2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk: The Supercar Of SUVs

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has been around since 1993. Since its debut, it has been a solid player in the upscale mid-size two-row SUV segment, combining an appealing design with luxury touches and Jeep’s tradition of off-road capability. But now the Grand Cherokee is headed in a whole new direction.

With the introduction of the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, the Jeep brand is putting aside its history of mud-plugging and boulder climbing to claim a new on-road title: The Most Powerful And Quickest SUV Ever.

Here are a few highlights:

A whopping 707 horsepower 
Zero to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds
Quarter mile in 11.6 seconds
Top speed of 180 mph

There Have Been Powerful Grand Cherokees, But None Like This

Most Grand Cherokees drive through life with the standard 3.6-Liter, 295 horsepower Pentastar V6 under their hoods. Some are upgraded to the optional 5.7-Liter, 360 horsepower HEMI V8. Until now, the highest performing Grand Cherokee has been the SRT, with its 6.4-Liter, 475 horsepower HEMI V8. Now the Trackhawk, with its 707 horsepower, takes Jeep performance up several more notches. 

The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk uses the same 6.2 Liter supercharged HEMI V8 that motivates its cousin Dodge’s Charger and Challenger Hellcat models. The big difference is that the Trackhawk adds the Jeep Quadra-Trac on-demand four-wheel-drive system, versus the Dodges’ rear-wheel drive. 

The 4WD system lets the Trackhawk put its massive 707 horsepower down through all four wheels, not just two. This gives you more grip, faster launches, and the ability to burn rubber with all four 20” alloy wheels whenever you want! High performance Brembo brakes help you stop securely when the need arises – and it will.

Luxurious Appointments To Go With All That Power

The Trackhawk’s standard interior combines Nappa leather and suede on its seats. Stitched leather is also applied to the instrument panel, doors, center console and armrest. Real metal trim elements are applied throughout the interior, and standard Active Noise Cancellation keeps it quiet inside when you release the Trackhawk’s power.

A three-spoke steering wheel houses paddle shifters, as well as controls for many comfort, convenience and connectivity features. A 200-mph speedometer lets you know how close you are getting to the Trackhawk’s 180 mph top speed.

The 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen in the center of the dash features Performance Pages unique to the Trackhawk. You can call up gauge readouts, performance timers, even how much horsepower your Trackhawk is making at that moment. 

Audio options include a 19-speaker, 825-watt Harman Kardon high-performance audio system. A dual-screen rear-seat entertainment center with Blu-ray is also available. The Fast And The Furious, anyone?

Why Would You Want A Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk?

Let’s face it – no one needs 707 horsepower in their SUV. It is excessive, over the top – and is exactly why the Trackhawk will appeal to a certain group of buyers. The Trackhawk gives you bragging rights, because there is not now, and will likely never be, a higher performing vehicle of its type. It is amazingly fast, and also sure-footed with its four-wheel drive. Why would you not want one?

The Price Of Admission

What will it cost? Pricing will be announced closer to the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk’s release date in the fourth quarter of 2017. As a comparison, the MSRP price difference between the 2017 Dodge Charger SRT 392 and the Charger SRT Hellcat models is $16,500. If we add that amount to the $66,895 MSRP of the current Grand Cherokee SRT, we get a price somewhere in the neighborhood of $83,000, before options. That is one expensive Grand Cherokee, but perhaps not so bad for the right to be King of the SUV Hill!