Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk blasts back in

The manic 522kW Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk has returned to Australian showrooms with an MY20 upgrade that adds equipment but extracts no more performance from a model that up until recently could still lay claim to being the world’s most powerful SUV.

That title now rests with the 529kW Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat – the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk’s US stablemate, sharing its 6.2-litre supercharged Hemi V8 engine.

But there is still nothing blunt about Jeep’s master-blaster, now starting at $139,950 plus on-road costs.

This is $5360 higher than the previous model, but Jeep Australia is quick to point out that the 2020 update to the Trackhawk adds as standard a ‘Signature Laguna Leather Wrapped Interior Package’ (in black or black/ski grey) and black-painted 20-inch lightweight forged alloy wheels with Pirelli P Zero 3 Season tyres.

It previously ran on 20-inch alloys shod in Pirelli Scorpion Verde all-season rubber.

All up, the new equipment is said to deliver more than $13,000 worth of extra value, with the interior package encompassing svelte Laguna leather upholstery, other premium soft-touch materials, unique ‘light black chrome’ finishes and carbon-fibre spears.

There are other minor cabin upgrades along similar lines to the MY20 upgrade announced earlier this year for the lower-tier members of the Jeep Grand Cherokee range, including an updated infotainment system based around the fourth-generation Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen that now sits flush-mounted with the centre stack and instrument panel.

The headline act remains unchanged: the blown 16-valve pushrod ‘Hellcat’ V8 that delivers its 522kW peak power at 6000rpm, peak torque of 868Nm at 4800rpm, and drives through an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, Quadra-Trac Active on-demand all-wheel drive system and limited-slip rear diff.

Weighing almost three tonnes, the Trackhawk can reach 100km/h from standstill in a claimed 3.7sec, devour the quarter mile in 11.6sec and reach a top speed of 289km/h. Its official consumption figure is awesome, too, at 16.8L/100km on the official combined cycle.

While there are no savings to be made at the (premium unleaded) fuel pump with the MY20 upgrade, Jeep also points to the company’s new capped-priced servicing program that sees the first five visits back to the dealer capped at $799 each for the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.

“Australia is FCA’s second-largest market for V8s outside of North America and it is important for us to be able to support Australians with one of the most powerful and fastest SUVs ever,” said Jeep Australia’s director of product, Guillaume Drelon.

“We’re excited to provide even more customer value to what is already the best-value, track-ready SUV in the market.”