We like
Comprehensive infotainment and safety list, user-friendly human-machine interface, spacious cabin for seven passengers, cargo space in seven-seat guise, convenience features and oddment storage, styling and appearance

Room for improvement
Engine lacks torque, feels (and is) large and heavy, CarPlay glitches, early signs of wear and tear, lane-keeping foibles, HVAC controls mismatched for rear seats, slow-acting air suspension, road noise, poor fuel economy, sub-par towing capacity

Overview

 

JEEP has introduced its first seven-seat Grand Cherokee large SUV into the Australian market this year, the Grand Cherokee L offered in three grades – Night Eagle, Limited and Summit Reserve – priced from $82,250 plus on-road costs.

 

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, and 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”.

 

No arguments there…

 

Australian Grand Cherokee L models are powered by a familiar 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 (depending on grade), 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 L through a thorough domestic product testing program to evaluate the newcomer’s off-road capabilities in the “harshest, most remote environments in Australia”. In fact, more than 60,000km of local testing has been conducted, the firm says.

 

The Grand Cherokee L 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.

 

On test, 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 providing 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 climate control, enhanced multi-colour ambient lighting, a premium McIntosh audio 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 is an extra billed at $1750 while our test vehicle was further equipped with Jeep’s Advanced Technology Group which adds a head-up display, night vision and front passenger interactive display for a $5500 premium. As tested, that places the vehicle at $123,200 plus on-road costs.

 

The Grand Cherokee L is backed by a five-year/100,000km warranty that includes lifetime roadside assistance. Service intervals are 12 months or 12,000km (whichever comes first) with the first five services price-capped at $399.

 

 

Driving Impressions

 

From a practicality standpoint, there is a lot to like about the Jeep Grand Cherokee L. It’s a big car packed with convenience features and, by virtue of its sheer size, is immensely useful – there’s even an impressive amount of cargo space behind the rearmost row of seats in seven-seat mode.

 

Combine that with vents, cup holders, storage cubbies, USB ports, seat heaters and electric folding seats and one could argue that the Grand Cherokee L – at least in to-spec Summit Reserve guise – offers everything the modern family could want.

 

And if you work your way through the extensive features list, which is brimming with technology and convenience features, then there is certainly a lot on offer. But unfortunately, some of these features are part of a $5500 Advance Technology bundle, and worse still, it wasn’t too far into our loan before some of those glowing first impressions began to dull.

 

Looking at the outboard bolsters of the leather-clad front seats, it was obvious the cushioning had already begun to degrade. The bolsters were creased and worn, looking more like a car with 70,000km on the odometer than one with just 7000km.

 

We also experienced infotainment and instrumentation screen glitches we’d note as ‘disappointing’ in a car that retails from $115,950 plus on-road costs.

 

The wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity cut out and reconnected every 90 seconds or so, the digital dashboard would occasionally ‘freeze’, and when operating the rear seat climate control from the front of the vehicle we found the left control operated the right-hand side and vice-versa.

 

Another issue we encountered was that the lane-keep assist would ‘jump at shadows’, beeping at you and asking you to keep your hands on the wheel when you were travelling in a well-marked lane on a clear day with both hands firmly at 9 and 3.

 

We also experienced lags from the adaptive air suspension, which took considerable time to adjust the vehicle’s ride height at lower speeds. Leaving a supermarket car park, we’d find time and again that the car had not reached Normal ride height before setting off, sending thuds through the cabin over exit speed humps before finally indicating the system was ready once reaching the road.

 

Overall, road noise is disappointing. The tyre thrum is a constant source of bother and one that owners will quickly drown out with the Summit Reserve’s cracking sound system… but more on that in a moment.

 

The Jeep’s Pentastar V6 feels somewhat out of place in a vehicle of this size, too. Displacing 3.6 litres and producing 210kW at 6400rpm and just 344Nm at 4000rpm (or 92.5kW/tonne) the unit struggles to motivate the 2270kg (tare) Grand Cherokee L with any sense of conviction.

 

There simply isn’t enough torque available low enough in the rev range to keep the vehicle at pace with fast-flowing traffic, and when it comes to highway overtaking, the vehicle is downright slow.

 

Despite offering a terrific eight-speed automatic transmission, the driveline seems simply overstressed in this application. Little wonder Jeep issues the model with a braked towing capacity of just 2268kg – well short of rivals that approach the 3500kg mark nowadays.

 

Consonantly, the need to work hard also means the Grand Cherokee L is rather thirsty. On test the Summit Reserve consumed around 12.0 litres per 100km on the open road and in the mid-15s around town.

 

But there are positives, and depending on what you value most, they may sway you in the direction of this full-size family hauler.

 

The vehicle carries its weight well from a ride comfort and handling viewpoint, and although firm on larger wheels and tyres, is no worse than similar rivals. The car steers well and offers excellent braking performance and pedal feel, helping drivers to quickly acclimatise themselves with what (for some) may be a dauntingly large vehicle.

 

Outward visibility is exceptional with a terrific view of the road ahead – and even to the rear (which means the Grand Cherokee L is a lot easier to park than you’d think). Even seated in the rearmost seats we found the view out to be open and clear, just the thing for those who might be susceptible to the claustrophobic feel some large-segment SUVs offer up back.

 

The ease of which the infotainment system and menus are operated – and the layout of the menu system in general – is top notch, despite its aforementioned flaws. The system is easy to navigate, personalise, and use on-the-go with a very nifty ceiling-mounted “fam cam” function, one of the best ideas we’ve come across yet. The bird’s eye view of back seat proceedings is a terrific idea and one we think will soon be copied elsewhere.

 

Interior layout and décor are contemporary and classy with a stylish mix of leather, woodgrain and vinyl. The cabin feels rather logical, too, with well-positioned switchgear and useful storage bins, a fuss-free driving position and surprisingly easy entry and exit – even to the third row of seats.

 

We found the dusk-sensing headlights and rain-sensing wipers to be well calibrated, and the headlight performance very good, without being excellent. Excellent, however would be a word we’d reserve for the Grand Cherokee L’s McIntosh audio system…

 

The MX950 entertainment system offers deeply immersive sound that is wonderfully rich no matter what your taste in music might be – and no matter where you’re seated in the car (there are 19 speakers in 12 locations, including a 10-inch dual-coil subwoofer). The sound is crisp with distortion-free bass and vibrant high notes, allowing you to enjoy music just as you would at home.

 

We found that by connecting a media source via cable that the shortcomings of the wireless system were overcome, and using a quality audio streaming service like Tidal, the acoustic experience is nothing short of top notch. For true audiophiles, there’s even a McIntosh app that allows you to further customise the system’s dynamic range to your own specific preferences.

 

Of course, we can’t recommend a car based on the strengths of the stereo system alone. And while the Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve might have a lot going for it, we’re just not convinced the driveline package or quality niggles experienced on our test will be enough to win the hearts of discerning Aussie buyers.

 

With a stronger and more economical engine offering, and a greater focus on addressing the quality concerns we discovered on test, the Grand Cherokee L has the potential to be an impressively competent family car.

 

But for now, we’re afraid the jury is still out.