By Derek Price
Automotive Writer
An off-road SUV that feels at home on the racetrack? It goes against the laws of nature, but that hasn’t stopped Jeep from giving it a try.
As illogical as it is, there’s something deeply satisfying about taking a vehicle where it doesn’t belong, which is how I felt driving the Jeep Grand Cherokee at Texas Motor Speedway recently. It reminded me of the time I drove a $100,000 Jaguar to shop at Goodwill just for the sheer ridiculousness of it.
Of course, this wasn’t just any Grand Cherokee at the track. It was the special, high-performance SRT version built for the purpose, meaning it’s designed less for going on a safari with Jack Hannah and more for lapping Indy with Mario Andretti.
The trail-ready Grand Cherokee and the track-ready version tickle your senses in drastically different ways, and that’s not just because of the SRT’s raw power. Having 470 horsepower from a HEMI V8 is beyond nice, but the suspension is this vehicle’s true shining star — and what makes it more than just an overpowered off-roader.
With black accents around the grille and unique LED headlights, the high-performance SRT version of Jeep’s Grand Cherokee has an aggressive look to match its track-tuned driving feel.
The suspension both front and rear uses coil springs and adaptive damping from Bilstein to deliver a firmly planted, easily controllable driving feel at speed. It’s amazing how well this suspension setup helps the SRT Jeep mimic something it’s not: a low-slung, track-ready sedan.
You can feel the Grand Cherokee’s heft in corners, but body roll is kept to a minimum. You can also sense a quick, precise, smooth “snap” as you change direction, which is a nice contrast with the sloppy, lumbering, bouncy feeling you get from maneuvering most big SUVs in corners.
The downsides of this vehicle are so obvious I hesitate to mention them. It’s pricey and thirsty.
Priced over $64,000, the Grand Cherokee SRT isn’t for penny pinchers. That’s more than twice the base price of a Grand Cherokee, but it could also be a serious bargain if you look at it the right way.
Off the top of my head, I can only think of two vehicles that offer similar levels of racetrack thrills in an SUV: the supercharged Range Rover Sport and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo. I’ve driven both of them, and I honestly had more fun in the SRT Jeep for a lot less money. It feels a lot like those expensive, European super-SUVs without their eye-popping price tags and snooty appeal.
As for the gas mileage, this thing’s no Prius. It’s rated for 13 mpg in city driving, but what did you expect from a HEMI-powered racing Jeep?
In fact, I see the Grand Cherokee SRT as the anti-Prius: a pavement-crunching, in-your-face monument to excess that we haven’t seen since the days of Hummer, God rest its soul. If you’re looking for the antidote to political correctness, this is it.
The Grand Cherokee SRT’s cabin has such a high level of luxury that it seems a worthy alternative to the exclusive, high-performance SUVs from Porsche and Land Rover.
Finally, this Jeep is reminiscent of a Range Rover in another way: the sheer level of luxury it delivers in the cabin.
The tester Jeep brought to the track had two video screens in back with HDMI inputs for high-definition signals, a rare thing even in today’s world of car companies constantly trying to outdo one another on digital gadgets.
Combined with the soft leather, solid-feeling dash and wide but supportive bucket seats, and it’s clear this Jeep isn’t just about getting you places quickly. It’s also about arriving in sublime comfort.
At a Glance
What was tested?
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT ($64,380). Options: Rear Blu-Ray entertainment center ($1,995). Price as tested (including $995 destination charge): $67,370
Wheelbase: 114.8 in.
Length: 191.3 in.
Width: 84.9 in.
Height: 69.1 in.
Engine: 6.4-liter HEMI V8 (470 horsepower, 465 lbs.-ft.)
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Estimated Mileage: 13 city, 19 highway
RATINGS
Style: 9
Performance: 10
Price: 9
Handling: 10
Ride: 6
Comfort: 8
Quality: 8
Overall: 9
Video Review:
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT
http://bit.ly/jeepsrt
Why buy it?
If you love the contradiction of an off-road SUV than can speed around a racetrack like a sports sedan, this is for you. It’s not cheap at $64,000, but it’s also not nearly as pricey as European SUVs designed to do the same thing.