Around 5 million Jeep Grand Cherokees have rolled off the production lines since the model first went into production back in 1992. This makes it by far and away the most successful model in the Jeep line-up.
The thing is though, Britain's roads are quite literally crumbling under the weight of countless SUVs, but almost none of them wear the Jeep badge. I'm not joking -- last year more than 2 million cars were sold in the UK, of which only around 2,000 were Jeeps. And the company's closest rivals, Land Rover, outsold them by 21 to 1.
Why is this? Why are Jeeps so unloved in Blighty when they enjoy such a healthy following worldwide? The main reason is undoubtedly brand image. We Brits view any sort of American four-wheeled transportation with deep suspicion. American cars are designed for Budweiser-swilling Billy Ray Cyrus-listening Texans in ten gallon hats, while Range Rovers are designed for civilised, urbane Europeans like the Queen and... er... Wayne Rooney.
But despite this prejudice towards the Jeep brand, the company is going through something of a purple patch. Sales of the Grand Cherokee were up by almost 70 per cent in Europe last year, and now Jeep is hoping to consolidate this success with a new model. The question is, is the new Grand Cherokee good enough to tempt us Brits away from its European rivals?
On first inspection the signs would appear to be promising. Although the new Cherokee is broadly similar to the outgoing model aesthetically, there have been a number of improvements. The most notable visual change is undoubtedly the addition of new, thinner headlamps with LED daytime-running lights, but there is also an updated range of alloys, a touch more chrome and some smart new paint finishes.
It's the same story inside. There's a new steering wheel, a new 8.4-inch touchscreen and, on higher-spec models at least, satellite navigation. The interior is a comfortable place to be too, with plenty of space and some high quality materials, including (on top-of-the-range models) open pore wood trim, which is a classy touch.
There are now six-specifications to choose from: Laredo, Limited, Limited Plus, Overland, Summit and, from later this year, a hot SRT version with a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 and 461bhp.
We tested the current range-topper, the Summit, and its immediate subordinate, the Overland, both of which come with the same VM Motori 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine which you got in the old model. It's not the most refined engine in the world, especially at higher revs, but with 247bhp and 420lb-ft of torque, progress is swift, with 62mph arriving in 8.2 seconds and a top speed of 126mph.
The biggest change to the way in which the Cherokee drives is, however, the new eight-speed automatic gearbox. Compared to the lazy five-speeder in the outgoing Grand Cherokee, the new auto 'box is a revelation. Not only are the ratios closer and the changes smoother but kickdown is quick and crisp, allowing the Grand Cherokee to make easy work of overtaking manoeuvres.
Both of the models we drove come fitted with air suspension, while lesser models in the range are supplied with traditional coil springs. Although we're unable to tell you what the steel-sprung models in the range are like to drive, we can tell you that both the Overland and the Summit feel both taut and comfortable on the road. The Grand Cherokee doesn't quite offer the sort of responsive driving experience you'd get from, say, a BMW X5; however, the American car is not far off the pace at all.
Standard equipment across the Grand Cherokee range includes keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control and a new leather-wrapped E-shift gear lever. Moving up the range, Limited models also come with leather heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, front and rear parking sensors and a rear view camera, while Limited Plus models also get 20-inch alloy wheels.
The Overland gets a leather-stitched instrument panel and a panoramic sunroof, while the top-spec Summit benefits from a 19-speaker 125-watt Harman Kardon stereo system.
Where the Jeep Grand Cherokee really starts to stand out from its rivals, however, is on the pricing lists. The entry-level Laredo is priced from just £36,995 while the range-topping Summit is yours for a smidge under £50K. This makes the Grand Cherokee cheaper than virtually all of its rivals.
So, should you buy the new Grand Cherokee? Well, if it's razor-sharp driving dynamics you're looking for, probably not. However, if you're looking for an SUV which is competent both on and off the road, good-looking, well-priced, well-equipped and eminently likeable, we'd thoroughly recommend it.
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| The Carsite Verdict | |
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Jeep's big SUV finally comes of age |
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