Jeep’s new Grand Cherokee L model brings third-row seat, room for seven
Jeep has finally added a three-row version of its popular Grand Cherokee SUV to the lineup, rolling it out in mid-2021 as the Grand Cherokee L model.
This is a seven-passenger sport-utility vehicle whose design also is brand new, and it served to introduce the styling of the all-new 2022 standard Grand Cherokee, which has seating for five.
Billed as the first full-size Grand Cherokee, the L model begins at $36,995 (plus $1,695 freight) for the base Laredo model with rear-wheel drive and the base 3.6-liter V-6 engine, and runs as high as $65,290 for the Summit Reserve model with four-wheel drive and the 5.7-liter V-8 engine.
In between are the Laredo V-6 four-wheel drive ($38,995); Altitude V-6 2WD ($40,195); Altitude V-6 4WD ($42,195); Limited V-6 2WD ($43,995); Limited V-6 4WD ($45,995); Overland V-6 2WD ($52,995); Overland V-6 4WD ($54,995); Overland V-8 4WD ($58,290); Summit V-6 2WD ($56,995); Summit V-6 4WD ($58,995); Summit V-8 4WD ($$62,290); and Summit Reserve V-6 4WD ($61,995), the model we tested for this report.
As the price list shows, four-wheel drive is available for $2,000 extra on all models except the Summit Reserve, where it is standard. The V-8
engine is offered only on the Overland, Summit and Summit Reserve four-wheel-drive models, where it is $3,295 extra.
According to the window sticker provided with our test vehicle, the Summit V-6 model with four-wheel drive becomes the Summit Reserve model with the addition of the $3,000 Summit Reserve Group 22U package, which brings 21-inch polished/painted aluminum wheels; all-season tires; Palermo leather seats; Mcintosh 19-speaker high-performance audio system, with 950-watt amplifier; ventilated rear seats; deluxe headliner; and Nappa Reserve door trim.
There are three four-wheeldrive systems available on the Grand Cherokee L, depending on trim level: Quadra-trac I, Quadra-trac II and Quadra-drive
II with rear electronic limited slip-differential.
All three systems are equipped with an active transfer case to improve traction by automatically shifting torque to the wheel with the least slippage. But the base Quadratrac I system does not have the two-speed transfer for lowrange gearing that is included on the other two systems.
The top-end Quadra-drive II system is standard on the Summit models, and available on the Overland model with the addition of the Off-road Group package ($1,095).
Standard features on all models start with adaptive cruise control and Blind-spot Monitoring, LED exterior lighting, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, new “tip and slide”
second-row seats, a 10.25inch frameless digital driver information center with customizable menu options, and the new Uconnect 5 infotainment system with 10-inch screen.
Limited models add such premium features as Capri leather seats, heated steering wheel, heated seats in the first two rows, remote start, and a power liftgate with adjustable height
Overland four-wheel-drive models add the Quadra-trac II system, along with other Overland gear including Nappa leather seats and door panels; ventilated front seats; Uconnect 5 with premium navigation; ambient LED lighting, with five color choices; length-adjustable front-row seat cushions; handsfree, foot-activated power