Genesis, Grand Cherokee models tested on roads near Fort
The opportunity to drive the 2022 Genesis GV70 AWD Sport Prestige SUV and the ’21 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland 4X4 SUV took me to The Fort near Morrison one morning last week.
Eighteen new cars and trucks were there for driving and testing by members of the host organization, the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Craig Conover of Provo, Utah, president of RMAP, headed the event.
I spent four hours there, visiting with several representatives of auto manufacturers, as well as friends from the automotive press association, of which I’m a member. I had driven earlier this summer most of the new models on display; the Genesis and the extended-length Grand Cherokee were two I hadn’t driven.
The Fort restaurant, a 2-mile climb south of Morrison, and the Red Rocks Amphitheatre to the west offer terrain of road twists, hills and descents, conducive to testing the handling capabilities of automobiles.
The Genesis, luxury division for Hyundai, is a compact SUV which will compete with such European standouts as the BMW X3 and Mercedes-benz GLC.
With high seating position and good vision, the all-wheel-drive GV70 offers strong power from two engines – a turbocharged 2.5 liter 4-cylinder of 300 horsepower and a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 of 375-hp and 8-speed automatic transmission.
The Genesis review model V-6 performed well, though twice in lower-speed shifts a bit of “clunky” sound was heard. I drove it through the town of Morrison, then kicked it down some on the highway before entering the Red Rocks area of hills. It carries an EPA fuel estimate of 19/25 miles per gallon.
Highlighting its red exterior and excellent-looking blue ultramarine interior are the nappa leather seats with sport-pattern quilting.
Other added amenities which pushed its sticker price to$64,045 are remote smart parking assist, suede headliner, heated steering wheel, surround-view monitor, 21-inch sport alloy wheels, three-zone climate control and manual rear sunshades. The GV70 went on sale in June; it is built in Ulsan, Korea.
The L version of the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee was an interesting test for its first-ever, three-row seating for the model. It is 15 inches longer in overall length with 7-inch-longer wheelbase than the regular two-row
Grand Cherokee.
Powertrain was the legendary, long-used Hemi V-8. It is the
5.7-liter V-8 with 360 horsepower, 390 lb.-ft. of torque, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. EPA estimate is 14/22 mpg. I enjoyed the powerfully smooth Hemi over the hilly roadways. Standard engine is the 290-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 and
8-speed automatic.
The three-row Grand Cherokee is expected to be a good seller for Jeep. Many Jeep customers have been asking for a three-row Grand Cherokee since the sister-model Dodge Durango arrived in 1998 with three rows.
The extended-length Grand Cherokee from a base price of $54,995 increased to $67,210 with added extras; the Hemi engine was at a cost of $3,295. Among others were nappa leather seats, wireless charging pad, back massager for driver seat, second-row window shades, four-zone climate control, head-up display, 19-speaker high-performance audio and safety upgrades.
The three-row Grand Cherokee is built in Detroit. Soon to be added by Jeep is a three-row luxury Grand Wagoneer.