Enzo Ferrari famously said the only true sports car America ever made was the Jeep. He was, of course, talking about the rugged CJ back in the day, but I can’t help imagining what he’d say if he caught a glimpse of the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Probably something along the lines of "holy smokes!"—or a lot saltier.

Fast forward to 2026, and I’m grinning like a fool behind the wheel of a meticulously maintained 2018 Trackhawk I tracked down on the used market. It’s still the most powerful SUV ever to roll off a production line, and trust me, that Hellcat heart hasn’t aged a day. The moment I stomped the gas, I nearly swallowed my own tongue. 707 horses don’t just push you back in the seat—they grab you by the scruff and hurl you into next week.

Let me break down the numbers that still make this thing a unicorn in 2026. Zero to 60 mph happens in 3.5 seconds. The quarter mile disappears in 12 seconds flat at 115 mph. Top speed? 180 mph, which in a two-and-a-half-ton brick is pants-wettingly fast. Braking from 60 to zero takes just 108 feet, thanks to those massive yellow Brembo calipers you can spot from outer space. Honestly, stopping 5,500 pounds on a dime never felt so reassuring.

The first time I unleashed that supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8, I laughed out loud like a madman. The soundtrack alone is worth the price of admission—a deep, snarling roar that makes your chest vibrate. Jeep’s engineers didn't just drop the Hellcat engine in and call it a day, either. They beefed up the drivetrain, tuned the exhaust to perfection, and gave the suspension the heavy-duty dampening needed to keep the rubber side down when you’re doing hypercar speeds in what’s basically a family hauler.

Speaking of which, the whole "sleeper" vibe is what gets me every time. From the outside, it mostly looks like your neighbor’s sensible Grand Cherokee—until you clock the extra air intake on the hood and those dinner-plate brakes peeking through the wheels. Nobody expects a school-run rig to blow their doors off at a stoplight. Let me tell you, the look on a Porsche driver’s face when I romp away is pure gold.

Now, an SUV that can pull 0.9 lateral g’s in the corners is already bending the laws of physics, but the Trackhawk manages to feel composed even when you’re pushing it. It’s no nimble sports car—it’s still a big girl—but the steering is sharp enough to make you forget you’re piloting a living room on wheels. And that living room? It’s a pretty nice one. Nappa leather wraps everything you touch, Alcantara and carbon fiber trim out the bits that aren’t slathered in dead animal skin, and an 8.4-inch infotainment screen keeps you connected. My tester had the optional Blu-ray entertainment system and that 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with an 825-watt amp, which I promptly ignored in favor of the engine note.

Of course, nobody buys a Trackhawk because they’re an environmentalist. Fuel economy? A laughable 11 mpg in the city, 17 mpg on the highway if you baby it. I had to fill up so often I started naming the gas station attendants. But you know what? I didn’t give a flying fig. This isn’t a rational purchase; it’s a middle finger to boredom and practicality.

Even in 2026, the Trackhawk’s closest rivals—the Lamborghini Urus, Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, and Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio—can’t match its sheer, unhinged horsepower. Sure, they’re lighter and fancier inside, but they lack that insane, Hellcat-powered soul. And while an Urus still costs north of $200,000, you can snag a clean Trackhawk for a fraction of that if you’re willing to hunt. It’s the ultimate party trick: a luxury SUV that doubles as a drag strip terror.

Would I recommend a used Trackhawk to a friend in 2026? Absolutely—if they’ve got a sense of humor and a Costco membership for fuel. It’s as subtle as a sledgehammer and about as politically correct as a burnout in a church parking lot. But life’s too short to drive boring cars. So here’s to Jeep, for building the most batshit-crazy SUV the world has ever seen. Every mile behind that wheel is a reminder that sometimes, more power is exactly the answer.