For a family that loves hiking, skiing, or any off-road adventure, the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk is the vehicle of choice.  The most award winning SUV now comes in a Trailhawk edition, beefed up to handle rocky, snowy, steep….basically you name the terrain and it will eat it for breakfast.

You’ll know the Trailhawk when you see one.  A black hood decal with red accent stripe dominates the front end.  It looks tough, but it’s really designed to reduce glare from the sun in extreme off-road situations.  Other visual standouts include black headlamp buckets, 18-inch aluminum wheels, gray grille surround, a rear light bar and signature badging.  Standard tires are hefty, Kevlar-reinforced Goodyear Silent Armor all-terrain tires for sturdy, puncture-free trail driving.  The Quadra lift air suspension has five height settings for optimum performance. Together with Jeep Select Terrain – the driver can choose from five traction control settings – Sand/Mud, Sport, Auto, Snow and Rock. This Jeep can go anywhere.  And depending on fast you want to go, it’s powered by a V6 or a V8.

How about for everyday driving?  Well, it’s big.  And heavy.  And tall.  Alot of car to move around.  One of the benefits though is the interior.  Plush two tone leather and suede seats, high-end stereo and all the perks of an upscale SUV complement a cabin that is roomy, airy and spacious.  Plenty of room for comfortable travel with one or more kids and all the stuff.  My only trouble was being short. Getting in and out of the driver’s seat took some stretching.  I realized as I jumped to the ground that I looked like the kid getting out of the car.

Our big milestone this week was switching my daughter to a forward facing carseat.  Yeah!  (once we got past the manual)  The Grand Cherokee made it a breeze. It was surprisingly easy to attach the lower anchors in their plastic clip covers on her Recaro seat. The top tether anchor attached nicely to the back latch anchor over the seat.  Snug as a bug.  Plus plenty of cabin room for manuevering. Cargo space is 35.1 cu. ft. with seats up, 68.7 cu.ft. with seats folded down.

It may not be the best everyday Mom car, but for off-roading and all-terrain driving, this Jeep is a winner.  And as any Mom knows, if there’s ever a road requiring ability to handle all conditions, it’s the road of motherhood.

Some Basics
MSRP: $41,995 (base)
engine: 3.6L V-6 or 5.7L V-8
hp/torque: 290 hp/260 ft-lb. (V6)
360hp/390ft-lb. (V8)
drivetrain: AWD
fuel economy:  17 city/23 hwy (V6)
14 city/20 hwy (V8)
IIHS Safety Rating:  Good. Top Safety Pick.

drivermom summary
Three words to describe this car
rugged, spacious, tall

What’s the best thing about it?
great for off-roading, lots of interior room

What’s the biggest drawback?
it’s a big, heavy car for everyday driving 

Mom-friendliness score: B+

Driver-friendliness score: B

If this car could talk, what would it say?

“Beef. It’s what’s for dinner.”