30 years on from the launch of the original Grand Cherokee, Jeep is launching a new model with that storied name and is offering a new twist on the name for the first time - seven seats.
Six or seven seat options
Up till now, the Grand Cherokee has always and only been a five-seat SUV and actually that's still true. Still true because, technically, this new model is called the Grand Cherokee L, and will be sold alongside the existing Grand Cherokee five-seater, at least for a while. Essentially, this new Grand Cherokee L will sit between the existing Grand Cherokee and the forthcoming, luxurious, Grand Wagoneer, in Jeep's lineup.
"When you set out to reimagine an SUV as beloved as the Jeep Grand Cherokee, building on its nearly 30-year legacy as an overachiever is paramount to every decision that is made," said Christian Meunier, global president of Jeep brand. "With that legacy guiding the Jeep team, the new 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L is crafted to exceed expectations and do what no other SUV can do: deliver legendary Jeep 4x4 off-road capability blended with superior on-road manners. It is built on an all-new architecture and wrapped in a stunning new design that honours its iconic Jeep design heritage, while also extending to accommodate a third row to meet the growing needs of our Jeep customers who have asked for more space and functionality. The Grand Cherokee L truly stands out in its segment and continues to raise the bar in capability, performance and luxury, while also breaking new ground in versatility and functionality."
Style-wise, this new Grand Cherokee L cleaves rather closer to the new Grand Wagoneer with its cliff-face design at the front and the curved, chrome-laden C-pillar at the back. It's rather handsome, in a massively chunky way.
Off-road ruggedness
For all the luxury on the inside (which we'll come to in a minute) the Grand Cherokee L will retain that proper Jeep go-anywhere ability. Depending on which model you buy, the Grand Cherokee L will come with either a Quadra-Trac I, Quadra-Trac II and Quadra-Drive II with rear electronic limited slip-differential (eLSD) four-wheel drive system. Even the simplest of those three can route 100 per cent engine power to either end of the car when needed, while the Quadra-Drive II can work out that wheelspin is going to happen in a second, and pre-emptively adjust itself to prevent that happening.
There's also Quadra-Lift air suspension, which can adjust from a normal ride height of 212mm, to an off-road height of 252mm, a no-we're-serious-now off-road extra height of 312mm, or lower the car to a fuel-saving 191mm ride height when on the motorway. The Grand Cherokee L can also wade through 609mm of standing water, and of course, the air suspension can lower the car right down onto the bump-stops to make loading and unloading that little bit easier.
Helping to control all of this is the Selec-Terrain system, which allows you to pre-set the Grand Cherokee L into a choice of driving modes, including Auto, Sport, Rock, Snow, and Mud/Sand. There's also hill-descent control, and some models come with an 'Off-Road Group' pack that includes high-strength steel skid plates, electronic limited-slip differential rear axle, 18-inch aluminium wheels and rugged, all-season performance tyres.
Only two engines announced so far
In spite of all that off-road ruggedness, the Grand Cherokee L doesn't get a separate chassis and body, but a monocoque shell, and one with lots of weight-saving aluminium panels (which is possibly a bit laughable on something this big, but we suppose every little helps). Jeep claims massive improvements in noise, vibration, and harshness.
So far only a handful of engines have been announced for the Grand Cherokee L, and they're all clearly aimed at the US market, rather than Europe and certainly not Ireland. There's a base 3.6-litre 'Pentastar' V6 petrol engine with 290hp and 348Nm of torque. Jeep claims that fuel-saving measures will allow this engine to stretch more than 800km from a tank of fuel, which was US petrol prices probably isn't too shabby.
If you want to get more serious, there's a 5.7-litre 'Hemi' V8 petrol, with active cylinder shut-off, and which develops 357hp and 528Nm. No word yet on whether any diesel models will be offered, nor any hybrids nor electric versions, although a plug-in hybrid Grand Wagoneer has been confirmed, so presumably the Grand Cherokee L will get that powertrain too.
Both engines come with a TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission which also includes front-axle disconnect. If the vehicle senses that road conditions do not require all-wheel drive, the front axle disconnect automatically and places the Grand Cherokee L in two-wheel drive, reducing drag on the driveline and improving fuel economy. Four-wheel drive automatically re-engages when the vehicle senses it is needed.
Inside, the cabin represents a major leap forward over the current, slightly cheap-looking, Grand Cherokee five-seater. Quite aside from the three rows of seats (which can be specified for six or seven seats) there's a massive 'waterfall' 10.1-inch touchscreen for the uConnect infotainment system and another ten-inch screen for the driver's instruments. High-tech options include adaptive cruise control, highway assist, night vision, drowsy driver detection and speed limit traffic signs display. High-end versions come with waxed walnut wood trim.
There's four-zone climate control, a rear centre console between the two centre row seats (if you've ticked the six-seat option), 'Palermo' leather trim, and a 950-watt, 19-speaker McIntosh premium sound system. Options include a digital rear-view mirror and a rear-seat camera monitor.
On a more practical note, the Grand Cherokee L's doors open through 64-degrees and come with an exterior side step to make it easier to get in and out, the second row of seats slides back and forth through 180mm, and there's a massive 1,328-litre boot.
What we don't know yet is when, or even if, the Grand Cherokee L will come to Ireland. It might do, but Jeep's operations here are pretty threadbare at the moment, and trying to get Irish buyers to pony up lots of money for a big SUV that isn't from a German carmaker is not the easiest thing right now. We'll let you know when we have more details.