BUYER’S GUIDE: Jeep Grand Cherokee
FROM £3,000 Big 4x4 offers a lot of car for the money, although it can be costly to run
BRITAIN has Land Rover and America has Jeep. Both are iconic brands in the world of off-roading, and while both are billed as premium marques, a Jeep is easily the more affordable choice when buying used.
Indeed, when you look at how capable the Grand Cherokee is, it’s astonishing just how much car and ability you get for your money. Able to tackle tricky terrain or tow a large caravan, it’s also an accomplished family-friendly long-distance cruiser.
But running costs tend to be high and reliability can be patchy, so check the car and its history very carefully before committing to a purchase.
History
THIS generation of Grand Cherokee, known as the WK, landed in showrooms here in summer 2005 with a choice of 228bhp 4.7 or 322bhp 5.7-litre petrol V8s, along with a Mercedes-sourced
3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel. All cars featured an automatic gearbox as standard; there was no manual option.
Within a year the interior had been upgraded and a range-topping Overland trim introduced. The 152mph Grand Cherokee SRT-8 was also launched, with a 420bhp 6.1-litre turbocharged V8.
A facelift in spring 2008 introduced interior trim upgrades, fresh alloys and headlights, a standard reach and rakeadjustable steering wheel, new dials and a multimedia option called MYGIG, featuring an integral 20GB hard drive.
The fourth-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee came to the market in 2011.
Which one?
IF you don’t do a huge mileage, a V8 Grand Cherokee converted to LPG can make sense thanks to its effortless muscle. Ensure any conversion has been done properly, so check the certificate that should come with the car. It’s the diesel that’s most plentiful and sensible
for most buyers, though. Each petrol engine got its own trim level, but the diesel came in Limited, S Limited and Overland forms; the 2006 specialedition Predator sat above the Limited.
All cars have electrically adjustable, heated front seats, power-folding door mirrors, ESP, cruise control plus dual-zone climate control. The S Limited adds allround parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring and leather trim, while the Overland has upgraded hi-fi and sat-nav.
Alternatives
THE Jeep is up against some very stiff competition. Most impressive is the BMW X5, which offers five seats in Mk1 form and seven as a Mk2 (from 2007).
Like the BMW, the Volkswagen Touareg is road-biased, well built and comes with some excellent engines.
The Audi Q7 Mk1 is a seven-seater, just like the original Volvo XC90 that arrived in 2002. The Swede now feels dated, while the German car seems
more modern and comes with more muscular engines. That’s also true of the Porsche Cayenne, which, like all of the cars here, is best when on the road.
For off-road ability look at the fiveseat Range Rover Sport. For seven seats, nothing beats the Land Rover Discovery.
Verdict
THERE is plenty to like about the Jeep, although the American SUV is generally outclassed by more sophisticated, and usually better built, European rivals.
You get a lot of car for your money and the Jeep is very versatile. Well equipped, comfortable and with some very good engines, it offers plenty of appeal, yet it always came with only five seats, with no option of seven seats.
Expect hefty fuel, insurance and road tax bills, while maintenance and repairs can also be costly. Find a good specialist who really knows how to look after your Grand Cherokee, though, and your outlay can be minimised.
Interior
INSIDE, the Grand Cherokee comes generously equipped and has a nice design, but for such a large car, space in the rear is disappointing. There’s no third row of seats, either. The boot is a decent size, with a 978-litre capacity, and this expands to 1,909 litres when you fold the rear seats, plus the separately opening tailgate window is handy.