Test drive Grand Cherokee Trailhawk
Naturally aspirated motor, crawler gear and factory off-road version. All of this is rare and the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk has it all
It's boring to drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk inside the Moscow Ring Road - this version is specially designed for off-road conquest. Where to go? The plot was prompted by the announcement of the sale of a house in the Vladimir region. Rather not at home, but a castle with turrets, a fireplace and even a dungeon - everything, as they loved in the 1990s. The Russian image of the Grand Cherokee was formed at the same time. But this is not all: the realtor admitted that the road to the castle is passable only in an SUV.
In gray with a matte black hood and blued grille, the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk looks like a professional off-road vehicle. Modest-sized discs are shod with toothed rubber, and red towing eyes protrude from the front bumper.
Appearance does not deceive - only Trailhawk has a permanent all-wheel drive Quadra Drive II with electronically controlled rear locking, and the air suspension raises the body an inch higher than other versions - 274 mm in the second off-road position. In addition, the underbody of such a car is protected to the maximum.
The interior, on the other hand, is emphatically luxurious: combined seats, red stitching, wood and aluminum inlays are of quite premium quality. For an American car, the interior quality of the Grand Cherokee is outstanding. The off-road purpose of the car is indicated only by the tab in the multimedia system, which shows the position of the body, the operation of the transmission and the selected driving modes.
The center of the dash is occupied by a screen with a painted speedometer, but the Grand Cherokee does not seem to be in a rush to the high-tech future. The transmission lever is fixed here, and physical buttons are enough. I was surprised that there are separate buttons on the steering wheel for normal cruise control and for adaptive control.
There are no complaints about the operation of electronics on the go - the SUV confidently holds on to the car in front, brakes on time and confidently. But as soon as he gets up, after a while the cruise control turns off, and the car starts moving. Most likely, this is a bug of a specific car, but he clearly shaken the confidence in the electronic component.
Despite the monocoque body, independent suspension with pneumatic struts, which has a Mercedes pedigree, the nature of the "Grand" has changed little. It seems to deliberately imitate a frame SUV with a continuous axle, reluctantly reacts to the steering wheel, rolls. The absence of a clear zero does not in the best way affect the steering accuracy; feedback from the wheels appears only in sharp turns.
It is unlikely that these are the flaws of the engineers - rather, traits of a family character: all Jeep models, even crossovers, seem a little lumpy. Such behavior does not cause discomfort, on the contrary, you are even more confident in the strength and endurance of jeep equipment. In any case, there are more asphalt versions of the Grand Cherokee like the Overland and SRT8, the Trailhawk version is made for another.
The further from the capital, the more appropriate the choice of just such a Grand Cherokee seems. On good asphalt, the suspension was looking too closely for minor defects. When pits of different calibers began to occur more often, the bet on energy intensity played.
Outside the city, the appetite of a gasoline V6 also decreased: in traffic jams on the outskirts of Moscow, it reached 17 liters. Although the tank with a volume of 93,5 liters still empties rather quickly. However, at 286 hp and two tons of weight is expected. An “automatic” with eight steps lazily shifts gears, but as soon as the throttle is pushed to the floor, the Grand Cherokee transforms.
More than three hours along the slow Gorkovskoe highway, past the staggering village houses, the ruins of a local factory. Then a winding road, which, before reaching the village, turned sharply to the left. Deep ruts glittered along the course. Trailhawk got stuck right in front of the castle house, but immediately got revenge, it was worth turning on the "Mud" mode, and went, throwing clods of mud. The off-road electronics work great, so it never came to downshifting and lifting the body.
Everything turned out as in the photographs: a basement with suspicious dark spots on the floor, and a huge fireplace on two floors, and even a billiard table and horns of a hoofed animal on the wall. The resemblance to a medieval castle was given by the complete absence of a toilet even in the project. A piece of land on which a magnificent structure was erected could add the title of Landless to its owner.
The castle house was definitely worth the trip - its value, even at a price comparable to that of a Jeep, raises questions. It was an excuse to dive into the 1990s with their cruelty and false values. Dive in and get out by turning on the "Mud" mode. If there is anything left from that era, it is cheap gasoline and a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Driving this "Jeep" you can feel nostalgic about the old days, without sacrificing either comfort or equipment. It's like watching a movie in a comfortable armchair about a showdown of people in crimson jackets, where good will surely win with the help of fists.
| A type | SUV |
| Dimensions (length / width / height), mm | 4821/1943/1802 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2915 |
| Ground clearance, mm | 218-2774 |
| Cargo space, l | 782-1554 |
| Curb weight, kg | 2354 |
| Gross vehicle weight, kg | 2915 |
| engine's type | Petrol V6 |
| Working volume, cubic meters cm | 3604 |
| Max. power, hp (at rpm) | 286/6350 |
| Max. cool. moment, Nm (at rpm) | 356/4600-4700 |
| Drive type, transmission | Full, AKP8 |
| Max. speed km / h | 210 |
| Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h, s | 8,3 |
| Fuel consumption (average), l / 100 km | 10,4 |
| Price from, $. | 41 582 |
The editors would like to thank the administration of the Art Eco cottage community and the Point Estate real estate agency for their help in organizing the shooting.
