Jeep Grand Cherokee five-seater locked in for Oz

The all-new 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee will be offered in Australia in both two-row and three-row layouts next year after local testing wraps up.

Until now only the longer-wheelbase three-row Jeep Grand Cherokee L was inked in for Australia, but the US off-road brand has now confirmed the slightly shorter – and potentially more affordable – two-row Grand Cherokee will arrive in here in the second half of 2022.

It will also herald the introduction of the 4xe plug-in hybrid powertrain for the range.

Jeep will launch the Grand Cherokee L in the first half of 2022 with conventional petrol engines only.

The regular and long-wheelbase Grand Cherokee models will provide Jeep’s new large SUV with a two-pronged attack on segment-leading off-road rivals such as the ageing Toyota Prado and all-new Isuzu MU-X, while also delivering the first PHEV model in its class.

2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L review

The new five-seat Grand Cherokee is 82mm longer than its predecessor, measuring 4910mm from bumper to bumper.

It also has a longer wheelbase at 2964mm (+49mm), while the Grand Cherokee L is a gargantuan 5204mm long with a 3090mm wheelbase, stretching further than Toyota’s new 4x4 off-road flagship, the LandCruiser 300 Series.

There are subtle exterior styling differences between the five-seat Jeep Grand Cherokee and seven-seat Grand Cherokee L, such as unique lower bumper, rear pillar and LED tail-light designs.

In the US, there are seven model grades: Laredo, Altitude, Limited, Overland, Trailhawk, Summit and Summit Reserve.

Australian pricing and specs are still to be announced for all Grand Cherokee models, but they’re expected to come in above the current starting price of $59,950 and could eclipse $100,000 for top-spec seven-seat models.

Both Grand Cherokee versions are offered with a 10.1-inch central touch-screen running the brand’s Uconnect 5.0 operating system, which is compatible with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

There’s also a new digital rear-view mirror, a 10.1-inch digital instrument display tucked behind the new multifunction steering wheel and a 10-inch head-up display as well.

A secondary 10.25-inch touch-screen for the front passenger, a la the Jeep Grand Wagoneer (which isn’t coming to Australia), is also available for “co-pilot assistance with navigation, camera viewing and visual entertainment”.

Twin 10.25-inch screens are provided for second-row passengers too.

Jeep has upped the ante in the luxury stakes with Palermo leather on offer, along with heated and cooled seats both front and rear, the former featuring 16-way power-adjustment with a massage function.

There’s also ambient LED cabin lighting, several USB-C ports, a 360-degree surround-view parking system and night vision cameras.

Jeep has not confirmed which engines will be offered in Australia, meaning the 3.6-litre V6 (219kW/353Nm) and 5.7-litre HEMI V8 (266kW/529Nm) are both still on the table.

However, it’s looking likely the Grand Cherokee L won’t be offered with a V8 initially.

All engine types, including the plug-in hybrid, drive all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

As the only powertrain locked in for Australia thus far, the five-seat Grand Cherokee 4xe combines a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with a 17kWh battery pack and twin electric motors to deliver 280kW/637Nm and combined-cycle fuel consumption of 4.1L/100km.

Jeep claims a 40km electric-only cruising range and up to 700km between refills and recharges.

The car-maker also says top-spec Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 4xe models have completed the challenging Rubicon Trail in Sierra Nevada under all-electric power.

The 4xe powertrain is being spruiked as a replacement for the diesel models, despite its lower 2720kg towing capacity.

Diesel engines have been ditched for the new Jeep GC, which means towing capacity drops from 3500kg to a maximum 3265kg with the carryover V8. The V6 can tow 2812kg.

Jeep has built a strong following for its thunderous V8-powered SRT models, and while no details have been officially announced, brand CEO Christian Meunier has indicated that high-performance variants such as the next-generation Grand Cherokee Trackhawk will be electrified.

Jeep’s off-road champions, the Trailhawk models, will feature “class-exclusive” disconnecting anti-roll bars that improve wheel articulation and rough terrain capability.

High-strength steel bash plates are also added, along with signature red tow hooks, 18-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres, ground clearance of 278mm and a 610mm water fording depth.

Anti-glare black and red matte bonnet decals are also part of the Trailhawk package.

The Quadra-Drive II 4x4 system complete with dual-range transfer case and 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio will be available, as well as an electronic limited-slip differential (eLSD) at the rear axle and a 47.4:1 crawl ratio.

There’s also a Quadra-Lift air suspension system on offer that now adds electronic semi-active damping and can jack up ride height to 287mm, but it’s not clear if this will be offered in Australia.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 4xe models get several unique features to stand out, such as blue tow hooks, blue highlights on the wheels and a blue bonnet decal.

Stay tuned for more details on the new-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee as its Australian launch draws near.