LAST HURRAH FOR V8 HERO
A more hi-tech replacement is on the way, but this old-school offroader still has plenty of traditional charm
VALUE
Prices for the Jeep Grand Cherokee start at about $65,000 drive-away for the Night Eagle version and rise to about $90,000 for the SOverland. We are testing the mid-tier SLimited priced at about $80,000 drive-away.
That’s a lot of money, especially considering the Grand Cherokee is about to be replaced by an all-new version later this year.
You can also buy a top of the range Kia Sorento or Mazda CX-9 for less money and the Grand Cherokee has only five seats as opposed to seven.
But the Jeep trumps newer rivals in the engine department. Fans of old school Aussie-built sedans will love the 5.7-litre naturally-aspirated engine – it’s one of the last of a dying breed.
The Grand Cherokee’s styling is another strong point. It looks handsome and muscular, with massive 20-inch alloy wheels and a pair of air vents on the bonnet that give it plenty of road presence.
Inside, there is an 8.4-inch infotainment screen that displays Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and built-in navigation, while audiophiles will like the digital radio and a nine-speaker Alpine stereo with subwoofer.
Jeep is trying to take the stress out of ownership and win back customers after some reliability and quality issues.
The Grand Cherokee is covered by the brand’s capped-price servicing program, which costs $399 every 12,000km or 12 months for the first five years.
Jeep also guarantees its vehicles for five years/100,000km.
COMFORT
The comfy leather-wrapped front seats are heated and electronically adjustable, while vision is excellent thanks to a very high seating position.
The interior shows the Grand Cherokee’s age. It’s well equipped but looks in need of a makeover and you’d expect a better fit and finish for the price. The new version due later this year makes a giant leap forward in tech and interior quality.
The Grand Cherokee is set up for comfort on the road. Soft suspension soaks up bumps and corrugations of all sizes and a well insulated cabin does a good job of blocking out road noise.
SAFETY
The Grand Cherokee is aimed at families and the American brand has made sure it is packed with safety equipment.
It’ll automatically brake for cars if it detects a potential collision, while lane-keep assist will stop you wandering into other lanes. Blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert keep an eye on hard to see places.
DRIVING
The S-Limited boasts eight cylinders of American muscle. The beefy 5.7-litre makes 259kW and 520Nm and is mated to a slick shifting eight-speed automatic that is adept at finding the burly engine’s sweet spot.
There is no hiding the Grand Cherokee’s size, though. It’s almost five metres long and weighs about 2300kg.
The Grand Cherokee’s hefty proportions and tall, soft suspension make for a smooth commute but lead to a fair amount of lean through corners.
Grippy Continental tyres provide ample grip through the twisty stuff, though. It takes 7.3 seconds to hit 100km/h from a standstill, accompanied by a charming warble from the naturally aspirated V8.
The V8’s non-turbo nature makes for smooth, linear power delivery ideal for long highway cruising. Fuel use is heavy at 13L/100km. We got close to that thanks to long stints on the motorway and Covid-19 induced free flowing city traffic.
ALTERNATIVES KIA SORENTO GT-LINE, ABOUT $67,000 DRIVE-AWAY
No V8, but has a grunty and fuel-efficient diesel engine and an unbeatable list of standard equipment.
MAZDA CX-9 AZAMI LE, ABOUT $78,000 DRIVE-AWAY
Svelte looks and luxury interior, but has a thirsty engine and less practical layout.
HYUNDAI PALISADE PETROL, FROM ABOUT $77,000 DRIVE-AWAY
Huge American-style SUV with seven or eightseat capacity and plenty of luxe features. Thirsty V6 petrol engine.