I've always had a soft spot in my heart for vehicles that really make an honest attempt to do something different or unusual. Afterall, these vehicles are not safe business decisions for their manufacturers and in that I applaud somebody taking a chance.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee has two burdens to bare: first, it is a Jeep and it is expected to be off-road capable; second, it is the upscale Jeep SUV offering posh amenities along with that dusty road capability.
Up until now, the Grand Cherokee has done a fine job of filling that niche for Jeep, but the Chrysler Group's Street and Race Technology division got a hold of it and the new SRT8 version delivers something new - heart-thumping speed. Gone is the real off-road capability, new is a 420-horsepower 6.1-liter Hemi V8 delivering 420 lb.-ft of torque.
This was the first Jeep tuned by the racing division and the first one to offer full-time all-wheel drive. The SRT8 version has an upgraded 5-speed automatic transmission with AutoStik feature that makes things fun when you are shooting from one in-town errand to the next.
Jeep has made it known that the Grand Cherokee SRT8, and all that horsepower, is quicker than both the Porsche Cayenne and the BMW X5. Do I have your attention now? Or did I have it back at 420 hp? If you are still not with me, how about a base price of $39,300. If you want to do the math on the short list of competitors in this horsepower range and their base prices, don't bother - this SUV is almost half the price.
At 0-60 mph in less than 5 seconds, this SRT8 version of the Jeep SUV standby is much more than any Grand Cherokee has ever been - at least on the pavement. The inch lower profile makes the Grand Cherokee SRT8 a bit easier to get in. I never had a problem with the entry of its cousins, but an inch is an inch (though off-road clearance is sacrificed).
While the power of the Hemi V8 is definitely what gets everyone's attention - and it should, the SRT8 exterior design package is nothing to sneeze at, but feel free to stare because I had plenty of that during my one-week test drive. I'm not surprised this SUV got looks. The front and rear fascias, which feature a prominent air dam and cooling ducts, accent the chiseled lines running front to back. Add to that the huge 20-inch wheels and a rear pillar that dramatically slants outward off the roofline and disappears into the racing-inspired taillights and you have people's attention. The exclamation mark for me is the dual-centered exhaust. Sure, this is an SUV, but it looks like nothing Jeep has ever produced before.
Inside the cabin you will find performance-oriented styling cues and specially bolstered seating and clean, crisp instrumentation. While other Grand Cherokees may try to be posh and luxurious, this SRT8 is about speed and it appeals to a driver who knows it when he sees it. What I know is that the interior reflects the aggressive stance and the exterior styling perfectly.
Front seat head and leg room is good, rear seat legroom is tight for a vehicle that does not have a third row stuffed into the rear utility area. I found the sightlines to be fine, there is lots of glass surrounding the driver and that helps maneuvering this SUV around tight spaces.
Additional items you might expect to see as options in the SRT8 version are DVD Navigation System and rearview camera. In particular, I love both of these options and you will find both are reasonable add-ons. Audio quality is outstanding with iPod auxillary and 6-disc changer being standard. I still hate the memory function for storing radio stations on Chrysler radios, but there's my gripe.
The Grand Cherokee SRT8 weighs a ton - actually, more than two tons (4,819 lbs.) and that weight helps the ride quality but hinders fuel economy. If you're a racer at heart, that's irrelevant and maybe the 3,500-lb. towing capacity is too, but it's good to know.
Before I even mention the price again, the SRT8 version makes this Grand Cherokee more 'Grand' than ever before. I find the interior accoutrements to be excellent, interior room acceptable for five passengers and the speed to be outstanding. As far as a Best Bang for Your Buck, this is the best in class.
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