2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk: More Off-Road Prowess for the Grandest Jeep

Jeep first introduced the Trailhawk name on a Grand Cherokee concept in 2012, whipped up for that year’s Easter Jeep Safari fan event in Moab, Utah. In the years since, Jeep briefly introduced an off-road-oriented Grand Cherokee Trailhawk model for the 2013 model year but quietly removed it from the lineup after the Grand Cherokee’s 2014 facelift, transferring the Trailhawk name to trim levels on the smaller Cherokee and Renegade. Due this summer as a 2017 model, the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk follows the formula laid down by that concept of many years ago and codified by the production Grand Cherokee, Cherokee, and Renegade variants, adding more off-road capability and butchier looks.

The Trailhawk joins the Grand Cherokee family as that SUV’s sixth trim level next to the existing Laredo, Limited, Overland, SRT, and the freshly revised Summit. (It is, we must point out, distinct from the 707-hp, Hellcat-powered Grand Cherokee SRT Trackhawk that arrives next year.) Standard is Jeep’s Quadra-Drive II four-wheel-drive setup—the hardest-core version available in the Grand Cherokee, which can also be had with rear-wheel drive or Quadra-Trac I, an all-wheel-drive system that lacks low-range gearing. Other standard features include an electronic limited-slip rear differential, Hill Ascent/Descent control, skid plates, and 18-inch Kevlar-reinforced Goodyear Adventure tires. The adjustable air suspension optional on other Grand Cherokees is also included, albeit modified for an extra 0.4 inch of ground clearance in its tallest setting (for a total of 10.8 inches), and Trailhawk-signature red-painted tow hooks poke from the Grand Cherokee’s bumpers. Jeep will offer this Trailhawk with either the Grand Cherokee’s standard 3.6-liter V-6 engine or its optional Hemi V-8, but not with the diesel engine offered on other models.

Jeep further distinguishes the Trailhawk with gray-painted door mirrors and a matching gray roof rack, a matte-black hood decal, and red-hued “Trail-Rated” badging. Buyers can choose from Redline Red, Billet Silver, Bright White, Rhino, Granite Crystal, Velvet Red, and Diamond Black paint. Inside, the seats are covered in black leather and microsuede with red stitching, and the dashboard features piano-black and gunmetal-colored trim. There also is a Trailhawk badge on the steering wheel and a standard 8.4-inch touchscreen with Chrysler’s Uconnect infotainment platform and special displays for the suspension settings, wheel articulation, and more. Optional extras include 20-inch wheels and Mopar rock rails for protecting the Grand Cherokee’s rocker panels from pesky boulder impacts. Pricing for the resurrected Grand Cherokee Trailhawk hasn’t yet been announced, but expect it to live in the middle of the Grand Cherokee lineup.

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