2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 - Back from some engineering R & R, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 lives for express-lane service. Like the rest of the Cherokee nation, it rolls on a new platform that began life as a Benz but was nurtured by a Chrysler team with a name that says it all. Good luck convincing apprehending officers that the SRT badge on the back of this Jeep stands for Slow, Reserved, and Timid, rather than Street and Racing Technology. The second-gen version of the Jeep with the nerve to taunt the world’s premium SUVs unfortunately suffers from another type of inflation unrelated to its estimated $50,000 base price.  As if air nozzles were jammed up its exhaust pipes, the new SRT8’s walls are bowed out 3.8 inches, the roof towers 2.4 inches higher, and the wheelbase is 5.3 inches longer than its 2006–10 predecessor’s. Fashionably clipped overhangs do result in a 3.7-inch-shorter overall length, though. 

Inside, the architectural changes net a modest gain in front-seat travel, 3.1 inches of additional rear legroom, and a touch more cargo space. In keeping with Chrysler’s current interior-upgrade initiative, the SRT8’s cabin received a rich overlay of (optional) French-stitched leather and suede, genuine carbon-fiber trim, and elegantly polished metal-look accents. Navigation displayed on a 6.5-inch, tilting touch screen with a media hard drive is standard, as are an MP3 playback function and auxiliary media connections. To provide more storage space in the center console, the parking brake moves from hand to foot operation. To fight the extra weight, the faithful Hemi V-8 has been muscled up with larger bore and stroke dimensions yielding 6.4 liters, 50 additional horsepower (470 at 6000 rpm), and 45 more pound-feet of  torque (now 465 at 4300 rpm). One carry-over is an anachronistic five-speed automatic, at least blessed with thumb-sized, steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. What’s now called “Fuel Saver Technology” (formerly Multi-Displacement System) allows the Hemi to cruise on only four firing cylinders, signaled by an “eco” lamp in the instrument cluster. It works at speeds of up to 82 mph and, along with slightly taller gearing, helps to boost the SRT8’s EPA highway-mileage rating from 16 mpg to an estimated 18.

Compared with the hunkered and ready 2010 SRT8, this edition appears to suffer from bloat. More-massive proportions, tall-sidewall rubber, and a less distinctive face have softened the cleanly chiseled Grand Cherokee that had the chutzpah to run with $150,000 SUVs. The view from the driver’s seat, past thick A- and D-pillars and oversize rearview mirrors, reinforces the notion that you’re swaddled in XXL attire. For such a big guy, the SRT8 also knows how to bob and weave with finesse. The steering is quick and decisive, though lacking feel. Suede seat inserts do a superb job of keeping front occupants from bouncing off the door panels during transient maneuvers. The brake pedal is reassuringly stiff underfoot, and the Brembos, collaborating with highly capable P Zero radials, halted this heavyweight from 70 to 0 in 166 feet, a 10-foot improvement over the ’10 SRT8.

One glaring flaw is less-than-perfect gauge visibility from an outfit that usually excels in this critical design area. The combination of lenses and tunnels containing the SRT8’s speedo and tach, gratuitous calibrations to 180 mph and 8000 rpm, and the shadow cast by the thick-section steering-wheel rim frustrate a quick read of road- and engine-speed information. The Grand Cherokee’s new creature comforts—such as rear-seat backrests adjustable through nine positions, storage pockets galore, and a vastly improved ride—are endearing, though not exactly what we expect from the SRT asylum. Nor are we convinced that a smoother glide, a more luxurious interior, and a move up to the 5000-pound weight class are appropriate missions for this team. We prefer a more throwback interpretation of the sacred SRT hieroglyphic: Slightly Raw but always Tantalizing wheels for the lords of the left lane.