Jeep Grand Cherokee entry price up $12,450, no 2WD

JEEP Australia has given its Grand Cherokee large SUV line-up an overhaul for 2020, one that sees more standard safety features and tech added while the previously limited-edition Night Eagle replaces the Laredo as the entry point to the range, now brandishing a $59,950 pricetag before on-roads.

The permanent addition of the Night Eagle to the range not only marks the departure of the Laredo nameplate, but the two-wheel-drive configuration along with it, adding more than $12,000 to the range’s entry price.

As before, the Night Eagle is available with the choice of either a 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine ($59,950) good for 213kW of power and 347Nm of torque, or a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 diesel churning out 184kW and 570Nm ($65,950).

Both units are hooked up to the familiar eight-speed automatic transmission and send their power to all four wheels – just like the rest of the range.

To commemorate the Night Eagle’s promotion to a full-time offering, Jeep has upped its standard spec to now include advanced brake assist, lane departure warning plus, automatic high beam control and full speed forward collision warning plus.

All of the existing gear, i.e. Capri Black leather seats with perforated suede inserts, Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen, satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, exclusive 20-inch black alloy wheels, black exterior accents, two-speed transfer case, hill descent control, Parkview reverse parking camera, Parksense front and rear park assist, seven airbags, bi-xenon headlamps, keyless entry with push button start, dual-zone automatic climate control, 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster display and heated, eight-way power adjustable front seats has been carried over.

Next in the range is the now familiar but now singular Limited variant, priced from the same $63,950 with the aforementioned petrol engine now being the only option.

Compared to the Night Eagle, the Limited adds a few extra niceties including a nine-speaker Alpine Sound System, rear USB charging ports, adaptive cruise control, remote start, electric tailgate, heated steering wheel and memory function for the driver’s seat while safety has also been taken up a notch with blind spot monitoring, rear cross path detection and park assist.

New for 2020 is the addition of the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel mill to the mid-range S-Limited variant, priced exactly the same as the carryover petrol variant – $72,950 – which sheds the V6 in favour of a 5.7-litre ‘Hemi’ V8, good for 259kW and 520Nm.

Inspired by the potent SRT variant, Jeep says the S-Limited “combines street appeal with capability” as it brandishes “exclusive dark, sporty enhancements”, including the SRT’s aggressively sculpted bonnet.

Compared to its lesser Limited counterpart, the S-Limited adds Heritage leather seats, exclusive 20-inch Granite Crystal alloy wheels, S-Limited Exterior Package (sports body kit and cladding), Granite Crystal exterior badging, Granite Crystal and Black Grille accented seven-slot grille, black mirror covers, S badge, premium LED fog lights, dark lens tail lamps, dark headlamp bezel finish, dual trapezoidal exhaust tips, 220Amp alternator and self-levelling rear suspension.

As for the rest of the range, the Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, SRT and Trackhawk have all been carried over unchanged for 2020.

According to Jeep Australia brand and product strategy director Guillaume Drelon, the updates to the 2020 range ensures the Grand Cherokee “remains one of the best offerings in its segment”.

Jeep was able to shift 563 Grand Cherokees in the first quarter of 2020, accounting for just 2.5 per cent of the increasingly crowded sub-$70,000 large SUV segment.

Last year it managed 681 sales over the same period, occupying an identical 2.5 per cent share of the segment.

2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs