Dodge Durango SRT and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

SUVs are becoming the mainstream of today's motoring and while it was meant to carry the whole family for everyday trips, it can be downright boring because why do men get married and ended up with family cars that are boring than what they had when they were single. Perhaps there is a better solution for men who got married by accident but going for the family car that is as fun as what they drove when they were single.

2018 Dodge Durango SRT

2018 Dodge Durango SRT interior

This might do the trick. Behold, the new Dodge Durango SRT and SRT really means all business because when you see SRT, all you think about V8 Dodges on steroids and it is. It's a family car on steroids and when you let loose with its 6.4L HEMI V8 engine, "Hey, how about those Republicans?" It maybe rude to say it during a conversation at the dining table but because this is the Durango SRT, this muscle SUV is ready to paint the town red, literally.

From its beefy front face, Viper-inspired bonnet, red and black interior that smells like it came from a red state, and the huge monitor that comes with a performance mode screen that displays G-forces, braking distance, reaction times, and everything that your SUV can't do because of such boringness this SUV doesn't have, the Durango SRT is all about American football, basketball, and stock car racing with the hint of nachos, pizzas, and fast food vittles that can irritate the next neighbor or two. I mean come on, this is how good old American boys love to do in their weekends and this SUV fits to such expression.

Believe it or not, the Dodge Durango SRT has the similar expression you'd expect from the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT because like the said one, the Durango SRT is powered by the 6.4L HEMI V8 engine mated to an 8-speed AT. This engine produces 475HP and 470lb-ft of torque and with this output, it can get from 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds, which is as fast as a high-powered German sports saloon but with enough grunt to unleash 8,700lbs of towing capacity.

It maybe a muscle car but this 62,995 Dollar (plus OTR costs) SUV on steroids can handle almost everything because this is the first Dodge SRT vehicle to come with performance-oriented four-wheel drive system and with that, not only you can handle this behemoth like a boss but you can handle any kind of weather condition like it never happened.

While all sounds nice for a V8 muscle SUV with seating for six people, it can be downright crazy to drive and when you set the drive mode on TRACK, the Durango SRT will drive you as mad as today's news and public affairs. Like your granny spending the whole day watching Mad Mad-esque films no one heard of, setting the Durango SRT on TRACK tightens the suspension damping and steering gradient feel, resulting to uncanny dynamics that will enrage drivers to the verge of hypertension. How uncanny was that? Driving an SUV on track days can be downright crazy and in the Durango SRT, while it can be decent to drive on normal roads and not bad to drive on any weather conditions, especially when its snowing in the northern extremities of America, it can lose your sanity or your arms when you twist this car through the bends.

However, that Durango SRT is the least of the problems because somewhere out there lies a more crazier American V8 crossover that can irritate the smartest people as if they got smacked by some fat teenager girl doing a stage dive at the concert.

2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk interior

This is the all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and by the looks of it, it can irritate even the European high-performance crossovers with such output. 707HP from its Hellcat V8 engine, 645lb-ft of torque, 180mph of top speed, this is a Hellcat made for those who are feeling under the weather and they can't take the Dodge Challenger Hellcat or Charger Hellcat on a rainy or snowy day and thanks to performance-tuned all-wheel drive, you can drive it anytime, anywhere no matter the weather condition.

That sounds nice but you need to be brave because driving the Trackhawk has the same experience as an EXPERT-level 600-combo song that has some bits to hold, bits to tap, and so many to tap that are too fast to lock on with your eyes. It's going to end up slipping on GOOD, GOOD, GOOD, rather than GREAT or PERFECT because with the performance-oriented 4WD and the supercharged Hellcat V8 engine, the dynamics will end up on the GOOD side and when you engage all the hero buttons around you, you'd better get some painkillers ready because there are times this can can understeer in 911 Turbo levels and resorting to brutal driving style won't cut it because the dynamics can bite you real good like dog with rabies.

Apart from the crazy dynamics and the fact that it can seat up to five people, the TRACKHAWK is downright expensive with prices start at 85,900 US Dollars, which is as expensive as a European sportscar, and that's a shame really because while it was labeled the most powerful SUV in the world, it doesn't carry enough people than the Durango SRT. 

But still, despite the price difference, these American high-performance SUVs are capable of painting the town red with their deep Republican view against the opposition, raw V8 grunt, and practicality common to most SUVs. So, which one will you pick?

Photo: FCA US LLC