JEEP Australia has released details and pricing for its new seven-seat Grand Cherokee line-up. When it arrives mid-year, the large SUV will initially be offered in seven-seater L guise, before five-seater variants and a plug-in hybrid version will join the range in the second half of 2022.
When the new-generation Grand Cherokee arrives in the middle of the year, the range will start from $82,250 (plus on-road costs) and be the first time the Grand Cherokee is offered with a seven-seat configuration in Australia.
The American brand says that apart from featuring “extensive use of premium materials and an exacting attention to detail”, the seven-seater L’s interior offers “capacious legroom in the second row, improved entry and exit thanks to larger door openings”, as well as “unrivalled third-row capacity and increased cargo-carrying capacity of up to 2395 litres”.
The key takeaways here are that Jeep has premium aspirations for its large SUV (especially considering its predecessor has a sub-$50K entry price as recently as 2019), as well as eyes on buyers prioritising cubic capacity for their next SUV buy.
At launch, the Australian Grand Cherokee range will be powered by a 210kW/344 Nm 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard. Torque is directed to all four wheels via either Quadra-Trac I or Quadra-Trac II drivelines, which are augmented with Jeep’s multi-mode Selec-Terrain AWD logic and Quadra-Lift air suspension on higher-spec versions.
Jeep says it has put the new Grand Cherokee through a thorough domestic product testing program to evaluate the newcomer’s offroad capabilities in the “harshest, most remote environments in Australia”. In fact, more than 60,000km of testing has been conducted so far, the firm says.
The Grand Cherokee is based on a new platform that utilises lightweight, high-strength aluminium and steel, and incorporates various enhancements to improve the ride quality, handling and occupant comfort, while increasing efficiency and reducing NVH and weight. Speaking of weight, the Grand Cherokee’s maximum tow rating will come in at “up to 2813kg” - an important metric, considering the previous generation model’s popularity as a towing rig.
As such, Jeep claims the new-gen Grand Cherokee will substantially raise the bar in terms of on-road composure, dynamism and overall refinement compared with the previous generation.
At launch, the “L” will be available in three variants – Night Eagle, Limited and Summit Reserve.
The Grand Cherokee L Night Eagle will come standard with automatic LED headlamps, 20-inch alloy wheels and the Quadra-Trac I 4x4 system with a single-speed transfer case.
Trimmed in black leather, it comes with eight-way and four-way power lumbar adjustment (and heated front seats) for the front occupants, a 25.0-inch multi-view display cluster and the Uconnect 5 infotainment system with navigation (which Jeep says operates five times faster compared with the previous model’s infotainment suite), Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, a six-speaker audio setup, wireless charging pad and height-adjustable power liftgate.
Over and above the usual active and passive safety equipment, the Grand Cherokee L comes equipped with blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-path detection, adaptive cruise control (with Stop & Go function), active lane management, pedestrian automatic emergency braking (with cyclist detection), drowsy-driver detection and traffic-sign recognition, all as standard.
The mid-spec Limited grade adds the Selec-Terrain traction management system in conjunction with the Quadra-Trac I AWD, and features premium Capri leather trim in black, a memory function for the driver’s power seat adjustment, heated second-row seats, a nine-speaker premium audio system, second-row window shades and ambient LED lighting.
The range-topping Summit Reserve can be distinguished by its black-painted roof and 21-inch polished alloy wheels. As opposed to the Night Eagle and Limited variants, it has the Quadra-Drive II Active 4WD setup with a two-speed active transfer case (with low range) in conjunction with the Selec-Terrain management and the Quadra Lift air suspension.
Its interior is trimmed in quilted Palermo leather (available in black and Tupelo), which is complemented by open-pore Waxed Walnut wood finishes. The front seats are ventilated and 12-way electrically adjustable (with memory and massage functions), while four-zone automatic climate control, enhanced multi-colour ambient lighting, a premium McIntosh High Performance Audio System with 19 speakers and 760-watt amplifier, a Highway Assist System, 360-degree camera and hands-free power liftgate complete the luxury spec.
Premium paint ($1,750 MSRP) is optional, while the Night Eagle can be specified with a single-pane sunroof ($2,450 MSRP), the Limited with the Vision Group – bringing a dual-pane sunroof and head-up display ($4,250 MSRP) - and the Summit Reserve with the Advanced Technology Group – which adds a head-up display, night vision and front passenger interactive display ($5,500 MSRP).
“As the most refined and technologically advanced model we’ve released to date, the arrival of the all-new Grand Cherokee L represents another landmark Jeep moment and sets the new standard for our brand,” said Kevin Flynn, Jeep Australia Managing Director.
“The added versatility of its seven-seat layout goes hand-in-hand with an entirely new architecture, myriad safety and assistance systems, exceptional material quality and the latest advancements in our famed 4x4 capability, making the Grand Cherokee L a truly premium offering in every sense of the word,” he concluded.
Finally, the five-seater Jeep Grand Cherokee – featuring a 4xe Plug-In-Hybrid electrified variant – is also scheduled to debut in 2022. Full details will be available closer to launch, Jeep says.
2022 Grand Cherokee L pricing*:
Night Eagle (a) | $82,250 | (new model) |
Limited (a) | $87,950 | (new model) |
Summit Reserve (a) | $115,450 | (new model) |
*Pricing excludes on-road costs.