Jeep Grand Cherokee (2011 - 2021) Review

Jeep has tweaked the Grand Cherokee giving it even more road presence. The front of the car has had a few changes including the grille, it’s now shorter while there's a set of slimline LED headlamps giving the Jeep a new look face.

Move round to the rear and you’ll see the Jeep badge has been placed in a more prominent location while the tail lamps have also been tweaked.

Jeep hopes that it will be able to attract a substantial number of business drivers but if the company aims to take sales away from the likes of the German luxury brands then this has got to be one of the makers best ever vehicles Can this new look Jeep put the competition under pressure or is it more style than substance with the new Grand Cherokee?

Read on to find out more.

Two engines are available on the Jeep line-up. There’s the low-powered 187bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel available on the Laredo or Limited trims. These cars have a maximum of 440 torque and performance is about average. This unit will propel the Grand Cherokee to 62mph from a standing start in 10.2 seconds and will go on to a top speed of 119mph.

The high-powered 3.0-litre V6 diesel has a power output of 247bhp and comes with a maximum torque of 570Nm. This version of the Jeep will complete the benchmark sprint in 8.2 seconds and has a top speed of 126mph.

Performance as you can see is good but this is largely down to the eight-speed transmission, which is super smooth, and the ratios are well geared for both speed and precision. Yes, this iteration of the grand Cherokee is much better to drive in a straight line.

Our advice is to avoid the Limited model as it rides on steel springs and these tend to spoil the ride. You are best opting for models higher up the specification list, the Quadra-lift air-sprung cars are much, much better. It feels better and much more agile in the twisty stuff while the ride is better too.

The Grand Cherokee is much better than its previous iteration but there is plenty of work to do before it worries the likes of the VW Touareg or the BMW X3.

For the best in refinement you will need to opt for a high trim level. Opt for the Summit grade and you will be in the lap of luxury. The front seats are more supportive and the cabin is well-insulated keeping road, tyre and wind noise to a minimum.

Standard Jeep Grand Cherokee equipment Four trim levels are offered on the Jeep Grand Cherokee range. The entry-level Laredo has cloth seats as standard, however, this specification is only expected to account for less than five percent of total sales. This is the workhorse version of the Grand Cherokee.

Move up to Limited and you get electrically adjusted two-way steering column, hill start assist, Jeep’s Quadra-Trac four-wheel drive system and Selec-Terrain, automatic headlights and wipers, roof rails, electric folding door mirrors, Bi-Xenon headlights with washers, daytime running lights, fog lights, 18-inch alloys, aircon, leather upholstery, electric seat adjustment with position memory, CD stereo with touch screen display, Bluetooth, steering wheel controls for the stereo and an MP3 connection, all as standard Op for the Overland spec and this adds Quadra-Drive all-wheel drive, satnav with voice command control, heated steering wheel, Nappa leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, Blind Spot Detection system, Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, a power tailgate and 20-inch alloys.

The flagship Summit model adds 20-inch alloys, premium Natura leatherupholstery and a high-end Harmon Kardon surround sound system. Optional extras are aimed squarely with those who enjoy lifestyle sports. Highlights include roof rails, tow bar and a servo-assisted bike carrier.

Practicality is one of the Grand Cherokee’s key features. There are plenty of storage solution whether you are up front or sitting in the rear. These include cupholders, large door pockets, illuminated vanity mirrors, a central storage compartment with 12v charging socket and an overhead sunglasses drawer. Rear passengers are not forgotten as they get reclining seats and cooling vents making long journeys very pleasant. With the seats in place, there is a load space of 782 litres and if you need more space then fold the rear seats flat and the luggage space expands to 1,554 litres.

If towing is your game then the Grand Cherokee has a capacity of 3500kg for braked trailers, though the top of the range Summit can only cope with 2,949kg.

All engines in the Jeep Grand Cherokee range have a claimed average economy of 37.7mpg while emissions are the same for all models – the Grand Cherokee across the range emits 198g/km of CO2.

Jeep has been working hard on improving the quality inside and out on the Grand Cherokee. The mechanicals should be solid as they are based on the same platform as the 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class, so reliability issues should be few and far between. On the inside the plastics are a little cheap to touch and may score so care is needed. All models are covered by a three-year/60,000 miles warranty.

Unfortunately the Jeep Grand Cherokee is not quite a five star car. It achieved a four-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests by the independent testers. It does, however, come with active head restraints, multiple airbags, electronic stability and traction control, electronic roll mitigation to reduce the risk of rollovers, a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, a tyre pressure monitoring system and a Trailer Sway Control system improves handling when towing.