Jeep Grand Cherokee 2011 Review - International

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

International Launch
San Francisco, USA

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.5/5.0
Safety: 3.5/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.5/5.0
X-factor: 3.5/5.0

About our ratings

OVERVIEW
-- The start of a new era
Jeep has just launched its new flagship vehicle on home soil in North America. An SUV that represents a new epoch for the carmaker, meet the 2011 Grand Cherokee.

Leaving behind B-grade interior design, low-tech engines and dated exterior styling, the fourth generation Grand Cherokee looks and feels like a true contender in the prestige SUV class, so much so that it has the potential to precipitate a significant turning point for the American company.

'Surprisingly sophisticated' and 'remarkably refined' are not the sort of phrases that have traditionally been bandied about the Grand Cherokee, but this new 4WD is different. In a good way...

In the past few years, Chrysler-Jeep has answered to numerous bosses (Daimler, Cerberus Capital Management). The American carmaker also filed for bankruptcy in early 2009 and had to sell all its private jets to appease not only el presidente Obama, but also its increasingly disenfranchised domestic market. However the group seems to started to find its feet under the guidance of one of Europe's biggest carmakers, Fiat. And though the new Grand Cherokee was researched and developed long before the Italians arrived, there is a real sense of renewed determination within the company, almost as if it's been cured of an ailment that had beleaguered the company for the last couple of decades.

With new 4WD systems, new independent front and rear suspension, a veritable cornucopia of premium features and a brand-new 3.6-litre V6 engine, first impressions of Jeep's new flagship are very positive. Having driven the new model on road and off, one thing is abundantly clear -- Jeep has turned a corner and we're finally seeing it's A-game.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
--

From what we understand, the models coming to Australia will be the entry-level Laredo and the up-spec Limited models. In the USA there is also an Overland model sitting at the top of the range, but this is more likely to be offered locally as a special edition model at a later date.

Even the entry-level Laredo's standard feature list is not to be baulked at. It's packaged with an impressive array of mod cons: eight-way power adjustable drivers seat and six-way power for the front passenger (both with electric lumbar adjust), dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry and ignition, rain sensing windscreen wipers, auto levelling and dusk sensing xenon headlights, and a fancy stereo system with touch-screen controls plus a CD/DVD player and even a 30Gb hard drive. All very 21st century stuff.

Some other interesting features on the entry-level 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo include a removable (and rechargeable) LED flashlight, tyre pressure monitoring system, 18-inch alloy wheels, electric windows and mirrors, plus the new Quadra-Trac II 4x4 system.

The Limited models get everything mentioned above and adds leather seats, front and rear parking proximity sensors and a reversing camera, front and rear heated seats, a power adjustable steering wheel, an upgraded Alpine stereo with nine-speakers (including a woofer), iPod connectivity and auto dimming interior and exterior mirrors.

The top-spec Overlander models adds the more advanced Quadra-Drive II all-wheel-drive set-up, a great big V8 engine, premium leather trim on the seats, doors and even the dashboard, plus ventilated seats, a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, sat nav with voice recognition, a power tailgate, 20-inch alloy wheels, and a nifty radar-based adaptive cruise control system along with a blind spot and rear cross-path detection system.

Every model comes with electronic stability control (which includes electronic roll mitigation, hill start and hill descent control and trailer sway control), plus seven airbags: twin front, thorax, front/rear side curtain and knee.

Reading like something out of a prestige European manufacturer's brochure, the new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is being touted as 'most luxurious Jeep ever' -- no argument there -- but also the most capable.

Vital statistics aren't ground breaking with 210kW of power at 6350rpm and 347Nm of torque at 4300rpm, but it's certainly a big step up from the previous six-cylinder engine range. The new 60-degree V6 engine features variable valve timing and dual overhead cams (DOHC) and has enough guts to tow trailers weighing up to 2268kg.

The traditional HEMI V8 will be the weapon of choice for mega trailers, however, able to tow up to 3500kg. Indeed, Jeep's big 5.7-litre V8 compares well to what's offered in the SUV segment these days, outputting 259kW at 5200rpm and 520Nm at 4200rpm.

Fuel economy on the V6 is good considering the SUV's 2.2 tonne kerb weight, rated at 11.4L/100km on the combined cycle. That's an impressive 10 per cent improvement on the previous model. Despite a cylinder deactivation system to reduce fuel use during freeway cruising, the V8 is much thirstier, with claimed 14.1L/100km rating. It also adds 116kg of mass, taking kerb weight to around 2.3 tonnes.

Five-speed automatic transmissions with tiptronic shift are standard on both models.

Suspension is almost all-new, with about 10 per cent of the steel suspension parts being carried over from the M-Class -- a relic of Chrysler-Jeep's at-times troubled relationship with Mercedes-Benz. Both front and rear ends now get independent setups which combine with coil springs (air springs are optional) and twin-tube shock absorbers. And they seem to work, the ride quality in the Grand Cherokee is very good.

Hit the anchors and the big Jeep slows up fairly well for something so loaded with luxury technology, thanks to 350mm vented disc brakes up front (clamped by twin-pot callipers) and 330mm solid discs at the rear (with single piston callipers). A four-channel antilock braking system is also standard, which can detect if the vehicle is navigating an off-road trail and change it's characteristics accordingly.

Underneath the Jeep's sleek new sheetmetal, and holding the powertrain and chassis together, is a steel ladder frame.

Overall the Grand Cherokee measures 4822mm long, and a very broad 1943mm wide. The wheelbase of 2915mm is significantly longer than its predecessor's 2780mm, and this improves interior room -- there's more rear seat legroom and the full-sized spare tyre can now be accommodated in the boot.

As one of the pioneers of the luxury SUV, Jeep has worked long and hard to ensure die-hard fans won't be disappointed with the Grand Cherokee's offroad prowess. As such, it offers two systems -- Quadra-Trac II and Quadra-Drive II. A pure 2WD version that drives only the rear wheels will not be offered outside of the USA.

First up is the Quadra-Trac II, a full-time 4WD system that features a two-speed transfer case with low range for serious rock-hopping. Thanks to sophisticated electronics, the Quadra-Trac II system can transfer up to 100 per cent of engine torque to either the front or rear axle -- whichever has more traction -- to maintain grip. It can also lock the front and rear driveshafts when shoved into '4 Low' mode.

Quadra-Drive II is a more advanced system, one that we were able to sample on a relatively tricky offroad course, and it's seriously impressive. Quadra-Drive II can apportion up to 100 per cent torque to either of the left and right rear wheels as well, thanks to the inclusion of an electronic limited-slip at the rear.

All models have 218mm of ground clearance, but if you really want to go bush with improved wheel articulation and boosted ride heights, you might want to tick the Quadra-Lift option box. This system adds air springs at each wheel that can alter ride height through a 105mm range, starting at the low 165mm 'park mode' for loading roof racks, and rising up to 270mm of ground clearance in Off Road 2 mode.

All told the Quadra-Lift system has five manually adjustable modes or can be left alone to operate automatically. Left to its own devices, the system will drop the ride height (to improve aerodynamics and fuel efficiency) when cruising at higher speeds on the freeway and raise the ride height when a more serious offroad mode is selected.

With the front air dam removed (via catches underneath the front fascia) and making use of the Quadra-Lift's maximum ride height, Jeep claims approach and departure angles of 34.3 and 27.3 degrees respectively. Breakover angle is 23.1 degrees.

There's plenty of technical stuff going on behind the scenes with the Jeep Grand Cherokee's 4x4 systems, but the best thing about them is that they're dead easy to use. Both 4WD systems come standard with Jeep's Selec-Terrain, a fool-proof system consisting of a small dial near the gearshifter that has five settings: Auto, Sport, Sand/Mud, Snow, Rock.

Like Land Rover's similar set-up, you just select the mode you want and off you trundle into the wild brown yonder, letting the vehicle's clever electronics to do the heavy lifting.

Surrounding the five-mode Selec-Terrain dial are a few buttons that initiate downhill descent control, and 4WD low mode, and if you option the Quadra-Lift air suspension (standard on the Overlander) there are extra controls to manually change the ride height.

"The all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee is the first vehicle to be developed, tested and built since the company redefined its approach to quality and customer satisfaction," says Doug Betts, Senior Vice President for Quality, at the Chrysler Group LLC. And it shows.

Along with higher quality materials, tighter shut-lines and a more attractively designed interior, it's also a lot quieter. Noise vibration and harshness (NVH) levels are impressive, to the point where tyre and wind noise are a faint background hum. Jeep talked about a 'triple sealing effect' which along with a 146 per cent stiffer body structure helps keep the cabin very quiet, and this in turn lends the car a premium feel.

Sitting up high in the pilot's seat, the view of the road is very good and driving the car is made simpler thanks to the intuitive placement of controls. The touch-screen stereo system standard across the range takes about ninety seconds to figure out, and all the initial controls, electric mirrors, seat adjust, etc, are where you expect them to be. Even the 4WD Selec-Terrain mode dial is instinctive to use.

The seats are comfortable with generously sized squabs to suit drivers large and small, and even the rear seats are much improved, particularly in regards to legroom. Spending an hour stint in the rear, this 183cm tester had ample legroom and didn't feel claustrophobic. Reclining rear seats are a nice touch.

There were other smaller touches that sometimes go unnoticed but make a big difference in everyday use -- the doors are a good example. In the latest Grand Cherokee the rear doors open wider (78 degrees, up from 67 degrees) and the front doors are larger to improve ingress.

The 782 litre boot (which expands to 1554 when the rear 60:40 split fold seats are stowed) has a number of handy storage spaces, such as the triangular plastic storage buckets that slot in neatly around the spare wheel. These highlight again how much attention has gone into this new model.

SAFETY
--

All models are packaged with and electronic stability control system that encompasses trailer sway control, electronic roll mitigation, hill descent control and hill start. The antilock braking system has on and off-road modes and automatically detects when to initiate either. Brake assist is also standard and some models offer reverse parking sensors and a camera.

Airbags cover passengers fore and aft, with side curtain airbags front and rear, plus a pair of front airbags and front/side airbags to keep precious cargo safe. There's also a knee airbag for the driver and active head restraints are designed to reduce whiplash injuries in rear-end collisions.

Boasting features such as radar-based cruise control, air-conditioned seat ventilation, blind-spot and rear cross-path detection system, the new Jeep has plenty of high-tech tricks up its sleeve. And the new exterior design delivers a more sophisticated -- dare we say European -- effect.

Established rivals within the Australian marketplace will include all serious 4WDs, such as the Toyota Prado, Mitsubishi Pajero, and even the Land Rover Discovery, but it will depend on how Jeep prices and specifies the Grand Cherokee before we get a true hold on where it sits in the marketplace.

ON THE ROAD
--

Saddling up in San Francisco, we took the big American SUVs across the Goldengate Bridge then southwards towards San Jose, giving us plenty of urban and freeway driving. In these situations one of the most impressive aspects of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee was the quietness of the car. With a drag co-efficient of 0.37 and beefed up sound damping materials in place, it feels like a premium SUV.

Combined with a compliant ride quality that is neither too soft nor too firm, you feel connected to the car while driving, an attribute that some off-roaders struggle to convey.

Heading towards Boulder Creek and up into the hills south of San Fran, it was time to test the car's handling dynamics on some fast and flowing 100km/h-plus roads. The Selec-Terrain dial was summarily slotted from 'Auto' into 'Sport' mode, which channels 80 per cent of torque to the rear axle.

While the big and heavy SUV does wallow somewhat when shoved unkindly into tight corners (something most owners probably won't attempt), it impressed with the way it stuck to the road, tracking keenly through corners and displaying a planted attitude accelerating out of them. Indeed, the new independent rear suspension follows the front end faithfully. There's a bit of weight to the steering which this tester appreciated and on wide open sweeping bends the big Jeep proved to be satisfying to drive.

The V6 engine is a nice piece of kit, refined and able to rev beyond 6000rpm smoothly, but it does struggle to shift the Grand Cherokee's 2.3 tonne weight, particularly when overtaking.

As a result of the vehicle's mass, the V6 doesn't really wake up until around 3500rpm, but once on song the Jeep hustles along at an impressive clip for something so large. The V8 fares better, but frankly isn't leaps and bounds ahead of the V6.

As out first sampling of the all-new Pentastar V6, it is safe to say it's a vast improvement over its precursor and the levels of refinement bode well for future applications. Bring on the 200C, we say!

After almost 60km of beautifully winding roads through redwood forests, we navigated our way to the Hollister Hills recreational vehicle park for some rough and tumble. Here testing the 2011 Grand Cherokee's off-road capability was a fairly straightforward affair, thanks to the intuitive Selec-Terrain system. But as we sat there, in our leather-clad luxury cockpit, seat-based air-conditioning piping cool air under our rumps, it was hard to imagine these sleek SUVs with their road-biased tyres grappling with hardcore hill climbs and extrmely uneven surfaces.

Yet they did!

The suspension is pliable enough to work its way around some pretty tricky obstacles, such as large protruding rocks, and the 4WD system (and the V6 it should be noted) proved itself more than capable of dragging the Jeep up steep, rutted and sand-strewn trails. Indeed, the American cars were impressively malleable over undulating terrain, to the point where after the first half hour the trepidation and nerves were gone, replaced with the confidence that a well-sorted mud slinger brings.

We also got to test the hill descent control, which works very effectively thanks to five different speeds, from very slow to ultra-slow. With a very low friction sandy descent, we set the system on the second lowest setting and traction never wavered. Though our test course was sanitised to a certain degree, it was by no means a pushover, including a handful of very technical sections. And it was these complicated areas that hinted at the true capabilities of the new Grand Cherokee.

We'll need to test it on home soil (and without a Jeep Wrangler leading/testing the way) to get a true sense of how those abilities pan out, but based on this initial test it would seem that Jeep's claim of the 2011 Grand Cherokee being it's most capable SUV is more than just PR hyperbole.

The fourth generation Grand Cherokee boasts a confident new style that is just the tip of the iceberg; it's got new underpinnings, a new V6 engine and a choice of 4WD systems to suit drivers requirements.

It appears to have retained its famous off-road ability while improving its on-road manners, creating one of the best American cars we've ever driven. It's as simple as that.

Check out our launch video of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee at Carsales TV.

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at www.carsales.mobi.