Jeep rode the Grand Cherokee to its strongest-ever Australian gross sales leads to the early 2010s.
Backed by a catchy promoting marketing campaign (you purchased a Jeep?), the final Grand Cherokee outsold the Toyota Prado to high its gross sales phase throughout 2014, and was one of many best-sellers in its class within the years surrounding it.
What occurred? It has struggled to service its prospects because the gross sales growth, ending forward of solely Mitsubishi and Kia within the 2019 JD Energy Buyer Satisfaction Survey. Issues with elements availability and repair pricing have been nicely documented.
Kevin Flynn, Jeep’s native boss, is adamant its customer support techniques have now been overhauled, and there’s a wave of latest vehicles coming Down Below led by this Grand Cherokee L.
The brand new Grand Cherokee L is being pitched as a extra upmarket, refined beast than something we’ve seen from Jeep earlier than.
The Restricted variant on check right here doesn’t lay the luxuries on fairly as thick because the Summit Reserve flagship, but it surely additionally undercuts it by near $20,000.
Does the Grand Cherokee L really feel suitably luxurious? And does the Restricted signify the candy spot of the vary?
How a lot does the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Restricted value?
The Grand Cherokee L sits proper on the intersection of top-end mainstream nameplates just like the Hyundai Palisade and entry-level giant, luxurious SUVs just like the Volvo XC90.
The L Restricted is the mid-range mannequin, but it surely’s a whopping $27,000 cheaper than the range-topping Summit Reserve.
It sits simply above the range-topping Hyundai Palisade Highlander Diesel AWD ($79,900) and Nissan Pathfinder Ti-L 4WD ($77,890), and just under the bottom Volvo XC90 Plus B5 ($92,990).
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L pricing:
Jeep Grand Cherokee L Night time Eagle: $82,250Jeep Grand Cherokee L Restricted: $87,950Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve: $115,450
Costs exclude on-road prices
What’s the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Restricted like on the within?
In a phrase, it’s huge. The motive force and passenger sit in numerous postcodes, separated by an enormous transmission tunnel, and the view over the remainder of the world is commanding.
The design is trendy and engaging, with a clear dashboard housing a high-resolution touchscreen infotainment system, and a slick-looking transmission tunnel that wouldn’t be misplaced in a German luxurious SUV. It’s a disgrace it feels poorly assembled in locations, although.
Onerous plastic strains the perimeters of the transmission tunnel, and the perimeters of the dashboard don’t really feel very strong. The lower strains and joins are a bit nasty in locations, whereas the indicator stalk feels brittle and low-cost. For all of the visible sizzle, the GC L feels undercooked in a number of key locations.
Jeep is way from alone in laying on the gloss trim too thick, however the Grand Cherokee has one of the fingerprint-prone cabins on the market in the meanwhile.
On the plus facet, the Uconnect 5 infotainment system is superb. The interface is slick, the menu construction is easy, and it responds rapidly to inputs such as you’d anticipate of a brand new, flagship system in 2022.
Wi-fi Apple CarPlay labored reliably, and the combo of contact and bodily controls for issues just like the local weather is good. Jeep reserves its highest-end sound system for the Summit Reserve, however even the Alpine system within the Restricted packs critical punch.
The digital instrument cluster is much less of a success. It’s wonderful, however the animations are sluggish relative to what’s on provide elsewhere, and the actual fact it minimises the fake full-sized analogue dials each time it has a warning – somewhat than simply displaying it the place the journey laptop would often sit, like each different model – it exhibits extra refinement is required.
The pinnacle-up show is much more disappointing. It will probably’t be set to a peak that allowed colleague Mike Costello or I to truly see it correctly, suggesting it’s near ineffective for anybody taller than about six-three.
A minimum of the driving place is lanky-person pleasant. The Grand Cherokee L has greater than sufficient area for long-legged pilots to get snug on lengthy journeys, and greater than sufficient space for storing to deal with all the things you want for an extended drive with youngsters on board.
House within the second row is strictly what you’d anticipate from such a giant beast. There’s acres of legroom again there, and the bench is broad sufficient to deal with three youngsters in consolation.
Youngsters will respect the USB ports there, together with the air vents and fold-down central armrest.
Even with the usual sunroof there’s loads of headroom, and the sliding bench means you possibly can select to prioritise second-row legroom or area within the boot/third-row seats.
Though the Grand Cherokee L is 200mm longer than a Hyundai Palisade, it doesn’t essentially function extra space within the third row.
It’s one of the snug giant SUVs again there, with ranges of area approaching what’s on provide in a correct individuals mover.
Adults will really feel cramped however the boxy physique affords the Grand Cherokee L respectable headroom, and the sliding second row means it’s potential to suit taller youngsters again there with ample legroom.
Folding or elevating the third row is straightforward, and the boot flooring is flat when these further seats aren’t in use.
Whole baggage area behind the third row is 487L. That’s significantly extra cavernous than the likes of the Palisade (311L), Kluger (241L), CX-9 (230L) and Discovery (258L).
Drop the third row and cargo area expands to 1328L, whereas there’s a complete of 2395L with each the second and third rows folded.
The Grand Cherokee L has 12 USB shops in whole, with 4 USB shops – two USB-A, two USB-C – for each row of seating.
There’s additionally a 12V outlet within the entrance row and one within the boot, whereas Restricted and Summit Reserve fashions additionally function a 230V outlet.
What’s below the bonnet?
All variations of the Jeep Grand Cherokee L in Australia are powered by a naturally-aspirated 3.6-litre petrol V6 with 210kW of energy at 6400rpm and 344Nm of torque at 4000rpm, mated to an eight-speed computerized transmission.
The Night time Eagle and Restricted use Jeep’s Quadra-Trac I lively four-wheel drive system with a single-speed lively switch case. The Restricted additionally will get the Selec-Terrain traction administration system.
Mixed cycle gas financial system is a claimed 10.6L/100km, though we noticed nearer to 12.5L/100km on our week behind the wheel. All fashions have a hefty 104L gas tank.
Strategy, break over and departure angles are 20.6, 18.2 and 21.5 levels, respectively, on the Restricted. Working clearance and wading depth are 215mm and 530mm.
With the turbo-diesel V6 and petrol V8 engines gone, essentially the most braked towing capability the Grand Cherokee L can muster is 2813kg.
How does the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Restricted drive?
It’s uncommon for such a giant automotive (particularly one pitched as a luxurious automotive) not be provided with a turbo-diesel choice. It’s much more uncommon when you think about the bottom petrol engine isn’t an environment friendly turbo four-cylinder, however a naturally-aspirated V6.
Though it’s not fairly the torquey, relaxed beast we’d hope down low, the V6 presents respectable efficiency while you lean on it.
It’s relaxed in metropolis driving, slurring by means of the decrease gears easily, and the eight-speed auto doesn’t fall into the entice of continually trying to find the suitable ratio.
It’s quiet while you’re simply tiptoeing round city, though because the revs rise you get an old school V6 roar within the cabin. Some homeowners will adore it, others will yearn for a bit extra peace and quiet.
Peak torque comes on faucet at 4000rpm, so the engine must be pushed fairly laborious to ship its finest, and even together with your foot welded to the firewall it’s by no means going to be greater than adequately fast – particularly with a household and their baggage on board, or a trailer approaching the 2813kg braked max.
It’s a disgrace there’s not a extra succesful engine within the Grand Cherokee portfolio regionally, as a result of the automotive is in any other case fairly a pleasant factor to drive – the US market presents a beefier 266kW/530Nm Hemi V8, but it surely’s not coming right here.
The steering is properly weighted, with the correct amount of heft and linear responses off-centre, and the suspension errs on the facet of consolation.
Even with out the tough air suspension within the Summit Reserve it does a wonderful job filtering out smaller bumps at metropolis speeds, and retains the physique properly managed at freeway velocity while you hit crests or dips.
The trip truly felt barely higher on the Restricted than within the air-sprung Summit Reserve, little question thanks partly to the actual fact the costlier mannequin rides on greater alloy wheels.
For all of the polish in the way it drives, the brake pedal is wood and uninspiring. It’s laborious to modulate at low speeds, and doesn’t encourage any confidence at excessive speeds when it’s time to cease this huge, heavy bus.
Whereas it by no means feels lower than enormous, the well-tuned steering and respectable physique management means the Restricted could be positioned confidently.
The commanding driving place presents a great view of the automotive’s extremities, whereas the reversing digital camera and parking sensors make it simpler to fit into metropolis parking areas.
Why Jeep thinks it’s okay to order a surround-view digital camera for the range-topper, with a price ticket within the $120,000 vary, is tough to know. It needs to be normal throughout the vary.
With regards to lively driver assists, the adaptive cruise management within the Grand Cherokee L is easy, however the lane-keep help is just too lively.
You’re all the time near the sting of your lane in a automotive as vast because the GC, however no-one informed the lane-keep laptop which beeps incessantly while you’re even barely off-centre on some roads.
Regardless of its love of excellent lane positioning, the Restricted misses out on lively lane-centring regardless of it being normal in considerably cheaper seven-seat rivals.
What do you get?
Grand Cherokee L Night time Eagle highlights:
20-inch gloss black alloy wheels8.4-inch touchscreen Uconnect 5 infotainment systemSatellite navigationWireless Apple CarPlay, Android AutoWireless cellphone charging6-speaker sound systemDAB digital radio10.25-inch digital instrument clusterTyre stress monitoringDual exhaust outletsLeather upholsteryLeather-wrapped steering wheelTri-zone local weather controlEight-way energy entrance seatsHeated steering wheelHeated entrance seatsKeyless entry and startPower tailgateRain-sensing wipersTilt/telescope steering columnPower-folding exterior mirrorsAutomatic reflector LED headlightsLED daytime operating lights with parking/cornering perform
A single-pane sunroof is a $2450 choice.
Grand Cherokee L positive factors:
20-inch polished alloy wheels10.1-inch touchscreen Uconnect 5 infotainment system9-speaker sound system with 506W amplifierOff-Street Information Pages‘Capri’ leather-based upholsteryVentilated entrance seatsDriver seat memoryHeated second-row seatsPower tilt/telescope steering columnAutomatic high-beamAmbient lighting
The $4250 Imaginative and prescient Group bundle provides a panoramic sunroof and head-up show.
Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Restricted protected?
The Jeep Grand Cherokee L has but to be examined by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.
Customary security tools contains:
AEB with Pedestrian, Bicycle owner detectionLane-keep assistBlind-spot monitoringRear cross-traffic alertDriver fatigue detectionTraffic signal recognitionAdaptive cruise management with cease/goReversing digital camera Entrance and rear parking sensorsFront, front-side, entrance knee, curtain airbags
Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve provides:
Freeway AssistActive Driving AssistSurround-view cameras
How a lot does the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Restricted value to run?
The Jeep Grand Cherokee L is backed by a five-year, 100,000km guarantee.
Servicing intervals are 12 months or 12,000km – whichever comes first. The primary 5 providers are capped at $399 every.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Restricted
The Grand Cherokee L is an attention-grabbing various to mainstream-branded SUVs just like the Hyundai Palisade, in addition to premium household haulers just like the Volvo XC90.
It’s positively one to contemplate, but it surely’s not a knockout. For one, its workmanlike petrol engine presents satisfactory punch however nothing extra in such a giant automotive.
Jeep says individuals ought to “rethink their wants” earlier than writing it off; however we’d argue it must rethink that technique and prioritise getting a extra trendy turbocharged or hybrid choice Down Below.
Then there’s the cabin which, for all its lavish supplies and flashy screens, nonetheless feels poorly assembled in some high-profile locations.
Small misses just like the unfastened dashboard trim and brittle indicators undermine what’s in any other case fairly a cultured inside, and one thing you’ll discover in one thing just like the extra inexpensive Hyundai Palisade.
In case you are taking a look at a Grand Cherokee L, the Restricted shapes because the good purchase. It’s not an excessive amount of costlier than the Night time Eagle and brings with it loads of further luxurious tools, and sits a cool $27,000 under the Summit Reserve.
It’s simple to see the enchantment within the GC L, but it surely’s not fairly the house run it could possibly be. Right here’s hoping Jeep continues to refine the method, and brings out one of the best in what’s a strong seven-seater.
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