Ever since the first Jeep rolled off the assembly line, the brand name has always been associated with great off-road vehicles. That’s why nearly every vehicle they make has a Trailhawk trim that comes with extra off-road features and tough mechanical parts that can take a real beating. In 2018 the Grand Cherokee added a special new trim, the Trackhawk, which combines two of its existing trims: the off-road-ready Trailhawk and the track-worthy SRT.
Hellcat Engine
The 2018 Grand Cherokee Trackhawk has an even better engine than you’d expect under the hood. It comes with the Chrysler Group’s famous Hellcat, a 6.2-liter V-8 engine that uses a supercharger to deliver an incredible 707 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque. Needless to say, these numbers blow all the other engines (including the SRT trim’s) out of the water. Thanks to this engine, the Trackhawk can reach a top speed of 180 mph and go from 0 to 60 mph in just 114 feet.
Adaptive Suspension
Normally, a suspension’s tuning makes you choose between comfort and performance. It can absorb the bumps in the road, or it can keep you glued to the track through a tight turn, but it can’t do both. However, the Bilstein adaptive suspension that comes standard in the SRT and Trailhawk offer a compromise. With this suspension system, you can switch between comfort and performance by simply pressing a button, so you can enjoy the ride both on and off the trail.
Advanced 4×4 Drivetrain
The Quadra-Trac SRT Active On-Demand 4×4 System is exclusive to the 2018 Grand Cherokee SRT and Trackhawk trims. This advanced, full-time 4×4 drivetrain uses a powerful transfer case to direct these trims’ incredible torque to the front and back wheels, and thanks to the electronically limited slip differential in the rear, the drivetrain can send all the engine’s torque to a single back wheel when needed. The Quadra-Trac also comes with a drive mode system with five settings so it can better handle off-road conditions.
Powerful Towing Capabilities
All the torque in the Trackhawk trim is good for more than just speed and acceleration. When properly equipped, the Trackhawk can tow an amazing 7,200 pounds, enough to pull a fairly large speedboat or a camper without breaking a sweat. The Trackhawk even comes with a special towing mode that tells the 4×4 to send extra power to the rear wheels and adjusts the suspension so it can handle the extra instability that comes from pulling a trailer down the highway.
The 2018 Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is an amazing model. Not only does it use the powerful Hellcat engine, but it also offers an even better set of off-road features than the Trailhawk while leaving the SRT behind in terms of acceleration and performance. At the same time, the Trackhawk can also be a very practical trim thanks to its adaptive suspension that smooths out bumpy highways and a towing capacity you’ll want to test out with a trip to your nearest national park.
Image via Nan Palmero | Licensed under CC BY 2.0
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