AUTO RED BOOK REVIEW: 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE SRT8

On The Cover Review: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

With the demise of the Trailblazer SS, there is only one all-out performance-oriented American midsized SUV to choose from: the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. This high-octane-hauler is all-new for 2012, now part of the vastly reworked and improved new Jeep Grand Cherokee family. Hidden within the wide-hunkered-down bodywork is a 6.4-liter Hemi V8, good for a tire-shredding 460-hp. 15-inch front and 13.8-inch rear Brembo brake rotors bring all that power to a standstill. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 may be a tough hombre in the stoplight wars, but inside, it’s all luxury. Occupants are coddled in leather and suede, with features like a 20-speaker Harmon/Kardon stereo system, dual sunroofs, and standard navigation. The latest Grand Cherokee SRT8 is heavier and slower than the one it replaces, but it makes up for some of that with an improved ride, better quality, and more luxury. And even at that, it’s still faster than 90-percent of the cars it will ever meet at a red light.