Real World Review: 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Posted 2010/06/24 @ 11:00 AM By Myles Kornblatt
We receive fleet cars at MotoBullet and enjoy driving them to give official reviews. There are only two problems:
1. We only get them for about a week, so we can’t assess long-term value.
2. They are usually loaded with more options than the average consumer would purchase.
This is where our friends at Dealer Auto Exchange have come in. They are allowing us to pick late-model cars from their selection to give an honest review. These are cars that were bought and used by real consumers.
Now we can mix our impressions of how the car was when new, and how it behaves after being used by actual consumers. We can measure results of what can be expected after a few years of real ownership, and/or what you can expected to find on a pre-owned car lot.
THE CAR
It is a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 with Inferno Red paint and two-tone grey leather interior. The SRT8 comes standard with a 6.1-liter V8 Hemi engine that makes 420 hp. Our test car is likely to have a little extra power due to upgraded intake and exhaust systems courtesy of Mopar and MagnaFlow. This car currently has 55,000 miles and is being offered for $29,500.
OVERVIEW
Performance SUVs are an interesting breed. They combine the engine of a sports car, the space of a station wagon, and the ride height of a truck. So while the roominess makes them a much nicer choice for the family vacation than a sports coupe, the large dimensions mean slowing down a little bit on the winding roads.
One of the most intriguing SUVs in this group is the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. It not only offers 5% more power than a Porsche Cayenne S for about 35% less money (when new), but it also holds a very different place on the social scale than the competition.
The best-known SUVs in this class come from the German luxury/performance brands of Mercedes, BMW and Porsche. So it would stand to reason that the Grand Cherokee SRT8 would need to be offered at a lower price because it carries no prestige, right? Not really.
Our SRT8 may not get much respect at the country club, but it belongs to a much more exclusive group: the brotherhood of Jeeps. While we were out on test drives, multiple Wrangler drivers and a Grand Cherokee owner approached us. Each time we were greeted with a warm smile like an old friend and asked questions about this obvious hot rod that carried their beloved badge. We soon realize that even though this is one of the few Jeeps that aren’t intended for off road use, we were still part of the family.
DRIVELINES
The Grand Cherokee SRT8 walks an interesting line. The 6.1-liter Hemi V8 is the same engine used in the SRT8 versions of the Dodge Challenger and Charger. But in the Grand Cherokee’s case, it borrows the slightly more civilized page from the Chrysler 300C’s playbook. A good example is that the Challenger’s idle sends more vibrations through our pants than Mercedes’ seat massager. That’s what we want in a muscle car, but not necessarily in a family hauler. Jeep must have felt this way too when developing this SRT8 model. Even after 55k miles on our tester, none of the muscle car vibration is transmitted while waiting in the school pick-up line.
Don’t interpret the Grand Cherokee SRT8’s everyday unsuitability as a sign that it is tame. Punch the accelerator and the exhaust instantly growls out all 420 hp, and the 420 lb-ft of torque instantly mashes every occupant into their seatbacks. This is an all-wheel-drive vehicle, but it can still act like a drag racer. From a standstill, the majority of the power is sent to the rear pinning the back end down and lighting up the rear tires – this is with a standard the 5-speed automatic!
The suspension is heavily modified from a standard Grand Cherokee, including Bilstein shocks. So, while it doesn’t hold the skidpad as well as a roadster, we were surprised to feel this may be better in the winding roads than its horizontally-challenged Challenger cousin. In the few instances that stopping the fun is necessary, the brakes have been upgraded to massive Brembo units.
Compared to the BMW X5 and the Mercedes ML-Class this is clearly the roughneck….and that’s the exact personality it needs. As mentioned before, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 has a different kind of badge prestige than the other German sports SUVs. The SRT8 will need to prove itself at every stoplight against the X5s, MLs, and Cayennes. As long these don’t come with an “M”, “AMG” or “Turbo” (all of which cost at least double the SRT8,) the Jeep will swallow them whole. It is the pit bull of underdogs.
MINDFUL ITEMS
This is not a car for everyone. It may have the most torque available in any Grand Cherokee, but the cool center dual exhaust means there is no tow hitch. It has all-wheel drive, but the low ground clearance and no low-range transfer case means this Jeep stays on-road. The interior is well appointed with nice leather and a quality sound system, but the Germans have more gadgets.
The Grand Cherokee SRT8 fits the kind of person that needs to load large items, carry passengers, and haul ass. It is the vehicle for when a skiing family wants a hot rod or when the playboy becomes a builder.
PRICING
Current price ranges for similarly equipped vehicles (without performance upgrades - est. value: $1,000) averages $37,200 – $38,100, this car is currently being offered by Dealer Auto Exchange for $29,500. For more details on this specific car visit Dealer Auto Exchange’s website.
THE CAR
Our SRT8 may not get much respect at the country club, but it belongs to a much more exclusive group: the brotherhood of Jeeps. While we were out on test drives, multiple Wrangler drivers and a Grand Cherokee owner approached us. Each time we were greeted with a warm smile like an old friend and asked questions about this obvious hot rod that carried their beloved badge. We soon realize that even though this is one of the few Jeeps that aren’t intended for off road use, we were still part of the family.
Don’t interpret the Grand Cherokee SRT8’s everyday unsuitability as a sign that it is tame. Punch the accelerator and the exhaust instantly growls out all 420 hp, and the 420 lb-ft of torque instantly mashes every occupant into their seatbacks. This is an all-wheel-drive vehicle, but it can still act like a drag racer. From a standstill, the majority of the power is sent to the rear pinning the back end down and lighting up the rear tires – this is with a standard the 5-speed automatic!
This is not a car for everyone. It may have the most torque available in any Grand Cherokee, but the cool center dual exhaust means there is no tow hitch. It has all-wheel drive, but the low ground clearance and no low-range transfer case means this Jeep stays on-road. The interior is well appointed with nice leather and a quality sound system, but the Germans have more gadgets.
