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Marton Pettendy5 Jul 2013
REVIEW

Jeep Grand Cherokee 2013: Launch Review

Midlife makeover for Jeep flagship brings eight-speed auto, fresh styling and $43K rear-drive range-opener

Jeep Grand Cherokee


What we liked

?>> Classier new look inside and out?
>> Unrivalled value for money?
>> Improved refinement??

Not so much?
>> Quality still not on par with Germans?
>> Foot-operated parking brake
>> Still no third-row seating

OVERVIEW
?
>> New looks inside and out, new auto and first 4x2 model?
Jeep sent shockwaves through the industry when it launched its all-new fourth-generation WK-series Grand Cherokee Down Under in February 2011 with a sharp starting price of just $45,000 (plus on-road costs).

That made the cheapest version of the iconic American off-road brand’s flagship SUV, the entry-level Laredo 4WD, just a few hundred dollars more expensive than equivalent AWD petrol versions of Ford’s top-selling Australian-made Territory and the Toyota Kluger.

Not surprisingly, Australian SUV buyers responded with their wallets, snapping up no less than 16,553 examples of the Grand Cherokee -- 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.

It also made Australia the world’s second-largest market (and largest right-hand drive market) for the Grand Cherokee, which last year was the second most popular five-seat SUV after the homegrown Territory, and among the top five most popular large SUVs overall.

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.

Now, two and a half years after the local launch of the Mk4 Grand Cherokee, which shares its basis with the latest Mercedes-Benz M-Class launched here only last year, Jeep has launched the 2013 Grand Cherokee with a midlife makeover including fresh front-end styling with new bi-xenon headlights featuring signature LED daytime running lights, plus new wheel designs and a resculpted tailgate, rear spoiler and rear bumper.

Inside, there’s a redesigned interior with new Uconnect infotainment system comprising the latest Chrysler 300 sedan’s new 8.4-inch colour touch-screen, new seven-inch configurable colour TFT instrument cluster display, new three-spoke steering wheels and new dashboard and seat materials for all models, and the option of a new 19-speaker, 835-Watt Harman-Kardon surround sound system for the range-topping Grand Cherokee SRT.

The mechanical highlights is ZF’s latest eight-speed automatic transmission as standard across the range, but further reducing fuel consumption is Australia’s first rear-wheel drive Grand Cherokee variant, the V6 petrol-only Laredo 4x2, which at a new entry price of just $43,000 plus ORCs will broaden the value-packed Grand Cherokee’s appeal even further.

PRICE & EQUIPMENT
?
>> Laredo 4x2 brings even better value for money?
The first rear-wheel drive Grand Cherokee model available in Australia, the new 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 (plus on-road costs).

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

The flagship Grand Cherokee SRT is also $1000 more expensive than before, at $77,000 (plus on-road costs), 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.

Upstream models also offer extra driver safety aids and different suspension and four-wheel drive systems (see SAFETY and MECHANICAL sections for details).

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.

MECHANICAL
?
>> Slick ZF eight-speed and rear-drive the highlights?
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.


PACKAGING?
>> Still no third-row seat
?
There’s no change to the Grand Cherokee’s five-seat cabin layout, meaning no third-row seating option. Jeep is believed to be working on a replacement for its discontinued Commander seven-seat and says it’s too late in the life of the WK model to add a third row.

Jeep is acutely aware of the need for a seven-seat SUV in markets like Australia and that, with 784 litres of luggage space behind the rear seats (extending to a total of 1554 litres with the middle row stowed), a third-row seat would easily fit in the Grand Cherokee.

However, it says ingress and egress would be a problem with a seven-seat Grand Cherokee, which rides on the same wheelbase as the latest Mercedes-Benz M-Class. Jeep points out that the M-Class is a five-seater, while the seven-seat GL-Class rides on a longer wheelbase.

SAFETY
?
>> Latest driver aids, but still four stars
?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.

COMPETITORS
?
>> All-new heart
?
At a new starting price of $43,000 (plus on-road costs), the Grand Cherokee now all but matches the base prices of mainstream large SUV stalwarts like the Ford Territory and Toyota Kluger and is significantly cheaper than the top-selling Toyota Prado off-roader.

At the other end of the Grand Cherokee scale, the top-shelf SRT ($77,000 plus on-road costs) remains more affordable than the cheapest versions of Australia’s most popular large luxury SUVs, including the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz M-Class, with which it shares its platform.

ON THE ROAD
?
>> Champagne performance on a beer budget
?
Jeep’s Grand Cherokee has long blurred the lines between mainstream and luxury SUVs and latest example set new standards of refinement and sophistication for the price while maintaining its legendary off-road capability.

Enter the midlife WK makeover, which lowers the entry price even further via the new Laredo 4x2 base model and raises the luxury bar across the range with a smarter, more upmarket interior that could easily be mistaken for the cabin of a premium European SUV.

Yes, the Laredo misses out on the rest of the range’s classy new 8.4-inch colour centre touch-screen from the latest Chrysler 300, making do with a smaller five-inch unit that looks deliberately downsized, but it does score the same new seven-inch colour TFT instrument cluster display.

The latter can be configured to show an array of handy functions in graphic form, including individual tyre pressures, wheel articulation, drivetrain operation, fuel consumption and other trip computer functions, various driver aids, transmission temperature, oil temperature, oil level, battery voltage, messages, iPod and phone operation and the largest digital speedo we’ve ever seen.

The new colour screens are the highlights of a classy new interior that features soft-touch surfaces everywhere it matters, even if the dashboard surface -- complete with double white stitching -- isn’t as soft as an M-Class’s and is let down by minor quality shortfalls in less important areas, such as where the plastic A-pillar trim meets the roof headlining.

The new eight-speed auto brings dramatic improvements in refinement, shift quality and efficiency across the range too, and comes standard with tactile steering wheel shift paddles in lieu of a manual-shift console gate. Most drivers will leave them alone, but some will be surprised to find the Grand Cherokee does not default back to Drive mode automatically after a short period, like most cars. Instead, you need to hold the right paddle for a second or two.

But a foot-operated parking brake remains the only real flaw in the Grand Cherokee, which is as refined as any German SUV in terms of engine, road and wind noise, while ride comfort is impeccable in all models despite surprisingly flat cornering and outstanding body control -- especially in the tautly steel-sprung SRT.

The latter continues to offer the blood-pumping performance of a 6.4-litre petrol V8, which sounds the business and offers effortless, instant acceleration from any speed. The new launch control function is icing on the cake for bench racers, and we can vouch for the fact it will sprint to 100km/h in five seconds flat and compete the standing quarter-mile in as little as 13.3 seconds, putting it well into sports sedan territory. With traction control disabled, it will also light up its rear Pirelli rubber at will from most legal speeds...

No, the new Laredo 4x2 doesn’t offer the outstanding off-road ability of its 4x4 brethren, but surprised us with how far it could get on greasy mud tracks on Kumho road tyres with more than 40PSI of pressure. The same clever electronics that helped here also keep its more tail-happy cornering nature under control on twisting, wet bitumen.

We averaged fuel consumption of 12.5L/100km after an extended rural and suburban drive in the rear-drive Grand Cherokee, which still offers a respectable 2812kg towing capacity, meaning it’s marginally more efficient in the real world than a petrol Territory or Kluger.

Of course, the rest of the 4x4 line-up continues to offer outstanding off-road ability, thanks to wheel articulation that almost matches the likes of a Range Rover or LandCruiser, and adjustable air suspension that comes standard in Overland models and can be optioned with Quadra-Drive II in other models.

For hard-core off-roaders, there’s also a Trailhawk option pack including extra underbody guards, front/rear tow hooks and Goodyear dual-purpose tyres.

The six-cylinder diesel remains our pick of engines in the Grand Cherokee, offering V8-like torque at all speeds, greater refinement than the Daimler V6 it replaces, even more flexibility thanks to the extra transmission ratios and the biggest fuel consumption reductions of all upgraded models.

The Grand Cherokee might still turn its back on seven-seat SUV buyers, but for everyone else there’s now even more reasons to buy this Jeep.

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