The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is the third Fiat Chrysler vehicle to have the unhinged supercharged V-8 stuffed under its hood, and it’s the quiet Hellcat next door. Not literally, of course—have you heard a blown Hemi V-8 at full whack?—but with standard all-wheel drive mitigating the engine’s tire-spinning proclivities, plus its under-the-radar looks, the Trackhawk can at least pass for an upstanding citizen. With more traction than any Hellcat yet, the Trackhawk has quite a lot of poke despite its pork—the engine adds 259 pounds over the already heavy 475-hp Grand Cherokee SRT. Nonetheless, Jeep claims it can reach 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. That time is on par with the nearly 1000-pounds-lighter, automatic-equipped Dodge Hellcats we’ve tested. (The quickest was the Charger, which reached 60 mph in 3.4 seconds.) Per Jeep, the quarter-mile is expected to fly by in 11.6 seconds (at 116 mph!), and, with no electronic governor, the Trackhawk is said to surrender to atmospheric resistance at 180 mph.
Stunning speed and carpool-duty comfort in one pricey package. Once you’ve driven a BMW X5 M, you just might have a hard time convincing yourself that any other SUV will suffice. Could the dry cleaning be dropped off, the kids picked up, and the five-inch puddle from the broken water main be forded in a regular X5 or a Mercedes-Benz GLE-class? Surely.
Pros Absurdly quick, credibly seats five, luxurious interior comes standard.
Cons Comparatively small cargo hold, too many drive modes, lack of active safety tech.
The 2018 BMW X5 M handles everyday SUV duty with comfort, style and refinement. It's also ridiculously fast and cuts winding roads like a knife. How fast? It dashes from zero to 60 mph in 4 seconds flat, a shade faster than BMW's iconic M4 sport coupe. Now wondering whether you need an SUV that makes more than 500 horsepower or reaches a top speed of 160 mph misses the point. It's best to just marvel at a machine that can take you for both a sedate run to Costco, or to county jail for excessive speed, with such ease.
PROS Outlandish acceleration and handling for an SUV Interior materials are impeccable Front seats are comfortable and supportive
CONS No option for a third-row seat Sporty suspension may feel too firm for some drivers, passengers Gas pedal sometimes responds slowly in low-speed driving
A backup camera is now standard, as are trapezoidal tailpipes for the 35i and 35d models.The high-performance X5 M is powered by a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 engine that makes 567 hp and 553 pounds-feet of torque. The engine works with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and power is routed to all four wheels. BMW says the X5 M can hit 60 mph in just 4 seconds. As expected of a performance offshoot, the X5 M has unique bumpers, aggressive side sills and highly bolstered sport seats.
Pros Seat comfort Handling Cabin materials Diesel's estimated fuel economy iDrive control system
Cons Leather upholstery not standard Awkward liftgate and tailgate combo
