Jeep Grand Cherokee
No meeting in the middle |
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By Richard J. Newman
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NITS: Small rear windows limit visibility out the back.
G-FORCES: The Jeep comes with three engine choices, including the top-line "Hemi," a 330-horsepower V-8, which I tested. It offers plenty of power and torque for most situations, though it's not as explosive as its hefty horsepower rating might suggest. The base engine, a 210-horsepower V-6 that I didn't test, might be weak for a relatively large vehicle. The midrange engine is a 235-horsepower V-8 with more torque for towing. Handling is solid and firm in virtually all situations.
GIZMOLOGY: The Chrysler Group, which owns Jeep, has greatly improved its interiors, including the Grand Cherokee's. Dials for the climate control are large, sturdy, and attractive. The lines of the dashboard are masculine and refined, and options like the steering-wheel audio controls are thoughtfully executed.
KID MARKS: Despite the lack of a third-row option, there's lots of wiggle room in the back seat, and of course plenty of storage space for kids' junk. The rear cargo area is large even with the back seats intact.
ENVIROMETER: Ranks below average on the EPA's scale for tailpipe emissions, with varying ratings for pollution. Mileage ranges from 14 mpg/city to 22 mpg/highway. For details, go to fueleconomy.gov.
CRASH COURSE: Not yet crash-tested by the government or by private testing organizations. The government's rollover rating is three stars out of five for the two-wheel-drive version and four out of five for the four-wheel-drive version.
PRICE POINTS: Base prices range from $26,875 to $32,200. Price as tested: $41,340. (All prices include delivery fees.)
MORE INFO: www.jeep.com/grand_cherokee
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Model year tested: 2005
Jeep practically invented the "crossover" SUV when the Grand Cherokee debuted more than a decade ago, though nobody called it that back then. The Grand Cherokee's comfy interior and tolerably calm ride brought carlike civility to a rugged SUV, when most utilities felt like the clattering pickup trucks they were based on. Crossovers have become more refined ever since, with elegant, svelte vehicles like the RX 330 and Acura MDX setting the standard today.
Jeep, however, is crossing back. Instead of following the trend toward slim and sexy, the new Grand Cherokee is boxier than the last version. Jeep rejected the idea of relying on Subaru-like all-wheel drive, suitable for snow and light off-roading; those who choose the option get full-blown four-wheel drive, which is more rugged. The Grand Cherokee, in fact, comes with an external badge that declares the SUV to be "trail rated," Jeep's way of saying, "This ain't no sissy crossover. It's a real SUV."
The Grand Cherokee is also a notable improvement over its predecessor. Despite the manly underpinnings, the new Grand Cherokee offers a smoother, more stable ride than the last version. Internal stabilizers produce handling on curves that is tight and stiff, without the side-to-side roll that made the old Grand Cherokee feel top-heavy and tilty. I can't vouch for its trail rating—like most SUV owners, I never went off road in the thing—but in other ways the Grand Cherokee is indeed an SUV heavy. In addition to handsome and solid interior controls, there's a huge storage box in the center console, with a little webbed cargo holder that evokes camping gear. There are plenty of other bins for tools and the like. Dashboard controls are big enough that they can be operated with thick gloves. The rear seats fold down easily, leaving plenty of space for transporting a table saw or generator or anything else that bespeaks muscularity.
For families who might be wondering—no, there's no third-row seat available. That would be just a little too minivanny. A stretched version of the Grand Cherokee, the Commander, coming in early 2005, will fill that role—with less risk of diluting the original's burly image. The Grand Cherokee, meanwhile, refuses to be all things to all people—which is supposed to be the heart of its appeal. You cross over to it—not the other way around.
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