Lives Up To The Hype
Simply put, the all-new Jeep Trackhawk lives up to the hype and evidence of this is just about everywhere you look, AutoBlog is one prime example. At the very core is its 707hp/645tq supercharged Hemi that propels you from 0 to 60mph in 3.5 seconds in a very controlled and stable manner. 1320 time sits at an impressive 11.6 seconds with a top speed of 180mph. Stability and control is maintained with a five drive-mode Selec-Track system and Bilstein Adaptive Damping Suspension with Brembo brakes to bring it all to a halt.
Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale: If Fiat-Chrysler knows how to do anything, it's making fast SUVs, and the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is further proof of that. And by that I mean, they know how to make them fast, and they know how to make them pleasant to drive.
The Trackhawk definitely handles the fast part better than its SRT Durango and SRT Grand Cherokee cousins, what with its extra 230-odd horsepower. This big beast seriously rockets when you punch the throttle. The nose rises up, the supercharger screams, the exhaust rumbles and the speedometer ticks up much faster than you'd ever think. And it feels strong at all revs. Also impressive is that you don't have to really think when flooring it. The all-wheel-drive and fat tires offer so much grip the Jeep simply goes.
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AutoBlog
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It Can Drift
Taking a completely different look at the Trackhawk is its ability to let loose, all thanks to its 30-front/70-rear drivetrain, as you will see in
videos posted here. That journalist at The Drive was able to pull off some impressive drifting, but depending on what you want out of the Trackhawk, this may not be for you and could mean discussing better tire options, and how Jeep might improve in the future. For now, we're happy
Obviously, The Drive was more than happy to share the wealth and Chris showed us what the Trackhawk was made of. After completing an in-car review of the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, practicing launches and sending the 707 horsepower SUV around the track ten plus times, the Trackhawk was still ready for Duplessis' punishment.
Although the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk has 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, the power distribution is 30 percent the front tires and 70 percent to the rear, allowing just enough rear-biased power to get the SUV to slide.
As you can see in the video below, we were quickly approaching 5:30pm when Duplessis got behind the wheel, but no one was ready to go home without a smokeshow. As Duplessis got up enough speed, he flicked the Trackhawk, got the SUV loose and laid on the gas. The result was a beautiful skid casting smoke into the evening sun. Now we are inclined to have Duplessis make his own form of gymkhana with the Trackhawk. Be sure to stay tuned to The Drive for a full review of the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk by Lawrence Ulrich as well as gorgeous on-track video.
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The Drive
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Subtle Design Cues
Although there are specific things that will stand out to any enthusiast that knows what to look out for such as big brakes with a flashy caliper, the performance oriented wheel setup and the overall body facelift, there's not much else going on. Its this subtle styling that often appealed to Mopar fans and yet again FCA delivers on it again. At the same time it might be a downfall of the Trackhawk which could be addressed with more color options, similar to what the Charger Hellcat has.
At 15.7 inches, the Trackhawk’s aluminum-hat front rotors grow 0.8 inch over those on the naturally aspirated SRT Grand Cherokee. The rears, at 13.8 inches, remain the same. Six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers are employed on both sport-utes, but the Trackhawk’s get a coat of yellow paint. Jeep hopes you like it, because it’s what you get regardless of exterior color or wheel choice.
Those yellow calipers are one of the Trackhawk’s few exterior tells. Others include the deleted fog lights, their nests hollowed out for an oil cooler where the right one used to live, and a cold-air intake at the former address of the left one. A new rear fascia accommodates the quad exhaust outlets. There’s a subtle “Trackhawk” badge on the lower-right corner of the liftgate and “supercharged” script below the Grand Cherokee lettering on the front doors. There are Trackhawk logos on the sillplates and the seats, a 200-mph speedometer—optimistic by only 20 ticks—and an available model-exclusive red-and-black interior.
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Car and Driver
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Price
At just under $90,000 the Trackhawk isn't cheap but with an SRT model having been on the market for so many years, its that much easier to see the value it offers compared to what else you can get. Not always is BMW's M marque or Mercedes' AMG the answer, if you don't care about standing out they way they can but are after pure performance, the Trackhawk is for you. Being faster than the Dodge Demon further builds on this insane threshold of performance.
But the Trackhawk offsets its 707-hp mating call with an unavoidable wart: its $86,995 base price. That’s $17,905 more than what you’ll pay to get a Hellcat in a Charger and $20,405 more than it costs in a Challenger. The Trackhawk is nearly as quick as both of those, and it’s far more livable. Plus it’ll tow 7200 pounds, enough to let you bring the Hellcat of your choice along on a trailer—even if it’s a spare Trackhawk. The hang-up comes when you start adding options and look at similarly priced performance SUVs. It’s not hard to top $100,000 with a Trackhawk. No, the BMW X5 M and the Mercedes-AMG GLE63 don’t have horsepower ratings starting with lucky number seven, but they’re in the same performance ballpark and offer more polish and greater—if wholly different—prestige. Unless, of course, a buyer just wants the Hellcat mania in a manageable package. At a price point and power level where reason has often left the building, that’s something we actually can understand.
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Car and Driver
