Jeep quietly raises the flagship at the Summit

AUSTRALIA’S best-selling large SUV, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, has gained a new top-shelf diesel variant with more subtle bling and a range of noise-quelling features to lift the ambience.

Priced at $78,000 plus on-road costs, the Grand Cherokee Summit Platinum replaces the $77,000 Summit at the head of the Jeep diesel pile, with the most obvious change being the replacement of the Summit’s shiny chrome trim with satin metallic finishes – hence the Platinum tag – on the 20-inch alloy wheels, grille, badges, light bezels and other spots.

But the most significant change is to the Grand Cherokee’s armoury is a host of acoustic enhancements, including a laminated windscreen and active noise-cancelling stereo from Harmon Kardon.

The stereo system is claimed to cut interior noise by 10dB, “allowing the Grand Cherokee Summit Platinum’s 825-watt, nineteen-speaker Harman Kardon audio system to be heard and appreciated better than ever before”.

Described as a state-of-the-art system, it features 19 speakers, a 12-channel amplifier and three sub-woofers. It is similar to the Harmon Kardon system on the previous Grand Cherokee Summit, but is now branded Harmon Kardon and gains the active noise cancellation feature.

The system uses four microphones around the cabin to pick-up noise and then counteract it via opposing sound frequencies emitted from the speakers.

Fiat Chrysler Automotive (FCA) Australia’s product strategy director Zac Loo said the Summit Platinum offered a compelling alternative to the premium SUV set.

“The Grand Cherokee Summit has already established itself as one of the most attractive premium SUV offerings in Australia,” he said.

“Summit Platinum now takes the Grand Cherokee to a further level of sophistication.”Apart from an acoustic laminated windscreen, noise insulating glass has been applied to the back window and rear door windows. In the back, the cargo area gets berber carpet.

Along with myriad satin metallic trim pieces, the Summit Platinum gains body colour mirror caps, door handles, front and rear lower fascia and side sills.

As before, the diesel flagship is powered by Jeep’s 184kW/570Nm 3.0-litre CRD V6 oil burner mated with a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission.

Although the Summit Platinum is the top-most diesel Grand Cherokee variant, it is not the most expensive, with that honour going to the petrol V8 SRT at $80,000 plus on-road costs.

Last year, Jeep sold 16,582 Grand Cherokees, giving the American brand bragging rights over Toyota whose Prado scored 16,112 sales in 2014.