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2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Quick Spin

Jeep won't come out and say it, but the 2017 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk exists to bloody the nose of the Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro. America's off-road brand hasn't built a wheeling-specific version of its Grand Cherokee flagship in years, and the last GC Trailhawk was mostly stickers and tires. It was time for a true trail-spec Grand Cherokee again. We took a quick spin (two of them, actually) in the latest Trailhawk model, which joins Renegades and Cherokees with the same badge and off-road bent for 2017. Our time was limited, and so were our initial findings. After driving on and off pavement at Fiat Chrysler's proving grounds in Chelsea, Michigan, we can tell you that on the road, this Grand Cherokee has the same refined driving dynamics as any other. As for off-roading, the capability is still somewhat of an open question. Driving Notes The suspension and off-road system tuning are what really set the Trailhawk apart from other Grand Cherokees. Jeep tweaked the four-corner Quadra-Lift air suspension to improve articulation and suspension travel, while retaining the 10.8 inches of ground clearance of lesser Quadra-Lift Grand Cherokees. Paired with the standard Quadra-Drive II four-wheel-drive system, rear electronic limited-slip diff, and 20-inch Goodyear Adventure off-road tires, the Trailhawk is not short on capability (at least on paper). Unfortunately, paper is almost where this stops. The Trailhawks we drove were pre-production models with unfinished software calibrations. The throttle on the 3.6-liter V6 Trailhawk we took on the off-road course was super touchy and hard to modulate, regardless of which Selec-Terrain off-road mode was selected. Without a reliable throttle, we were bounding over obstacles instead of negotiating them patiently. This was back in June, and Jeep's PR reps assured us at the time that the engineers knew about the oversensitive throttle and have since confirmed that the issue has been fixed for production models, which are rolling off the line in Detroit now. We're planning to get into one of those vehicles as soon as one becomes available for a full review. Like the standard model, the Trailhawk's air suspension offers more comfort than the double-wishbone front and four-link rear suspension on the 4Runner.

Jeep Renegade Hell's Revenge is the Harley rider's Jeep

Well, here's a thing. Yes, it's a Jeep Renegade. Yes, it has flames on it. And no, we aren't really sure how to feel about it. This is the Renegade Hell's Revenge. Presumably named after the Hell's Revenge Trail in Moab, this one-off baby Jeep is the product of Italian tuning house Garage Italia Customs and draws inspiration from the collected works of Harley-Davidson. It's not the first time a car company has attached the Milwaukee icon's badge to one of its vehicles – the company has a long history of partnering with Ford for special edition pickup trucks – but it's the first time we can recall the brand teaming with Jeep. The Hell's Revenge was created because of the 25th annual European H.O.G. Rally, a big Harley-Davidson festival being held in Portoroz, Slovenia this weekend. And since Europeans have a bizarre infatuation with Harleys, Jeep probably saw an excellent advertising opportunity and slotted the off-road brand in as the event's main sponsor. We have to admire the workmanship on this diesel-powered Renegade. Ignore the fact that there's a flame motif, and the actual paint job itself is absolutely lovely. According to FCA's official release, GIC used four layers of matte paint before applying fluorescent paint. The dashboard also gets a bright, exuberant flame motif, while the seats are a combination of Foglizzo Nappa leather and black denim. The functional changes are minor. BFGoodrich tires and a jacked-up suspension provide extra capability, and there are a pair of adorable LED spotlights ahead of the two A-pillars. It's an impressive effort. Really. But when you remember that the last Chrysler product to wear a flame motif was the PT Cruiser, we wonder if Jeep knew what kind of company its newest CUV would be in. Related Video:

Jeep Wrangler and Mitsu PHEV driven, and Ford is up to something | Autoblog Podcast #539

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Green Editor John Beltz Snyder and Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale. We talk about driving the 2018 Jeep Wrangler and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV we had at our office. We speculate about the Ford Maverick and Michigan Central Station, talk Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid news, and help spend a listener's money on a pair of vehicles. Autoblog Podcast #539 Your browser does not support the audio element. Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars in the office: Jeep Wrangler and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Ford trademarks Maverick and Timberline Ford to buy Michigan Central Station? Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid details Spend my money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Podcasts Rumormill Ford Jeep Mitsubishi Porsche Car Buying Used Car Buying Crossover SUV Electric Hybrid Luxury Off-Road Vehicles michigan central station