Special ground effects limit the SRT8 model to paved roads. Base price on the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is $43,325, not including a $780 destination charge.
At the heart of the "Grand Cherokee SRT8" is a 420-horsepower hemi engine. Since the Grand Cherokee is engineered strictly for on-road use, the four-wheel drive system utilizes a single-speed transfer case. Four-wheel drive enhances vehicle performance on slippery roads by automatically sending engine power to the wheels with the best traction. The twenty-inch wheels and low-profile tires give the Grand Cherokee an exceptionally large, stable footprint.
The suspension is surprisingly refined, considering that the Grand Cherokee’s live rear axle. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 maintains positive on-center response at speed, while providing plenty of low-speed assist for maneuvering around parking lots. The "Grand Cherokee" can hold up to five passengers, though legroom in the second-row center position is limited due to the center console. The SRT team installed heavily bolstered seats up front to keep the driver and passenger in place. Two-position seat memory makes it easier for multiple drivers to share the car. The driver can access performance pages using steering wheel controls. Without the upgrade, the cargo area functions well for active lifestyles. The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 comes standard with front, side and side curtain airbags, traction and electronic stability control. Chrysler builds the Jeep Grand Cherokee at its Detroit, Michigan assembly plant.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is bicycle friendly and can tow up to 3500 pounds, meeting our ALV minimum standards.
Jeeps are great for climbing rocks, crawling along trails, or blasting across sandy beaches, but they've never been road burners. Until, that is, the mad scientists at DaimlerChrysler's Street and Racing Technology (SRT) got ahold of the latest Grand Cherokee and transmogrified it into the Grand Cherokee SRT-8. The essential element in the GC SRT-8 is the same 6.1L Hemi that's in the SRT-8 versions of the Magnum, Charger, and 300. While the 6.1 is rated at 425 hp in those other SRT-8s, in the Jeep that's choked down to 420 hp due to more restrictive intake and exhaust systems. The Grand Cherokee is one of the boxiest boxes on wheels, but this is one bad-ass-looking box. Prices for the Grand Cherokee SRT-8 start at $39,995. Highlights include a variable-geometry turbocharger, dual overhead cams actuating four-valves per cylinder, and a light-for-a-diesel weight of 459 pounds. A diesel particulate filter makes the emissions extra clean, but not clean enough for the North American market.