“The new, new Grand Cherokee.” This is the term with which Chrysler South Africa, Trent Barcroft, uses to describe the recently facelifted Jeep Grand Cherokee. And while it hasn’t seen any sweeping technological changes to the engine line up, it has been cosmetically tweaked enough to warrant a hefty 900 km drive at its local launch.
But, if you ever have to do a 900 km stint in 24 hours, this is the car in which you’s be quite happy to do it. It’s comfortable (so much so that I couldn’t help but nod off when my driving partner was at the wheel), it’s spacious and packed with comfort and convenience features. Part of the drive was undertaken in the 3,6 Overland (R646 990) before moving on to the fire-breathing SRT8 (R879 990) which was a hoot to blast and chuck around, but didn’t make for a relaxing long-distance cruiser because of its overly firm ride. I spent the most of my time in the Jeep Grand Cherokee 5,7 Hemi Overland (R679 990) and it is by far my favourite. That big-displacement V8 means that it capably covers the performance proviso, while such elements as the new, smooth-shifting, 8-speed ‘auto transmission and pliant, air-suspended ride.
The Grand Cherokee stood out on the road, contrasted as it was against the stark, dry, veld skirting our route along the the N3. The front grille has been revised and is now slightly shorter than that of its predecessor, and each derivative has a slightly different trim treatment. The headlamps are slimmer while the fog lights have been raised and are more pronounced. Bi Xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights are standard across the range. The rear features revamped tail lamp clusters, a larger spoiler and new rear apron. Dual exhaust pipes are now standard on both Limited and Overland models.
The cabin sees a new multifunction three-spoked steering-wheel with paddle shifts, real wood trim and natural leather on the dash and seats. Heated leather seats are standard across the range. Some models feature a full-length sunroof as standard. Also new is the UConnect 8,4-inch infotainment system with two USB ports in the rear – a feature that should alleviate the usual back-seat squabbling about the choice of music that accompanies most long journeys. It also features a text message reader and a new control cluster that enables you scroll though a huge selection of vehicle data using the steering-wheel controls.
There is one thing the Jeep Grand Cherokee can pride itself on and that is value for money. To put it into context, such rival offerings as the Land Rover Discovery 4 5,0 V8 HSE (R815 900) and BMW X5 iDrive 50i AT (R861 706) are around R50 to R200k more than the Hemi.
Having spent time with the updated Grand Cherokee, I have to concur with our Road Test Engineer, Peter Palm’s, assertion in the long-term wrap-up of his pre-facelift Grand Cherokee; “A supreme all-rounder offering comfort, off-road ability, space and decent fuel economy.” Last year saw the highest ever sales in South Africa for the Grand Cherokee; this update could bode similarly well for the marque.
Specifications:*
Model: Jeep Grand Cherokee 5,7 Hemi Overland
Engine: 5,7L V8, petrol
Power: 295 kW at 5 200 r/min
Torque: 520 N.m at 4 200 r/min
0-100 km/h: 7,3 seconds
Fuel consumption: 13L/100 km
Fuel tank capacity: 94 litres
CO2: 304g/km
Top speed: 225 km/h (210 km/h with 18-inch)
Price: R670 990
Maintenance plan: 3 years/100 000 km
Warranty: 3 years/100 000km
*According to the manufacturer
