New Jeep introductions are few and far between and, when it’s a long-awaited replacement for a previously popular model, expectations are high. How does the all-new Grand Cherokee L fare?
We like: Spaciousness, luxury, ride comfort, standard features, perceived quality
We don’t like: Fuel thirst, not quite as good off-road as a Jeep should be, intrusive warning signals, ergonomics
FAST FACTS
- Model: Jeep Grand Cherokee L 3.6 V6 4×4 Overland
- Price: R1 479 900 (before options)
- Engine: 3.6-Litre, V6, petrol
- Power/Torque: 210 kW/344 Nm
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic
- Fuel consumption: 10.6 L/100 km (claimed)
- Luggage/Utility space: 487 L (7-seat config.), 1 328 L (5-seat config.), 2 396 L (2nd/3rd row folded down)
Serious about buying/selling?
Some Jeep dealerships regularly offer great deals. See our New Car Specials!
Looking to sell your car? You can sell your car to SA’s biggest dealer network
The new Jeep Grand Cherokee debuts in South Africa in long-wheelbase guise.
Where does the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L fit in?
The 4th generation of Jeep’s venerable Grand Cherokee was initially a popular choice in the South African premium SUV market because it offered a good mix of luxury and true off-road ability. Of course, the market has moved on considerably since that model was introduced in 2011, which is why this 5th-generation Grand Cherokee’s arrival feels so long overdue. It is, however, a significantly different proposition from its predecessor in many respects.
At the moment, it is only offered in long-wheelbase “L” specification, with 7- or 8-seater configurations available, depending on your preferred specification. This particular 3.6 V6 4×4 Overland is a 7-seater. Five-seat derivatives may become available at a later stage. For now, there is also only 1 engine in the line-up – a 3.6-litre V6 petrol, with the lack of a turbodiesel option attributed to poor local fuel quality.
With a price tag of around R1.5 million, the Grand Cherokee L has clearly moved upmarket significantly and is chasing hallowed scalps, such as those of the Land Rover Discovery and Toyota Land Cruiser 300, to name but two examples.
Ultimately, Jeep’s goal with this new Grand Cherokee L has been to move into the premium segment with increased sophistication and luxury, without sacrificing too much of the rugged appeal that Jeeps have always offered. Let’s see whether the American brand has been successful.
How the Jeep Grand Cherokee L fares in terms of…
The Grand Cherokee L is a “big unit” and based on the platform that underpins the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Maserati Grecale.
Design and Packaging
When the new Jeep Grand Cherokee L arrived at our offices for testing, the entire team ventured outside for a closer look. This was partly due to the fact that a new Jeep is quite a rarity, and because it looks so imposing. This is a very large vehicle indeed…
Although based on underpinnings related to the rear-wheel drive Giorgio platform that underpins the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Maserati Grecale, the latest Jeep is much bigger than its Italian cousins. It is 5.2m long, 2.1m wide and 1.8m tall (in its standard ride setting). The wheelbase is lengthy too, at 3 091 mm, which is longer than those of the aforementioned Discovery and Land Cruiser 300.
Despite its ginormous size and some nice detailing in the LED head- and tail lamps, as well as a “chromed” upright grille, we would venture to say that the Grand Cherokee L is not the flashiest of large SUVs on the market. This might be a good thing for some (who don’t want to seem too ostentatious in austere times), while others may want to opt for the pricier Summit Reserve variant, which has a more muscular appearance (the “If you got it, flaunt it” brigade).
The Grand Cherokee L’s cabin is awash with technology and creature comforts.
Slide inside and you’ll find what is probably the best Jeep cabin ever. Firstly, the finishes are more than worthy of the premium SUV segment and there’s a sturdy feel to all the fittings. It is also very obvious – from the outset – that this Overland is equipped with a veritable smorgasbord of toys (more about that a little later). Fronting the driver is a digital instrument cluster that can be adjusted to display information in a variety of layouts. The fascia is dominated by an impressive-looking, high-resolution 10.1-inch touchscreen that is integral to the Uconnect 5 system. Of course, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility is included (wireless), but the built-in Uconnect system is pretty intuitive and slick in itself.
A quirky feature that inevitably becomes a talking point whenever someone enters the Jeep’s cabin for the first time, is the screen in front of the front passenger. Designed in such a way so as to not be visible (and therefore distracting) to the driver, it gives the front passenger access to navigation info, camera views and visual entertainment.
Friends and family members may squabble over the privilege of occupying the front passenger seat.
We’ll delve into all the features a bit later, but core to the Grand Cherokee L’s family appeal is its packaging and all-around spaciousness. This is a genuine 7-seater – even the 2 rearmost seats are capable of accommodating adults in relative comfort. Jeep’s designers have also come up with some simple and clever solutions to gaining access to those pews, so you don’t have to strain any muscles or contort yourself into koeksister to get into the back. In fact, when standing behind the car and with the tailgate open, you can drop down the 2nd- or 3rd-row seats at the push of a button.
What impressed us most was that even when all 7 of the Grand Cherokee L’s seats were occupied, (a very useful) 487 litres of luggage space was available. We undertook a lengthy road trip with a full complement of passengers (as well as their luggage) on board and all of those occupants were extremely complimentary about their comfort levels. Those in the 2nd row have their own climate control system, as well as numerous USB charging points (2x USB-B, 2x USB-C) and a 230V power outlet. In fact, even those in the 3rd row are availed USB ports (USB-B as well as USB-C for BOTH rearmost passengers). So, to put it simply, the Grand Cherokee L makes for a wonderful long-distance family car.
The naturally aspirated 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine needs to work hard to propel the large Jeep, to the detriment of fuel consumption.
Performance and Efficiency
The Grand Cherokee L is offered locally exclusively with a naturally aspirated (non-turbocharged) 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine; Jeep’s oil-burning engines can’t handle our 50ppm diesel, unfortunately. The engine delivers 210 kW and 344 Nm, but both its power and torque outputs are bested by those of the Land Rover (turbopetrol) and Toyota (turbodiesel). It’s also worth noting that the torque is developed quite high in the rev range (at 4 000 rpm).
The engine is coupled with a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission that does well to hide the dearth of low-down power, but it often needs to click down two, three or even four gears to achieve the necessary oomph to execute brisk overtaking manoeuvres, especially with a full complement of occupants – and their luggage – on board. Remember, this is a 2.2-tonne-plus machine! On the plus side, the engine does emit a nice snarl at high revs…
The infotainment system includes a number of vehicle dynamics-related displays and avenues to alter suspension and terrain settings.
Jeep claims an average fuel consumption of 10.6 L/100 km, but we couldn’t achieve anything near that figure. Around town, we averaged around 14.5 L/100 km and out on the open road, when cruising at the national speed limit and with all seats taken, we got the figure down to around 13.8 L/100 km. So, prepare to spend quite a lot of time (and cash) at the pumps. At the current fuel price (22 September 2022), it will cost around R2 000 to fill the 87-litre tank (yikes!).
If you are going to tow trailers regularly (and you’re planning to tow something rather hefty), you may also want to have a close look at the Grand Cherokee L’s tow rating. At a rated tow capacity (braked) of 2 813 kg, the Jeep is beaten comfortably by the Discovery and Land Cruiser 300, both of which offer tow ratings of 3 500 kg. For the record, the GCM for the Jeep is 5 761 kg.
Access to the rear seats is relatively straightforward; the 2nd and 3rd rows can be folded down from inside the Jeep’s load bay.
Comfort and Features
Priced at just shy of R1.5 million, the 3.6 V6 4×4 Overland comes pretty much fully loaded with features, while still undercutting a vehicle such as the Land Rover Discovery (by more than R100k), which would need some option boxes ticked to come close to matching the American offering.
We’ve already mentioned the advanced and impressive uConnect 5 infotainment system. Also fitted to the Overland is a McIntosh high-performance audio system that features a 17-channel amplifier with a maximum output of 950W and 19 speakers, including a 10-inch subwoofer. Needless to say, the system produces excellent sound quality. During one rainy outdoors adventure, the kids sat in the Jeep’s load bay and watched the ocean, while we shifted the sound output to the rear of the cabin (the speakers mounted in the tailgate) – a nice touch indeed.
The 3.6 V6 4×4 Overland’s infotainment system is enhanced by the provision of a 19-speaker McIntosh audio setup.
The front seats offer a wide range of electric adjustments, as well as heating and cooling functions, while the 2nd-row seats also feature heating. Other noteworthy features include a digital rear-view mirror (as pioneered by Land Rover) and simultaneous Bluetooth connectivity for two smartphones.
In terms of safety features, the Grand Cherokee L comes liberally equipped. In addition to the usual active features, this derivative features collision warning with active braking and pedestrian/cyclist detection, parallel and perpendicular park assist with a 360-degree surround-view camera system, rear cross-traffic alert (a very useful feature on a long vehicle such as this), active lane management, adaptive cruise control, a drowsy driver detection system and much more.
Second-row occupants are seated in comfort and have their own climate control console, plus numerous USB ports, at their disposal.
While the introduction of a greater variety of safety features can never be a bad thing, we did find the various warning dings and dongs intrusive and sometimes downright frightening. The lane-departure detection function is very sensitive and will ring the alarm bells (loudly) even when you’re still a few rulers away from a solid line. On several occasions, the Jeep’s warnings nearly gave the driver such a fright that it could’ve caused an accident – instead of avoiding one.
Ride and Handling
In Overland specification, the new Jeep Grand Cherokee L rides on air suspension and attractive 20-inch alloy wheels shod with 265/50 tyres. The suspension does a very good job around town and out on the open road, delivering a supple ride quality which, coupled with good noise suppression, results in a very relaxed cabin ambience. At higher speeds, the suspension will automatically adjust to a lower position to aid the vehicle’s aerodynamic- and therefore fuel efficiency.
The Grand Cherokee impressed with a composed ride quality courtesy of its refined air-suspension setup.
Jeep’s newcomer is not a “sporty” SUV by any means – you are always aware of its weight and size, but the same can be said for its rivals. We took the Grand Cherokee L on a long road trip to view the West Coast spring flowers, during which it delivered a luxury-car experience in terms of its NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) control and ride suppleness.
Less impressive, however, and surprisingly so, was the Grand Cherokee’s off-road ability. Of course, this is no “Trailhawk”; the 3.6 V6 4×4 Overland rides on road-biased tyres, but we did expect a stronger showing off the beaten track, especially as the derivative comes standard with Jeep’s highly regarded Quadra-Trac II off-road system, lockable low-range and selectable off-road modes (in addition to 277 mm of ground clearance).
Although equipped with Jeep’s Quadra-Trac II off-road system, the Grand Cherokee L was a bit cumbersome off-road.
During our off-road testing, we found the Jeep was prone to bottoming out… and it doesn’t seem to have particularly robust underbody protection. Throttle modulation also proved tricky. Then again, it needs to be emphasised that Jeep’s design approach with this generation of Grand Cherokee L was in response to real owner usage patterns. The reality is that very few owners of luxury 7-seat SUVs ever venture off-road.
Price and After-sales Support
The Jeep Grand Cherokee L 3.6 V6 4×4 Overland sells for R1 479 900 before options. A 5-year/100 000 km warranty and a 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan are included. The service intervals are relatively short (12 000 km).
The latest generation Grand Cherokee is an impressive luxury family vehicle, even though its engine is a trifle underwhelming.
Verdict
We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Jeep’s new Grand Cherokee L. As a full-sized family vehicle, it is a superb product that offers a luxurious, spacious and practical cabin, as well as great ride comfort and general refinement. Yes, it may not be the rock climber that previous generations of the model were, but how often are you really going to need a vehicle of this kind to traverse demanding off-road conditions?
It is a pricey proposition, but you have to keep in mind that the Jeep comes fully loaded with features that are options (or not even available) on rival models that have higher base prices. Our only real criticism is, however, quite a serious one – the engine doesn’t deliver quite enough power and is simply too thirsty. That said, if you can afford a R1.5-million premium SUV, the petrol price might not scare you… in which case we can highly recommend this new Jeep.
Some Jeep dealerships regularly offer great deals. See our New Car Specials!
Looking to sell your car? You can sell your car to SA’s biggest dealer network
