The new Jeep Grand Cherokee is one seriously good value Executive SUV in a market dominated by the Germans and it offers great features with the main downside being the engine
On the design, the Grand Cherokee on test drew admiring glances and finished in white with 20inch polished alloys, it certainly looked the Executive it is.
We were asked to transport 2 matriculants to their Matric ball and at the "Hit or Squib" drop off zone, the Cherokee did very well.....and that's a bonus as the "2000s" don't mess around with their feelings when it comes to cars.
This is the short wheelbase version of the Grand Cherokee and it looks more proportional vs the Long wheelbase. The rear overhang on the 7 seater looks a touch too long (not as bad as the Land Rover Defender 130 which is just gawky) but in the 5 seater, it works much better. The privacy tint on the rear windows gives the car that "blue light" brigade look but also looks the executive family carrier.
The rear boot lid is electrically opened and with the key in pocket, you can activate its keyless touch opening where you swipe your foot under the rear bumper and it opens. It doesn't always work as you expect though which can be a bit embarrassing when there are onlookers at the car park. The LED headlights work a charm at night with very good illumination however one would have preferred the Overland spec to get Matrix multi LED tech as seen on sister Alfa products recently launched locally.
The interior is one of the strengths of the Grand Cherokee with good layout allowing ease of living with the car. The large 10-inch infotainment touchscreen allows ease of operation i.e. audio, car set up. With the side passenger 10inch screen allowing the front passenger to view entertainment videos, navigation, it makes couple travel a breeze. The front seats are electrically operated with heating and cooling function making them a breeze either in the cold or in scorching heat. The McIntosh audio system with 19 custom-designed speakers is a work of art and a music lovers dream. Its one of the best at this level and its standard on the Overland.
The quality of some finishes is not up to par with what one would expect from this class with the fake wood finish not particularly working for this level. Rear seat passengers have ample space even with the front seats moved far back making it easy for dignitaries to be taken to their "Night of dreams". The rear seats can fold flat for added boot space but as standard, the boot more than carries day to day equipment. The closing button for the electric boot is awkward on the inside left panel but for owners, they will easily get used to it.
On the move the Jeep is a consummate comfort SUV with excellent long distance comfort courtesy of its Quadra-Lift™ air suspension. It can be jerky when traversing speed humps with an uncomfortable thud when the rear wheel go over bumps.
Off road, the Jeep is one of the best SUVs to take to reach places difficult to get to however one would need to be careful to take a R1m plus SUV to such places however its good to know that the Jeep can. You can raise the suspension to clear ruts and rocks and it also lowers thus making it easy to enter and exit.
The let down is the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine which is rated at 210kW and 344Nm. That looks fine on paper but the Torque is only reached at upper revs which makes the 9 speed auto change gears more often than supposed to. This impacts on fuel efficiency but also makes rapid travel a chore. A V6 Turbodiesel or even a Turbo 4 cylinder makes better use of its Torque spread.
At R1,559,900 for the Overland, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is a value packed offering and also comes with a Maintenance Plan (5-year/100 000km) for peace of mind. The engine though is a serious let down in an age where mid executive SUVs like the Ford Everest Platinum with their V6 Turbodiesel offer a very excellent package.