New Jeep Grand Cherokee on sale now from £69,900
Jeep has brought its flagship Grand Cherokee to the UK, but there’s no V8 model yet
The new Jeep Grand Cherokee has arrived in the UK and prices have been confirmed. The UK will only get the brand’s new flagship for Europe with plug-in hybrid power and five seats, whereas US customers have the additional choice of V6 and V8 power as well as a seven-seat option. Customers can configure the Grand Cherokee online and Jeep says the first cars will arrive in early 2023.
Jeep says that the styling of the new Grand Cherokee L is inspired by the original Jeep Wagoneer. It has a longer bonnet than its predecessor, along with slimmer LED headlights, a lower roof line and the firm’s trademark seven-slat radiator grille.
Christian Meunier, Jeep Brand Chief Executive Officer, says that the newcomer is “the luxurious and 4x4-capable Grand Cherokee ever.” With this in mind, the Grand Cherokee will have plenty of large, premium SUVs to contend with in the UK, such as the BMW X7, Audi Q7, Land Rover Discovery, Mercedes GLS and even higher-spec versions of the Toyota Land Cruiser.
There are four trim levels of the Grand Cherokee to choose from. The range starts with the Limited 4xe at £69,900, then the £73,900 Trailhawk 4xe, then Overland 4xe at £75,900 and the Summit Reserve 4xe tops out the range from £82,900.
Engines and drivetrain
UK buyers will only have the option of a plug-in hybrid model using a 2.0-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and a 17kWh battery and electric motor system, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. It develops 380bhp and 637Nm of torque, boasts a 2,721kg towing capacity and can accelerate from 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds.
Running on the battery and motor only, an electric range of 32 miles is quoted. To improve fuel economy, Jeep has added a front axle disconnect system, which automatically cuts drive to the front wheels under light-load situations.
There are two four-wheel drive systems, Quadra Trac II and Quadra Drive II. Quadra Trac II comes on Limited and Overland specification cars, and uses a two-speed low transfer case that can send up to 100 per cent of the available engine torque to the front or the rear axle.
Quadra Drive II comes on Trailhawk and Summit Reserve models and uses an electronic limited slip rear differential, four locking modes for rock crawling and towing and a selectable system for ‘Snow’, ‘Sport’ ‘Sand/mud’ and ‘Rock’. The Grand Cherokee also gets ‘Quadra-Lift’ air suspension across the range with electronic semi-active damping. This delivers 10.9 inches of ground clearance and a wading depth of 24 inches
The Grand Cherokee also features ‘E Selec’ modes. ‘Hybrid’ blends torque from the electric motor and petrol engine for a combination of fuel efficiency and performance. ‘Electric’ will mean power only comes from the electric motor until power from the engine is required and ‘eSave’ solely uses the four-cylinder engine to save the battery’s charge.
Exterior design
Jeep says the latest Grand Cherokee is the most luxurious one yet and that this approach has been extended to the exterior. At the front we see the traditional seven-slot grille incorporating active shutters for better aerodynamic efficiency, an elongated level bonnet and thin daytime running lights.
There’s a 36mm wider track than before, and combined with the upright proportions, the new Grand Cherokee certainly looks more aggressive than most of its rivals. Under those chunky wheel arches customers can specify up to 21-inch wheels and a gloss black roof comes standard on Trailhawk and Summit Reserve models. At the rear the exhaust tips are incorporated within the bumper.
Interior and technology
Inside the Grand Cherokee there's a 10.1-inch infotainment screen with Jeep’s UConnect software and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. A 10.25-inch digital TFT cluster and colour 10-inch head-up display sit in front of the driver. Other standard features include a digital rearview mirror, ventilated front seats, second row window shades, electric bootlid opening and a wireless smartphone charger. There’s a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot that can connect up to eight devices as well. The infotainment system also comes with an integrated pitch and roll sensor for off-roading.
Summit Reserve gets leather seats, walnut wood trim, a 19-speaker sound system, 10-inch passenger display screen, 12-way adjustable front seats and a panoramic sunroof.
Standard safety systems on the Grand Cherokee feature full-speed collision warning with active braking for pedestrians and cyclists, adaptive cruise control, active lane management, land departure warning, a reversing camera, blind-spot monitoring and rear crossing detection. Optional safety equipment such as night vision camera with pedestrian and animal detection of up to 200 metres, drowsiness detection, level two autonomous driving, park assist and a 360-degree camera system can be added.
What do you make of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee? Let us know in the comments section below…
