Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT: The sophisticated SUV

Even with its mammoth size, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT is fleet-footed and has all the trappings of a luxury car. says P Tharyan.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’s most expensive Jeep product, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, is not just a large-sized SUV but has all the trappings of an uber luxury car. 

The Jeep brand comes with a great legacy. It may be recalled that Willys Jeep vehicles transported US soldiers, with their machine guns and pistols, to the war front during World War II. The bold design of the Jeep has since been copied by so many vehicle manufacturers in India that an ordinary onlooker is bound to get confused trying to spot the real Jeep.

The front of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT gives an imposing look, especially with the signature Jeep grille, the modern adaptive Bi-Xenon high intensity discharge headlamps, the signature daytime running lamps and the premium fog lamps. The dual heat extractors scooped on either side of the hood add to the styling of the vehicle. The huge vehicle sits on 20-inch polished five-spoke Goliath wheels with Pirelli tyres that come as standard on the Grand Cherokee SRT. 

With minimum overhangs in the front and the rear, the vehicle has a ground clearance of 210 mm and a water fording depth of 508 mm.  Not to miss are the body-coloured power folding mirrors, the roof rails and the dual pane panoramic sunroof. 

Step inside the cabin and you experience the trappings of a rich world. The front two seats of the driver and co-driver come with an eight-way power adjustment. The leather seats with perforation are actually ventilated. The second row is 60/40 folding. The SRT has seating for five adults and cargo space of 1,025 litres that can be increased to 1,945 litres when the rear seats are folded. For such a large vehicle, additional jump seats at the back could have added to the seating capacity of the vehicle. But again, in a rich man’s world, crowding is a big “No”. 

The leather spread continues to the upper door trim, instrument panel and centre armrest.

The SUV comes with dual zone automatic temperature control with separate vents for the rear passenger. The rear view mirror is auto dimming with a microphone. There is a large 8.4-inch touchscreen navigation radio with voice command. For the rear passengers, there is entertainment galore with two nine-inch screens mounted on the backs of the front seat. You can play your DVDs and Blu-ray discs from a small compartment tucked under the front arm rest. It also has a Harman Kardon music system with 19 speakers.

Parking is made easy with loads of sensors. The steering is leather wrapped with audio, speed controls and comes with paddle shifters and voice recognition. The steering can be tilted and telescopically adjusted by the touch of a lever button. 

As part of the electronic offerings, the SRT also comes with a push button ignition system that starts the engine once the brake pedal is depressed. The tail gate can be opened and shut with the simple press of a button. 

The Grand Cherokee SRT comes with the biggest engine among the lot with a 6.4 litre, Hemi V8, petrol, which is capable of putting out 468.3 hp at 6,250 rpm and 624Nm of torque at 4,100 rpm. The 0 to 100 kmph mark is achieved in a mere five seconds. The engine in the SRT comes mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with e-shift and with paddle shifters. 

The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT has an on-demand 4WD system with five driving modes: Track, Sport, Auto, Snow and Tow. The vehicle comes with electronic limited slip differential. The tow mode is more appropriate for advanced countries where people take along their trailers for a road trip. Auto is the best mode suited for driving in India, unless one travels to snowy areas or is in the mood to spend a day on the tracks. 

With solid disc brakes, it’s easy to bring this heavy vehicle to a grinding halt in a short distance. 

With features like all-speed traction control, brake assist, electronic roll mitigation and electronic brake force distribution, the SRT performs well both on as well as off the road.