Video: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

We're here with the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, the goal of this car is to give up nothing. When the snow starts to fall, this performance car doesn't have to be put away. Their standard all-wheel drive, as well as all season tires, ours is equipped with the optional summer tires. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 does zero to 60 miles an hour in 4.8 seconds, now that's fast regardless, sedan, coupe, or SUV. Now that's fast in straight line, but what about handling? Well, the SUV weighs 5,000 pounds, but it handles extremely well given its weight. It doesn't feel as easy to toss into a corner as other SRT8 products, like the Challenger Coupe, SRT8 Charger, or SRT8 300C, and the steering feels a little light compared to those also, but this is an SUV. Helping the Grand Cherokee SRT8 with its daily drivability, as well as its performance, are the selectable driving modes. There's track, sport, auto, tow, and snow. These modes will soften and stiffen the suspension, they'll also make the throttle much more responsive, and they will change the transmission shift points. Now the transmission shifts extremely fast and extremely hard when you're in sport and track mode, it almost feels like you have an aftermarket programming in the car, it changes it so drastically. With that much performance and that much weight, the big hit is at gas mileage, where it's rated at 12 miles per gallon in the city, and 18 miles per gallon on the highway. I've been averaging around 12 to 13 miles per gallon in mostly city driving. Now that rating is better than the previous Grand Cherokee SRT8. Part of the performance car equation is, how does it sound? The Grand Cherokee SRT8 sounds pretty gnarly, it's got the 6.4 liter V8, and it sounds good at start up, at idle, when you're taking off, just all the time. (car engine revving) One of the Grand Cherokee SRT8's biggest advantages as far as daily usability and practicality is the cargo area. The cargo area is just as big as a regular Grand Cherokee, and it's so much more usable than any other sedan, or coupe. Even further separating the Grand Cherokee SRT8, it as a do it all performance truck, is that it can tow. It can tow up to 5,000 pounds and nothing will look cooler behind the Grand Cherokee SRT8 than a vintage Mopar on a trailer. The Grand Cherokee SRT8, year-round drivability, and usability as an SUV comes at a price, it's five to $10,000 more than other SRT8 products. But if that means giving up a second car in order to drive this year round, the price may be justified for some. <v Narrator>For more car related news, go to Cars.com, or our blog, KickingTires.net.