Jeep Grand Cherokee - American dream, European market
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the icons of the American automotive industry. At the beginning of this year, its updated version was presented at an exhibition in Detroit. Will the Grand Cherokee still be able to go off-road after this rejuvenating treatment, or has it become a typical urban shopping SUV?
Fans find lifting weights a bit controversial. The manufacturer has changed the front apron, and the new headlights are much smaller and slightly reminiscent of those used in the Chrysler 300C. The chrome-plated grille, characteristic of this model, looks good only from afar. With closer contact, we will notice its poor quality. In the rear part of the body, it was decided to slightly modify the lower part of the bumper and equip the car with LEDs. The Grand Cherokee still looks decent and can't be confused with any other SUV on the road.
Like most overseas cars, the Grand Cherokee is impressive in size. Its length is 4828 millimeters, its width is 2153 millimeters, and its height is a millimeter. This makes it slightly smaller than the new Range Rover Sport. It's easy to conclude that squeezing it through a shopping center parking lot during rush hour is no easy task. Even with sensors and a rearview camera, it's not easy.
Due to its size, the presented car provides passengers with a huge amount of space. It is surprising that the third row of seats was not chosen during the facelift. They can easily fit in the trunk, which has a volume of 784 liters. In the tested version of Overland Summit, the materials used in the interior attract attention. We are surrounded by beautiful perforated leather and wood inserts. On first contact, everything points to premium class. However, if we look at the plastic in the middle tunnel, all the magic disappears. They look like they were taken from the cheapest A-segment cars, and in addition they are very easy to scratch. This is the only, but significant drawback.
The instrument panel has a liquid crystal display. It is impossible to list all of its functions - apart from the traditional speedometer, we can determine the range, read text messages, check the suspension settings, see the steering wheel position simulation and much, much more. In addition, the cabin has an 8,4-inch screen that can be controlled using buttons located on the paddles on the steering wheel. The test sample presented all the information in Polish, but had problems with diacritics. Incidents such as “review”, “artists”, engine shutdown” or “docd?” - in the order of things.
Let's move on to a turbocharged three-liter diesel engine under the hood. Pressing the start button brings to life the 250 horsepower and 570 Newton meters available at 1600 rpm. This is the smallest unit offered in the Grand Cherokee (we also have a choice of 3.6 V6, 5.7 V8 and 6.4 V8 petrol engines). However, this does not mean that Jeep is slow or, to say the least, slow. We can conclude that this motor is best suited to the characteristics of the car. It works quietly when we drive slowly, after pressing the gas pedal all the way it shows claws. Moreover, it makes one of the most pleasant sounds among diesels.
Particular attention should be paid to the gearbox. It was she who was considered the biggest disadvantage of previous generations. The updated eight-speed automatic transmission has a completely new design, making it ideal for Jeep. Gear shifts are smooth and kickdown is instant. Of course, there are petals next to the steering wheel, but in everyday use you can forget about them. Needless to say, the introduction of such a transmission will have a positive effect on fuel consumption.
To test this, we ran the test vehicle in an Eco Rada XL, where the main goal was to get to your destination in the allotted time, while trying to achieve the lowest fuel consumption. Although our crew did not get a place on the podium, we managed to get a result of 9.77 liters of diesel in mixed mode - this was enough for the entire route, i.e. approximately 130 km.
Not to mention the off-road capabilities of the car. The Oveland Summit is equipped with a 4×4 Quadra-Drive II drive system with electric differential. It detects any wheel slip and then instantly transfers power to other wheels that are in contact with the ground. It is complemented by the Selec-Terrain module, thanks to which we can choose one of the operating modes depending on the terrain on which we are moving. We can choose from snow, sand, rocks and mud. However, nothing prevents you from leaving the pen in the "Auto" mode.
The test vehicle was equipped with Quadra-Lift air suspension, guaranteeing a total adjustment range of 105 millimeters. In everyday use, the Grand Cherokee has a ground clearance of just over 22 centimeters. To make it easier to get inside, we can lower the car by 4 centimeters. In the most difficult conditions, it is not a problem to raise the car to the level of 287 millimeters. However, before we hit the field, it is worth remembering that tires are adapted for asphalt, not for mud or sand traps.
Any irregularities are selected extremely smoothly. Unfortunately, the car rolls a lot in corners, so when driving fast, our impulses will be limited by the ESP system. We must be especially careful on wet surfaces. No wonder - Grand Cherokee weighs more than 2 tons. Drivers who crave sporty emotion should look into the SRT-8 version.
The Overland Summit is one of the richest equipment options we can choose from when buying a Jeep Grand Cherokee. It includes bi-xenon headlights, heated rear and front seats, heated steering wheel, dual-zone air conditioning, leather trim, Uconnect multimedia system with nine speakers and a 506 W subwoofer, parking sensors with a rear view camera, panoramic roof, power tailgate. , 20-inch polished aluminum wheels and the aforementioned Quadra-Drive, Quadra-Lift and Selec-Terrain systems. A car equipped in this way will reduce the portfolio by PLN 283.
Of course, not all of the above accessories are necessary for driving. Models with more modest equipment can be purchased at a price of PLN 211.
Even before the facelift, the Jeep Grand Cherokee was a car worth buying. This is a car that pretends to be nothing, it will go almost anywhere and at the same time provide high comfort on the trip. With a new eight-speed transmission, Jeep has become an even better value proposition in the SUV market. The new Grand Cherokee has not lost any of its capabilities. He just got better.
