Over the course of automotive history, designers have come up with countless innovative features that have made our lives easier and our driving experiences more pleasant. From life-saving safety features such as seatbelts and ABS, to infotainment tech such as navigation and different ways of listening to music on the go, cars have been steadily evolving to integrate into our lives and do much more than just get from A to B.
There are automotive features, however, which are not quite so useful. In some cases, manufacturers attempted to add an accessory they thought would come in handy, but which did not perform to the required standard (such as Chrysler’s record player, which did predictably poorly in a moving car).
In other cases, however, we are simply left completely confused as to why an automaker decided to include a feature in the first place.
Take Jeep, for example. The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk SUV could not be further away from anything “green” or “eco”, and yet Stellantis has made the decision to add an Eco button and associated driving mode. We can imagine the number of people who have ever chosen to use this button, in a supercharged V8 SUV, is very low.
- Base Trim Engine
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6.2L Supercharged V8 Gas
- Base Trim Transmission
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8-Speed Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Four-Wheel Drive
Who, Exactly, Is This Eco Button For?
If you’ve ever driven a car built at any point over the past 10 years or so, chances are you will have encountered a selection of multiple driving modes. These usually come with labels such as “sport”, “comfort”, or “eco”, altering the vehicle’s driving characteristics based on your current needs.
Eco mode is typically oriented towards improving fuel efficiency and reducing the vehicle’s emissions. This can involve many different alterations to the vehicle’s behavior, such as limiting the maximum amount of power available or making the throttle response more dull. In cars with a manual transmission, you might find a visual indicator prompting you to shift up to the next gear; in automatic cars, the transmission will shift up to the next gear as soon as possible.
This mode is typically not found in models that are oriented towards performance. In the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, however, we don’t just have an Eco driving mode, but it also gets its very own physical button on the center console. For those unfamiliar with the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, it is a fast, performance-oriented, gas-guzzling SUV, with a supercharged V8 engine under the hood. Not exactly the kind of vehicle you would expect to see an Eco button on. And yet, for reasons known only to them, Jeep’s designers have chosen to include it.
The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk: An Overview
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2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk |
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Engine |
6.2-liter supercharged V8 |
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Power |
707 hp |
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Torque |
645 lb-ft |
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0-60 mph |
3.5 seconds |
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Top Speed |
180 mph |
The Trackhawk version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee may not have been around for very long – with a production run that only lasted four years – however it certainly left an impression on the automotive world. A member of the Hellcat family with a supercharged Hemi V8 at its heart, this SUV was one of Fiat-Chrysler’s most bonkers creations. Its launch capabilities and on-track performance had – in years gone by – been the exclusive domain of supercars.
The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk was a direct competitor of another Stellantis model, which used the same supercharged V8 engine and eight-speed automatic gearbox, but had an additional row of seating: the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, which unlike the Trackhawk is still on the market today.
In the Trackhawk, the engine produces 707 hp, while in the Durango it produces 710 hp. While the Trackhawk’s focus is on raw power above everything else, the suspension has also been refined to improve its handling. Brembo brakes, meanwhile, help slow all that weight down.
When the fifth generation of the Grand Cherokee arrived for the 2022 model year, there simply was no place for the Trackhawk in the new lineup. As a result, the model was discontinued, much to the disappointment of many car enthusiasts around the world.
The Trackhawk’s Stand-Out Feature: The Dying Art Of Supercharging
One of the Trackhawk’s defining features, which contributed to the weirdness of it being fitted with an “eco” button, was its supercharger. The oldest form of forced induction, supercharging is now rapidly disappearing from the automotive world. In simple terms, a supercharger uses power sourced directly from the engine to move air through the system.
This is achieved with a pulley with a belt connected to the crankshaft, which rotates and builds boost pressure. Two kinds of supercharger exist: the positive-displacement one – which delivers a fixed amount of air per revolution of the compressor – is most common. Dynamic superchargers, on the other hand, are less common and more complex.
The supercharger dates back to the tail end of the 19th century, even predating the car itself. The technology was first used in furnaces and industrial machinery, later finding its way into aircraft engines and, eventually, cars. By the 1920s, the technology was being used in several high-performance models, such as the legendary “Bentley Blower”, which borrows its name from the supercharger it was equipped with.
The golden age of supercharging arrived after World War II, with the era of the muscle car; thanks to cheap fuel and an obsession with no-frills power and speed, drivers widely used aftermarket supercharger kits to boost their cars’ performance. Eventually, however, the supercharger fell out of favor thanks to the rise of the turbocharger, which had been in development since the 60s but became widely popular from the 80s onwards. Fast forward a couple of decades, and supercharged vehicles are now a dying breed.
The Last Few Supercharged SUVs… That Don’t Care Much About Being “Eco”
The Trackhawk may no longer be around, but there are still a handful of models out there flying the flag for the supercharged SUV. Needless to say, eco-friendliness isn’t exactly a priority: in an era of engine downsizing and hybridization, these models are all about raw, gas-guzzling power, an increasing rarity. Let’s take a look at the last supercharged SUVs you can still find on the market today.
Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat: The Dodge Durango is still going strong, despite now being the oldest SUV you can still buy new in the US. This particular version of the model is another member of the Hellcat family; a three-row family SUV powered by a supercharged V8 engine, which is exactly as bonkers as it sounds.
Cadillac Escalade-V: Rather than being a legacy model like most other supercharged cars still on the market, the Cadillac Escalade-V is a surprisingly recent addition, having first been introduced for the 2023 model year. At its heart we find a supercharged 6.2-liter V8, which propels it to 60 mph in as little as 4.4 seconds.
Jaguar F-Pace SVR: This SUV has now been discontinued after the 2025 model year, but you might be able to find the odd example still in stock at a dealership, if you’re willing to do some traveling to get your dream car. A farewell edition limited to 60 units was produced this year, but will only be sold in Australia.
Land Rover Defender: The modern successor to a legendary model, the current Defender includes some variants in its lineup that are powered by a 518-hp supercharged V8. If you want to go off the beaten track with a little more oomph under the hood, the Defender might be the right choice for you.
Sources: Jeep, Cadillac, Jaguar, Dodge, Land Rover
