as they are on other high-performance vehicles.  At the front, you will see the signature Jeep grill accompanied by small sleek headlights.  The daytime running lights on the Trackhawk add a nice touch to the overall front fascia whereas the large taillights adorn the rear end along with a prominent Jeep logo.  The quad exhaust really brings out the sporty character in the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.  At a glance, it looks like any regular Grand Cherokee.  Upon closer inspection though one will discover a number of styling and mechanical elements that clue you in that this Jeep is something special.


 

Interior

The interior cabin of the Trackhawk is decidedly performance oriented and erases any doubts that you’re in a serious track focused machine.  The inside is spacious and comfortable with supportive seats that keep you in place on hairpin track maneuvers.  The iconic American SUV manufacturer has kept an eye on luxury as well, evident from the copious use of leather along the dashboard, door panels, and steering wheel.  This furthers the justification for its price tag.

The dash is adorned with an ample 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen that lets you play music via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, access navigation and perform functions like making calls via the Uconnect technology.  You also get 4G LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity.  All features buyers will appreciate, but also certainly expect.

Most sports cars lack any real storage space.  Built on a diet, their smaller size and lighter materials help them achieve better power to weight ratios, and thus better performance and handling.  However, that is not the case with the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, as this vehicle has plenty of cargo space to store luggage, although at the price of its bloated curb weight (by comparison).  Thanks to its Hellcat V8, the Trackhawk can have its cake and eat it too with endless burnouts hauling loads of cargo.
 

Engine & Performance

Sure classic Jeeps such as the CJ7 are infinitely cool, but if you’re wanting the best Jeep ever made, look no further than the Trackhawk.  This unsuspecting SUV is hiding a big bad Hellcat V8 engine under its hood that churns out a whopping 707 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque!  You may want to wear a neck brace with practically instantaneous throttle response.   Thanks to its glut of power it can rush to sixty in only 3 and a half seconds.  The Trackhawk holds ground and conquers corners with all the stability in the world.  Take it to the track and let it blow the doors off of celebrated European supercars.

The electronic steering is a welcome addition that provides a reassuring precise maneuverability.  You would need strong brakes to bring the hefty Trackhawk to a halt.  Fortunately, it boasts Brembo disc brakes all around that contribute to its ability to completely stop from 70 mph in merely 168 feet.

We know the Trackhawk is epically powerful and fast.  Such performance comes at the cost of abysmal fuel economy.  Forget about the city ratings though, on the highway this gas-guzzler goes 17 mpg…a respectable 20 if we round up!


 

Safety Features

The Trackhawk has all the basic safety equipment of any modern car including and not limited to airbags, backup-camera and seatbelts.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have not yet tested the 2019 Trackhawk for road safety.  Jeep has installed the Trackhawk with driver assist features as well such as lane-departure warning, automatic high-beams, self-parking assist, forward collision warning, automated emergency braking, cruise control, rear cross traffic alert and more.
 

Final Thoughts

All in all, is the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk worth it?  Definitely.  For a person that likes fast cars and wants an SUV to fit his family and all their cargo, or wants one of the best sleeper cars on the market or a vehicle that can basically do it all.  The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is the choice.  Sure, you would have to sacrifice some extra dollars for fuel but in turn, you will gain the bragging rights of having the fastest, most powerful SUV on the streets.
 

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Review Pictures

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