While there’s nothing new about a Jeep model adding more power, the new 2017 version of the Grand Cherokee SRT is a joy to drive and one of the most powerful SUVs of this size to make it on the market. Most of the SUVs that reach up over 400 horsepower are built as body on frame models and give you the ride that’s more like a pickup truck, but the SRT shows up with a look that’s impressive on a unibody build that gets you going faster and with more grunt than ever before.
The SRT has been around for several years. Originally this vehicle was the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and it showed up in 2006 with 420 horsepower under the hood. This is the version that remained until 2011. The second generation of this powerful SUV brought in 470 horsepower and showed up in 2012 but then two years later the SRT8 was changed to just SRT and a new eight-speed automatic transmission and a new look were added to the vehicle. After that year the engine was upgraded to be a 6.4-liter monster that increased the power to 475 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque. For 2017 the style is upgraded to give us a more aggressive appearance to enjoy.
In the cabin the SRT offers us more of the luxury items that we’ve come to associate with the Grand Cherokee and this new SRT could be classified much higher than it is. There are saddle hide colors you can choose, carbon fiber bits, metal trimmings, comfortable and smooth materials across the seats and the right look and feel with all these items put together. Other niceties include a panoramic sunroof, a dual screen rear seat entertainment system and a premium audio system to give you the feel you want and the comfort you deserve.
When it comes to performance, the SRT offers you a trailer-two package, it rides on Pirelli P Zero Run Flat summer tires that encase a set of gorgeous 20-inch wheels and this beast is stopped only by the Brembo brakes on every wheel. Even with the upgrades that make this a ride that you’ll love and the performance SUV that impresses you at every turn, it’s still thousands of dollars less than one of the SUVs with the same equipment from the luxury names you know and have admired for years.
While you might not look to make this Jeep compare with a Porsche, BMW or Mercedes-Benz model, you may like the fact that you can reach sixty mph in only 4.4 seconds and make the quarter mile run in thirteen seconds. The passing acceleration is impressive and this SUV is able to practically explode off the line for you. With the ability to tow up to 7,200 pounds this is a brute that has a ton of bite and is the ride you want when you’re looking for an SUV that can give you the power and performance of a strong and aggressive SUV matched with the appeal of a sports car.