It may be the most premium of all Jeeps, but the Grand Cherokee hasn’t really ever competed with the quality perception of uber SUVs from Audi, BMW and even Volkswagen.
Despite being one of the upmarket SUV segment’s founding fathers all the way back in 1993, the Grand Cherokee’s always lurked on the slightly less high-quality end of the high-quality SUV scale. It’s suffered for it too, and here in image-conscious South Africa the Grand Cherokee hardly rates on the list of cool 4x4s to be seen in downtown.
But this could be set to change with the release of the all-new, suppler, more offroad-capable and easier-on-the-eye Grand Cherokee.
First impression at a Jeep event held in the United States recently, is that the new model’s much more attractive with its mannish good looks, even if its window lines and chunky wheelarches bear a suspicious resemblance to the latest Touareg’s architecture.
For once, the brand more well known for its historic military escapades and ability to tackle tough terrain can hold its own outside the trendiest of inner-city nightclubs.
Dimensions-wise the new model’s swelled up by 13cm between its wheels, 5cm in overall length and 8cm in width. This means more rear leg and cargo space, as well as larger door openings for ease of entry.
The interior’s also been hugely improved upon with a classy new dashboard layout finished in more soft-to-touch surfaces than its hard plastics predecessors. Top models get a dash covered completely with leather, a modern touchscreen navigation/radio system and Range Rover-style wood or leather-wrapped heated steering wheels among a long list of other plush accoutrements.
Underneath it all is a chassis sourced from Merc’s M-Class SUV courtesy of Chrysler’s previous romance with Daimler (now owned by Fiat). Gone is the outgoing Grand Cherokee’s live rear axle and in is a four-wheel independent setup.
A new Quadra-Lift air suspension system that raises and lowers ride height by 104mm depending on terrain, and can even kneel down low when parked, is also included as standard equipment on all but one model.
Two optional four-wheel drive systems available locally include Quadra-Trac II (low and high range with a transfer case) and Quadra-Drive II (low and high range with a limited-slip diff). A full-time four-wheel drive (Quadra-Trac I) with no buttons or switches, and an entry-level rear-wheel drive only drivetrain are also available overseas but won’t be sold in SA.
Of course to keep up with the cream of the SUV crop it would need a selectable offroad setting switch like Land Rover’s Terrain Response system, and the new Jeep gets one just like it in what it calls Selec-Terrain.
Almost identical to Land Rover’s system, Selec-Terrain allows the driver to choose between sand/mud, sport, auto, snow and rock settings that will electronically adjust traction control and differentials via a control knob in the centre console. This will also feature in all local models as standard fitment.
Having tested the new Jeep in Wyoming’s cold and snowy conditions I can verify that on tarmac it’s very quiet and comfortable – no doubt thanks to that air suspension, but the pre-determined offroad route was a bit amateur to really assess its ability to handle sticky situations. I was, however, assured by Jeep staffers that the new Grand Cherokee recently made light work of Jeep’s unofficial 35km Rubicon Trail test track (known for claiming the lives of various 4x4 models) in America’s rocky Sierra Nevada region.
Engine choices are for now limited to V6 and V8 petrols but a 3-litre V6 turbodiesel, also likely to be borrowed from Mercedes, is due to make an appearance soon.
The all-new aluminium-cast Pentastar petrol V6 comprises 3.6 litres and makes 216kW with 353Nm. It’s coupled to a 5-speed automatic, and is claimed to consume 11 percent less fuel than the less powerful 3.7 V6 fitted to previous Grand Cherokees.
The V8 option remains unchanged from the previous model, but Jeep’s strangely opted not to include “Hemi” badging on the exterior as it had before. It’s the same 5.7-litre unit with 268kW and 520Nm, and still includes an MDS (multi displacement system) that can “switch off” four cylinders when not needed to decrease petrol consumption. It’s the same system we’ve seen before in other Chrysler models like the soon to be replaced 300C saloon.
We’ll only get top-notch Limited and Overland spec models here in SA (no entry-level Laredos), which will be priced between R519 990 and R637 990. Local launch is scheduled for the first week of February with dealership availability around the same time.
lJeep’s entire model range will be updated for 2011 with emphasis on improving its reputation for cheap and nasty interiors. Every model from the Compass to the Wrangler will get softer materials inside, slight exterior revisions and better NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) levels. We will keep you posted as the new models arrive on the scene.