Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT new car review
What is it?
It's the high-performance version of the recently updated Grand Cherokee range, which features mild styling changes, modified chassis settings, upgraded infotainment and new safety systems.
Like it's always been, the Grand Cherokee SRT is essentially a muscle car on stilts.
How much does it cost and what do you get?
Sitting at the top of the Grand Cherokee range (at least until the mental Trackhawk version arrives later this year with a 522kW supercharged engine), the SRT costs $91,000 (plus on-road costs).
For that, you get pretty much everything Jeep has in its catalogue including leather and suede trim on the performance seats, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry with push button start, a digital instrument cluster and an 8.4-inch colour touchscreen with sat Nav, Bluetooth, digital radio and a series of SRT-specific pages displaying performance parameters and offering the ability to tune settings for individual systems.
All new Grand Cherokee models now come with a five-year warranty with lifetime roadside assistance as part of a wide-ranging number of initiatives from Jeep aimed to improve its reputation for customer care.
What's under the bonnet?
The SRT has the heart of a genuine muscle car, a thumping 6.4-litre naturally aspirated V8 that is one of the largest capacity engines available in any car sold in Australia at the moment.
The Hemi V8 produces a 344kW of power and 624Nm of torque, which, when using the launch control function, is enough to propel it from 0-100km/h in just over four seconds.
It's a great engine that is full of character, with plenty of top-end grunt and a glorious old-school soundtrack when you're up it for the rent, yet it can just as easily laze along at extremely low revs around town - or when you don't want to be quite so obnoxious.
But there is a price to pay, and it's thirsty work pushing almost 2.4 tonnes of heavy metal around. Jeep reckons it will consume an average of 14L/100km but the reality is you're likely to see closer to 20L/100km if you only drive around town, or you give it the wellie every now and then.
What's it like to drive?
It's neither a genuine four-wheel drive nor a tyre-frying muscle car, but it does a pretty good job of being both to certain degrees.
Road-biased 20-inch tyres aren't great for forging through the forests and its raised ride height and heavy mass somewhat blunts its ability to carve through the corners.
However, its four-wheel drive system can be calibrated for light-duty off-roading and the combination of Brembo brakes and stiffer suspension settings makes it highly entertaining when driven enthusiastically.
But the star of the car is that thumping Hemi V8 under the bonnet, which burbles away nicely around town and giddies up when you give the boot. It works nicely with the eight-speed automatic to be in the right gear at the right time in most scenarios, but we did experience the odd lumpy shift at low speeds.
Despite its sporty orientation, it is a reasonably comfortable machine to drive with good compliance over bumps when left in its comfort setting and sharp but light steering.
What's it like inside?
There's a sense of occasion about the SRT's cabin that lets you know you're driving something with a bit more performance than a regular soft roader.
The seats have plenty of side support without crunching your ribs, the flat bottomed steering wheel is chunky and falls to hand nicely, and the driving position has plenty of adjustment.
The digital instrument cluster can be configured through different screens, and has plenty of information for the driver while the centre touch screen will keep the passenger entertained for hours with myriad of functions, especially the SRT Performance pages.
Otherwise, there's decent space with heaps of headroom, enough legroom for adults to sit comfortably in the back and a boot large enough to cart all the gear needed for a full family.
Is it safe?
The updated Grand Cherokee continues to be classified with a five-star ANCAP crash rating from the original model, with all outboard occupants protected thanks to six airbags.
But Jeep has also kept the car up to date, bringing optional lane departure and rear cross traffic alerts on top of a package that already included adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automated emergency braking and semi-autonomous parking.
Would I buy it?
If you want a high-performance SUV, the Grand Cherokee SRT offers plenty of bang for the bucks.
It's big and spacious enough for the family, fast enough to appeal to rev heads and reasonably flexible in what it can do.
But, there are better four-wheel drives and better muscle cars for far less money.
What else should I consider?
Performance SUVs are all the rage these days, but there aren't too many alternatives to the Grand Cherokee SRT with this much grunt on the right side of six figures.
You'll have to sacrifice some performance - and space - for something like a Mercedes-AMG GLC43, a BMW X4 M40i or a Porsche Macan Turbo, or pay more than twice the SRT's sticker for a comparable X5 M or AMG GLE63.
However, there are more conventional muscle cars for less, such as a Chrysler 300 SRT which has the same engine and gear, or an end-of-the-line HSV Clubsport R8 (which might become collectible).
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Price and Specification
Price: $91,000
Engine: 6.4-litre V8 petrol
Power: 344kW at 6250rpm
Torque: 624Nm at 4100rpm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic, AWD
Fuel Use: 14L/100km