Jeep Grand Cherokee now from $43K

Jeep has lowered the price of entry to its popular Grand Cherokee line-up by $2000 with the addition of its first rear-wheel drive model, the new Laredo 4x2, as part of a facelifted large SUV model range launched this week.

The Laredo 4x2 lowers the big Jeep’s starting price to $43,000 plus on-road costs -- $2000 less than the cheapest outgoing Grand Cherokee, the Laredo 4x4, which like all facelifted variants increases in price by $1000.

Available only with Chrysler’s Pentastar 3.6-litre petrol V6 and, like all 2013 Grand Cherokees, a new eight-speed automatic transmission, the Laredo 4x2 is therefore $3000 more affordable than the equivalent Laredo 4x4 ($46,000), while 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel models continue to command a $5000 price premium, with the Laredo 4x4 CRD now priced at $51,000.

Mid-range Limited 4x4 models continue to cost an extra $10,000 and remain available in V6 petrol ($56,000), V6 diesel and 5.7-litre V8 petrol guises -- the latter both costing $61,000, while top-shelf Overland variants add a further $10K to the price, at $66,000 (V6 petrol) and $71,000 (V6 diesel and V8 petrol).

The flagship Grand Cherokee SRT is also $1000 more expensive than before, at $77,000, and comes with a carryover 6.4-litre Hemi V8.

Standard on all models is a new seven-inch customisable colour TFT instrument cluster display, USB/SD/AUX-compatible Media Hub Centre with voice control and Bluetooth connectivity, new LED daytime running lights, bi-xenon HID headlights with auto high-beam control, foglights, LED tail-lights, power/heated wing mirrors, auto-dimming interior mirror, rear spoiler, eight-way power-adjustable and heated front seats, dual-zone climate-control, trip computer, cruise control, push-button starting and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters to go with the new eight-speed auto.

Base Laredo models ride on 18-inch twin-five-spoke satin chrome wheels and feature Wallace II/Sheldon cloth seat trim, Miknasa Black Walnut dash and door inserts and a six-speaker sound system, while the new entry-level Laredo 4x2 makes do with a five-inch colour Uconnect touch-screen, with all other models scoring the big new 8.4-inch Uconnect touch-screen first seen in the upgraded Chrysler 300.

Moving up to the Limited brings 20-inch five-spoke polished aluminium alloys, Black Capri leather seat trim, Nador Brown Walnut inserts, satellite-navigation, nine-speaker Alpine sound with a 506-Watt amplifier, seat/mirror/radio memory, a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, front/rear parking sensors, a powered tailgate, powered steering wheel reach/rake adjustment, auto-dimming wing mirrors, chromed exterior door-handles, dual chromed exhaust outlets and a lower front fascia with chrome inserts.

In addition, Overland grades come with a body-coloured lower front fascia with chrome inserts, deep-tinted sunscreen glass, Black Nappa leather seat trim, high-gloss Black Zebrano inserts, ventilated front seats, leather trimmed dash, console, armrest and door panel surfaces, a wood/leather steering wheel and dual-pane panoramic sunroof with power shade.

Range-topping SRT models are differentiated by a more aggressive bodykit comprising an exclusive bonnet with twin heat extractors, a black grille with chrome insert, body-coloured door-handles like the Laredo, body-colour lower front fascia with black insert and chrome bezels and black chrome dual exhaust outlets.

Also exclusive to the Grand Cherokee SRT are 20-inch five-spoke ‘Goliath’ polished alloys, premium Nappa leather and perforated suede-trimmed sports front bucket seats, a heated and leather-clad flat-bottom steering wheel with paddles shifters, carbon-fibre interior accents, bright ‘racing style’ pedals and SRT ‘Performance Pages’ for the 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment system with sat-nav.

SRT options include 20-inch split five-spoke ‘Spider Monkey’ SRT alloys, premium ‘Laguna’ leather/suede front bucket seats and, packaged with the panoramic sunroof, a 19-speaker, 825-Watt Harman-Kardon surround sound system.

Jeep also offers an Off-Road Adventure II pack across the WK range, including dual-purpose tyres, 18-inch wheels, skid plates for the fuel tank, transfer case, underbody and front suspension and a shorter axle ratio (3.45 vs. 3.09) for the electronic rear limited-slip diff.

Engines remain unchanged from the outgoing Grand Cherokee, meaning 3.6-litre Pentastar petrol V6, 3.0-litre VM Motori turbo-diesel V6, Chrysler’s 5.7-litre petrol V8 and the SRT’s exclusive 6.4-litre Hemi petrol V8.

All petrol mills meet strict upcoming Euro 6 emissions standards and the chief mechanical change is an eight-speed automatic transmission (instead of the previous model’s five-speed auto) as standard across the range, including an 845RE unit for the petrol V6, which based on ZF’s 8HP45 unit and built under license by Chrysler at its Indiana transmission plant.

All other engines score the higher torque-rated 8HP70 eight-speed auto built by ZF in Germany, reducing fuel consumption in most models as well as providing better acceleration, quicker and smoother shifts and greater overall refinement.

It is matched with standard steering wheel paddles and a new T-handle gearshifter with Drive and Sport modes, plus a new launch mode exclusive to the SRT (in which 70 per cent of engine torque is delivered to the rear wheels) and a lower crawl ratio of 44.1:1 when a low-ranger transfer case is specified.

In 210kW/347Nm 3.6-litre V6 petrol models the result is a fuel consumption reduction of up to 5.4 per cent, with the Laredo 4x2 consuming a class-leading 10.1L/100km and all other petrol V6 models (Laredo, Limited and Overland 4x4s) returning 10.4L/100km.

The fitment of an upgraded 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 (now offering 184kW and 570Nm of torque at 2000rpm – up from 550Nm at 2800rpm) combines with the new eight-auto to consume a best-in-class 7.5L/100km -- 10 per cent less than before. Acceleration to 100km/h is listed at 8.2 seconds -- one-tenth quicker than the Laredo 4x2.

The Grand Cherokee’s 259kW/520Nm 5.7-litre V8 continue to feature the fuel-saving Multi-Displacement System and now returns 13.0L/100km -- almost eight per cent less than the model it replaces. Zero to 100km/h acceleration is 7.3 seconds.

Rounding out the engine line-up is the SRT’s 344kW/624Nm 6.4-litre Hemi V8, which also features four-cylinder ‘Fuel Saver Technology’. It now consumes 14.0L/100km (down 0.1L/100km) and can hit 100km/h in five seconds flat.

All models score a new Eco Mode, in which throttle sensitivity and the transmission’s shift schedule are ‘optimised’ for fuel efficiency, and the Quadra-Lift air suspension system, where fitted, reverts to lower ‘Aero Mode’ ride height.

Except for the base Laredo 4x2, three separate 4x4 systems continue to be available: Quadra-Trac II, Quadra-Drive II with electronic limited-slip rear differential (ELSD) and the SRT’s exclusive Quadra-Trac active on-demand 4WD system, also with ELSD.

A full-time 4WD system with two-speed transfer case, Quadra-Trac II splits engine torque 50:50 per cent front-to-rear, features a 2.27 gear reduction ratio in 4WD Low and is fitted as standard on Laredo 4x4 and all Limited models.

Overland models score the ELSD-equipped Quadra-Drive II system, which splits torque 48:52 per cent front-to-rear and offers the same 2.72 low range reduction, while the SRT’s Quadra-Trac 4WD system does without low range.

It also eschews the Quadra-Lift air suspension system that is fitted as standard in Overland models (and optional in Laredo and Limited models) and provides Normal Ride Height (221mm of ground clearance), Off Road 1 (254mm) and Off Road 2 (287mm) modes, plus Park (40mm lower) and Aero (15mm lower) modes.

All 4x4 models also score the Selec-Terrain adaptive traction control system offering Auto, Sand, Mud, Snow and Rock modes, which works with the air suspension system when fitted to deliver maximum grip in all conditions.

Instead, however, the SRT gets Select-Track, which offers Auto, Sport, Track, Snow and Tow modes and works with the stability control, active damping, transmission, transfer case torque proportioning ELSD and throttle systems.

Towing capacity for the Laredo 4x2 is 2812kg, while the SRT can haul up to 2949kg, rising to 3500kg for all diesel and 5.7-litre V8 models.

There are no structural changes to the WK Grand Cherokee, therefore it retains the same four-star Euro NCAP safety rating it was awarded in 2011, when it was found to offer ‘marginal’ whiplash protection and ‘poor’ pedestrian protection.

However, it comes with a host of advanced driver safety aids, in addition to seven airbags, electronic stability control, electronic rollover mitigation, anti-lock brakes with off-road calibration, brake traction control, hill start assist, a reversing camera, automatic wipers and tyre pressure monitoring as standard across the range.

In addition, all models but the Laredo get front and rear parking sensors, all models but the SRT get hill descent control and both Overland and SRT variants score adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-path detection and forward collision warning with crash mitigation.

Selec-Speed Control is a new feature available as part of the Off-Road Adventure Group option pack for Laredo, Limited and Overland 4x4 (but not SRT) models.

Jeep’s top-selling model globally with more than 220,000 sold last year and about five million finding homes since 1992, the Grand Cherokee is also Jeep’s most popular model in Australia, where the brand’s sales increased by 42 per cent to May this year, 108 per cent last year and 80 per cent in 2011.

Australians bought no fewer than 16,553 examples of the new WK Grand Cherokee since February 2011 -- more than three and a half times the number of previous-generation models sold here in its entire model life -- making it the most successful Jeep ever sold here.

Last year the Grand Cherokee was Australia’s second most popular five-seat SUV after the homegrown Ford Territory and among the top five most popular large SUVs overall.

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