GO
GoAutoLogo
MENU

Make / Model Search

Car reviews - Jeep - Grand Cherokee - CRD 5-dr wagon

The Car

2 Dec 2005

THIS is a Jeep that lifts the famous off-road brand into direct competition with a tough line-up of mid-size SUV opponents. For a two-tonne-plus off-roader it’s neat and nimble on the tarmac, yet retains its Jeep credibility in the muddy, rocky and slippery stuff. The icing on the cake is the Benz-contributed 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6. A new generation of oil-burning engines has been showing how crisp, clean and thrifty diesels can be. This one shows just how close they are getting to petrol-engine levels of smoothness and quietness.

THERE is little point having a four-wheel drive model line-up these days without at least one diesel-engine version in the range.

Mercedes-Benz, for example, developed no less than three turbo-diesels for its new ML range – there are two V6s, in 2.8-litre and 3.0-litre capacities, and, down the road, a 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8.

The Benz V6s form an interesting backdrop to the Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD launched in Australia this week with an all-new, Mercedes-sourced 3.0-litre V6.

Following the petrol-engine versions introduced last month, the diesel-powered Jeep succeeds the previous 2.7-litre five-cylinder inline CRD turbo-diesel and offers a power increase of 33 per cent, while torque goes up by 28 per cent.

Diesel sophistication doesn’t come much higher than in this new engine. It is fed by a Bosch common-rail, direct-injection fuel supply system and a variable-geometry turbocharger, while its architecture mimics the latest petrol-engine design trends with all-alloy construction, twin camshafts per cylinder bank, four-valve cylinder heads and a counter-rotating balance shaft.

The 72-degree, long-stroke V6’s all-alloy construction means it weighs in at just 208kg, consigning thoughts of heavy, primitive and clunky diesels to the history books. And it’s clean, being compliant with Euro 4 emission regulations.

This is due to the clean-burning fuel delivery and cylinder head design, as well as the adoption of twin diesel catalytic converters placed optimally to ensure fast light-up and minimise initial exhaust belching when the engine is started cold.

The Grand Cherokee’s turbo-diesel winds out an impressive 160kW (at 4000rpm) as well as the expected mountain of torque – in this case, 510Nm at a barely-spinning 1600rpm.

This means it will accelerate from zero to 100km/h in a mere 9.0 seconds – half a second faster than the 4.7-litre petrol V8 version of the new Grand Cherokee.

Just as importantly, the efficient oil-burner means the almost-2.2-tonne Grand Cherokee has fuel consumption figures that any regular full-size petrol-engined car would be proud of.

The CRD’s combined ADR 81/01 figure of 10.2L/100km is almost good enough to banish thoughts about the resource-wasting wantonness of large 4WDs.

The downside is that the CRD is priced $2600 above the 4.7-litre equivalent.

The CRD is available with one transmission – a sequential five-speed auto.

Consistent with Jeep’s traditional off-road credibility, the CRD also gets the topline Quadra-Drive II dual-range, full-time 4WD system otherwise only seen in the 5.7-litre version of the new Grand Cherokee (4.7-litre models get the less sophisticated Quadra-Trac II). It also gets limited-slip front and rear differentials.

The suspension is the same all-coil, independent front/live rear axle combination seen in the petrol-engined Grand Cherokees. It also uses the same electronic safety systems including stability control, traction control, ABS brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and Jeep’s Electronic Rollover Mitigation System.

The CRD is available in either Laredo or Limited form, the latter sitting mid-way between the V8 engines on price.

This means the CRD Laredo comes with standard gear including multi-stage driver and front passenger airbags, full-length curtain airbags, power front seats (eight ways for the driver, four ways for the passenger), 60/40 split-fold rear seat, an "Electronic Vehicle Information Centre", air-conditioning, a tyre-pressure monitoring system, 17-inch alloy wheels and roof rails.

Did you know?

The CRD Limited adds dual-zone climate-control, leather trim, auto-dimming rearview mirror, rain-sensing wipers, rear park assist, heated front seats and a 276-watt Boston Acoustics six-speaker sound system with a six-stack CD

Click to share

Click below to follow us on
Facebook  Twitter  Instagram

GoAuto can help you buy a new Grand Cherokee

Customer Terms and Conditions – New Car Lead enquires

Agreement

This is an agreement between GoAutoMedia Pty Limited ACN 094 732 457 of PO Box 18, Beach Road, Sandringham, VIC, 3191 (“we/us”), the owner and operator of the GoAuto.com.au website (“the website”) and the person wanting GoAuto.com.au to provide them with a lead for the purchase of a new car (“you”).

By completing a New Car Lead Enquiry, you agree to the terms and conditions and disclaimers and acknowledge the policies set out below.

Terms and Conditions

  • In order for us to effect a lead you must you must complete a New Car Lead Enquiry (“Enquiry”).
  • We will call you as soon as possible after you complete the Enquiry and certainly no later than the next business day. When we call, we will discuss with you your new car requirements.
  • You consent to our passing on the Enquiry and your requirements to an appropriate authorised motor car dealer as a lead.
  • We will contact you again in approximately eight days following your initial enquiry to check on the progress of the Enquiry.
  • While we will provide the dealer with the Enquiry and details of your new car requirements, we take no responsibility for what happens after passing on that material as a lead.
  • You acknowledge that we are a new car information service providing new car editorial information, pictures and prices to our customers as a guide only. Any new car prices published on the website are the manufacturers’ recommended retail prices and do not include delivery charges and on-road costs. Any authorized motor car dealer to which we pass on your Enquiry as a lead will provide you with full details of the price at which the vehicle will be sold to you.
  • You acknowledge that we do not sell motor vehicles. Any sale of a new car to you by a dealer after we have passed on your Enquiry to that dealer as a lead, is a sale by that dealer not by us.

Privacy Policy– New Car Lead Enquires

  • We take privacy very seriously. We understand that you will only complete an Enquiry if you can trust us to protect your personal information and use it appropriately. Our policy is to ensure that the personal information collected when you make an Enquiry is only used for the purposes of connecting you with an authorised motor car dealer.
  • We do not on-sell information collected from you or any other customer.
  • From time to time, we may email you with information or promotions that may be relevant for car buyers. You will continue to receive communications from us unless you tell us that you do not want to receive any advertising or promotional information in the future by unsubscribing from these communications.
close
* Denotes required field
** Australian inquiries only

Grand Cherokee pricing

Motor industry news

GoAutoNews is Australia’s number one automotive industry journal covering the latest news, future and new model releases, market trends, industry personnel movements, and international events.

Catch up on all of the latest industry news with this week's edition of GoAutoNews
Click here