Grand Cherokee is luxury with a capital L

The fifth generation Jeep Grand Cherokee L has arrived in SA to take on rivals such as the Land Rover Discovery and Toyota Land Cruiser 300 in the family-sized luxury SUV market.

It is the first time the Grand Cherokee is available with three rows of seats, and customers have a choice of a six-seater or seven-seater configuration. The “L” denotes a long wheelbase and the American SUV stretches the tape at 5,203mm in length, making it one of the biggest SUVs in its class and substantially larger than its 4,821mm five-seat predecessor, which bows out after being with us since 2011.

The third row is easily accessed via a quick one-touch mechanism that slides and tilts the second row forward, and the rearmost two seats are large enough for adults — unlike some seven seaters that have back rows suitable only for children.

There’s a generous 436l of boot space behind the third row, which grows to a roomy 1,328l if you fold down the rear seats (this can be done with a power-folding mechanism as an option) and 2,396l with the middle row folded too.

I drove the new Grand Cherokee on a road trip between Gauteng and Mpumalanga, and immediately apparent was the heightened sense of luxury inside the large cabin. It’s a smart-looking setting with high-quality materials, ambient lighting and hi-tech digitisation. The American brand has done great work in lifting its game in interior aesthetics and quality, where it previously trailed the opposition.

The vehicle is also stuffed to the gills with features and all three models come standard with items including heated front and second row seats, electrically adjustable driver seat, heated steering wheel, leather seats, climate control, an infotainment system with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a full-colour digital dashboard to name a few. Also standard are 12 Type A and Type C USB ports for all three rows, a sure-fire recipe for family harmony on long trips.

Lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control are standard safety features across the range, while the top-spec Summit Reserve offers a night vision camera with pedestrian and animal detection. The range-topping model also has massaging front seats and luxurious Palermo leather.

The Overland I drove is the middle model in the range and comes with features such as luxurious nappa leather seats, second row ventilated seats, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, quad zone climate control, a 360 degree camera, a thumping 19-speaker McIntosh audio system with 950 watts, and acoustic second row side glass to make the cabin quieter.

The front passenger also gets their own infotainment screen which connects to smartphones via Bluetooth or an HDMI cable. The main 10.1 inch digital touchscreen offers a gamut of features beyond the ordinary, including a fam cam that has eyes on the second and third rows (“Johnny, stop pinching your sister”).

The Grand Cherokee L is the first production Jeep to offer a digital rear-view mirror, which displays video in real time from a rear-facing camera and offers an image unobstructed by the rear passengers or luggage. It is also the first Jeep with a head-up display on the windshield.

A special mention goes to the user-friendly navigation, which is one of the more intuitive factory-fitted systems I’ve used.

The big American SUV rolls along with impressive driving refinement. It cruises silently with only the sporting rumble of the V6 engine disturbing the quiet (in a not-unpleasant way) when you thrust the throttle in anger. Jeep’s well-known 210kW/344Nm normally-aspirated 3.6l Pentastar engine serves duty across the range and, coupled with a smooth eight-speed automatic, delivers a hearty spread of linear power without slurping you into bankruptcy. The test vehicle averaged just over 12l/100km, and Jeep reckons it will average 10.6l when driven modestly.

The quiet cruiseability is matched by a smooth ride, with both the Overland and the range-topping Summit Reserve models perched on air suspension with adaptive damping while the entry-level Limited rides on regular steel springs. The air-sprung Overland felt impressively composed on rough gravel, comfortably gliding over ripples and bumps even when driven at a hurried pace.

Our route didn’t include off-road trails, but the big Jeep is well equipped for all-terrain expeditions with a full-time 4x4 system that automatically transfers torque to the wheel with the most grip, and offers five terrain modes (Auto, Sport, Rock, Snow, Mud/Sand). The two top models get the aforementioned Quadra-Lift air suspension which offers a towering 277mm ground clearance in its highest setting, while adjusting height automatically based on road conditions and speed to reduce drag and improve fuel economy. The Limited version has a fixed 215mm ride height.

PRICING

Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited — R1,299,900

Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland — R1,479,900

Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve — R1,679,900

Includes five-year/120,000km warranty and roadside assistance and five-year/100,000km maintenance plan.