C

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has always been a handsome vehicle. The latest iteration retains much of those striking good looks, although it’s a definite departure from previous versions. In fact, at first glance it doesn’t even look like a Jeep at all. The prominent wheel arches are still there, as is the signature 7 bar grille, but beyond that a far sleeker and more refined vehicle has emerged from the designer’s hotbox.

The new Cherokee has a higher, wider stance, giving the driver a commanding view of the road and the terrain. The overhauled interior, with its wood panels, has a more subdued, European feel, but the US influence remains easily detectable in the touches of shiny chrome, putting just the right amount of ‘bling’ into the equation.

Naturally for a vehicle at this level there is no end to the creature comforts to enhance your journey, including key-less entry and push-button ignition, Adaptive Cruise Control and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with full audio controls. The audio is provided courtesy of a nine speaker and sub Alpine stereo system. Nice. Interior space is ample, with 102mm more leg room added to the second row of reclining seats.

Speaking of space, with its 1030 litres of storage room, the boot is like a walk-in closet, complete with grocery hooks, dual storage bins and a rechargeable flashlight in case you lose a shoe. The spare wheel is now conveniently placed under the cargo floor.

The engineers have also worked on ride comfort, adding sound dampening elements to ensure that exterior noises are eliminated as much as possible. Suspension and steering have been revised to give you even greater control and comfort, whether hitting the trails or cruising the highways. A nifty air suspension feature called the Quadra Lift™ allows you to increase or decrease clearance at will. So you can go from 180mm for normal highway cruising to 270mm when you want to drive up the side of a mountain at the push of a button.

This ease of control extends to Jeep’s off road capabilities. The Selec Terrain feature allows you to select from one of 12 pre-determined selections at the switch of a dial, including mud, sand, rocks, etc. So no matter what challenge the terrain throws at your feet, you have an answer right at your fingertips.

Two petrol engines are on offer in both entry-level ‘Limited’ and upscale ‘Overland’ trim: the largely unchanged 5.7-litre Hemi V8 in Overland trim and the new 3.6-litre Pentastar V6. The V6 is packed with new injection tech and variable cam timing which ups the power by around 38 percent at 210kW/347Nm while reducing fuel consumption by 10%. Neat! This delivers a claimed 11.1 litres/100km fuel index. At a starting price of around R530 000, this model will no doubt attract a lot of attention.

If you really want to enjoy the great outdoors in your new Grand Cherokee, consider adding the new CommandView Sunroof to the mix for an extra R15K and get a wide-screen view of the world. For those who cannot miss a trick, even when exploring the outer limits of civilisation, there is the uConnect package, which offers wireless connectivity to up to seven Bluetooth-compatible phones, a 30GB hard drive with iPod compatibility and, of course, GPS-managed navigation. The whole shebang will respond instantly to your voice commands, just as if you’re back in the boardroom.

Naturally, there is a plethora of safety features which assist you in managing a large size vehicle in traffic. This includes Electronic Stability Control, airbags, electronic parking aids, smart beam headlamps and electronic blind spot monitoring. Add rain sensor wipers and a widget that helps dry the brakes when it rains and you get a sense of remarkable sophistication and a car that acts as a kind of thinking fortress on the road.

So what does all this translate to in real world applications? Well, according to a road test by TopCar magazine, the Grand Cherokee proved ‘so much more capable than expected over a challenging range of terrain’. This included sand, rutted tracks, dongas, rock-strewn climbs and everything else in between.

No doubt the new Grand Cherokee will soon gain some avid fans in a country which seems to have a never-ending love affair with the SUV. For more information visit: www.jeep.co.za

Retail price (incl VAT and CO2 tax):
3.6-litre Limited - R531 990
3.6-litre Overland - R581 990
5.7-litre V8 Overland - R637 990