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Jeep rode the Grand Cherokee to its strongest-ever Australian gross sales ends in the early 2010s.
Backed by a catchy promoting marketing campaign (you obtain 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 for the reason that gross sales increase, ending forward of solely Mitsubishi and Kia within the 2019 JD Energy Buyer Satisfaction Survey. Issues with components availability and repair pricing have been properly 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 Beneath 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, however it 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 price?
The Grand Cherokee L sits proper on the intersection of top-end mainstream nameplates just like the Hyundai Palisade and entry-level massive, luxurious SUVs just like the Volvo XC90.
The L Restricted is the mid-range mannequin, however it’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 Evening Eagle: $82,250
- Jeep Grand Cherokee L Restricted: $87,950
- Jeep 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 large. 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 enticing, 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.
Exhausting plastic traces the perimeters of the transmission tunnel, and the perimeters of the dashboard don’t really feel very stable. The minimize traces 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 just a few key locations.
Jeep is much from alone in laying on the gloss trim too thick, however the Grand Cherokee has one of the vital fingerprint-prone cabins on the market for the time being.
On the plus facet, the Uconnect 5 infotainment system is superb. The interface is slick, the menu construction is easy, and it responds shortly to inputs such as you’d count on 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 severe punch.
The digital instrument cluster is much less of successful. It’s fantastic, however the animations are gradual relative to what’s on provide elsewhere, and the very fact it minimises the fake full-sized analogue dials each time it has a warning – relatively than simply displaying it the place the journey pc would normally sit, like each different model – it exhibits extra refinement is required.
The pinnacle-up show is much more disappointing. It could actually’t be set to a top that allowed colleague Mike Costello or I to really see it correctly, suggesting it’s near ineffective for anybody taller than about six-three.
No less than 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 the whole lot you want for a protracted drive with children on board.
Area within the second row is strictly what you’d count on from such an enormous beast. There’s acres of legroom again there, and the bench is broad sufficient to deal with three children in consolation.
Youngsters will recognize 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 may 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 vital snug massive 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 doable to suit taller youngsters again there with ample legroom.
Folding or elevating the third row is simple, and the boot ground is flat when these additional 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 retailers in whole, with 4 USB retailers – 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 underneath 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 Evening Eagle and Restricted use Jeep’s Quadra-Trac I energetic four-wheel drive system with a single-speed energetic switch case. The Restricted additionally will get the Selec-Terrain traction administration system.
Mixed cycle gasoline 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 gasoline tank.
Method, break over and departure angles are 20.6, 18.2 and 21.5 levels, respectively, on the Restricted. Operating clearance and wading depth are 215mm and 530mm.
With the turbo-diesel V6 and petrol V8 engines gone, probably 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 an enormous automotive (particularly one pitched as a luxurious automotive) not be provided with a turbo-diesel possibility. 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 gives respectable efficiency once you lean on it.
It’s relaxed in metropolis driving, slurring by the decrease gears easily, and the eight-speed auto doesn’t fall into the lure of continually looking for the fitting ratio.
It’s quiet once you’re simply tiptoeing round city, though because the revs rise you get an old style V6 roar within the cabin. Some homeowners will like 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 onerous to ship its greatest, 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 domestically, as a result of the automotive is in any other case fairly a pleasant factor to drive – the US market gives a beefier 266kW/530Nm Hemi V8, however it’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 difficult 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 pace once you hit crests or dips.
The experience truly felt barely higher on the Restricted than within the air-sprung Summit Reserve, little question thanks partly to the very fact the dearer mannequin rides on larger alloy wheels.
For all of the polish in the way it drives, the brake pedal is wood and uninspiring. It’s onerous to modulate at low speeds, and doesn’t encourage any confidence at excessive speeds when it’s time to cease this large, heavy bus.
Whereas it by no means feels lower than enormous, the well-tuned steering and respectable physique management means the Restricted might be positioned confidently.
The commanding driving place gives a superb view of the automotive’s extremities, whereas the reversing digicam and parking sensors make it simpler to fit into metropolis parking areas.
Why Jeep thinks it’s okay to order a surround-view digicam 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.
As regards to energetic driver assists, the adaptive cruise management within the Grand Cherokee L is clean, however the lane-keep help is just too energetic.
You’re all the time near the sting of your lane in a automotive as broad because the GC, however no-one advised the lane-keep pc which beeps incessantly once you’re even barely off-centre on some roads.
Regardless of its love of excellent lane positioning, the Restricted misses out on energetic lane-centring regardless of it being normal in considerably cheaper seven-seat rivals.
What do you get?
Grand Cherokee L Evening Eagle highlights:
- 20-inch gloss black alloy wheels
- 8.4-inch touchscreen Uconnect 5 infotainment system
- Satellite tv for pc navigation
- Wi-fi Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- Wi-fi cellphone charging
- 6-speaker sound system
- DAB digital radio
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
- Tyre strain monitoring
- Twin exhaust retailers
- Leather-based upholstery
- Leather-based-wrapped steering wheel
- Tri-zone local weather management
- Eight-way energy entrance seats
- Heated steering wheel
- Heated entrance seats
- Keyless entry and begin
- Energy tailgate
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Tilt/telescope steering column
- Energy-folding exterior mirrors
- Computerized reflector LED headlights
- LED daytime operating lights with parking/cornering operate
A single-pane sunroof is a $2450 possibility.
Grand Cherokee L features:
- 20-inch polished alloy wheels
- 10.1-inch touchscreen Uconnect 5 infotainment system
- 9-speaker sound system with 506W amplifier
- Off-Highway Data Pages
- ‘Capri’ leather-based upholstery
- Ventilated entrance seats
- Driver seat reminiscence
- Heated second-row seats
- Energy tilt/telescope steering column
- Computerized high-beam
- Ambient lighting
The $4250 Imaginative and prescient Group package deal 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 consists of:
- AEB with Pedestrian, Bicycle owner detection
- Lane-keep help
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Driver fatigue detection
- Visitors signal recognition
- Adaptive cruise management with cease/go
- Reversing digicam
- Entrance and rear parking sensors
- Entrance, front-side, entrance knee, curtain airbags
Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve provides:
- Freeway Help
- Lively Driving Help
- Encompass-view cameras
How a lot does the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Restricted price 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 companies are capped at $399 every.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Restricted
The Grand Cherokee L is an fascinating 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, however it’s not a knockout. For one, its workmanlike petrol engine gives enough punch however nothing extra in such an enormous 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 possibility Down Beneath.
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 reasonably priced Hyundai Palisade.
If you’re taking a look at a Grand Cherokee L, the Restricted shapes because the good purchase. It’s not an excessive amount of dearer than the Evening Eagle and brings with it loads of additional luxurious tools, and sits a cool $27,000 beneath the Summit Reserve.
It’s straightforward to see the attraction within the GC L, however it’s not fairly the house run it could possibly be. Right here’s hoping Jeep continues to refine the formulation, and brings out the most effective in what’s a stable seven-seater.
Click on the photographs for the complete gallery
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