Would you rather have the 3 row Grand Cherokee or the 2 row?

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#Jeep #GrandCherokee #FamilySUV

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The Jeep Grand Cherokee...One of the most iconic nameplates in American history

But it’s been a long twisted road to get here.

Jeep started onthe back of WWII as a military vehicle
Originally they were Willys
Then in 53 they were acquired by Kaiser motors
Then in 1970 they were acquired by AMC
Then in 79 Renault starts investing in Jeep
Then in 87 Chrysler straight up buys Jeep
And THEN in 98 Chrysler merged with Diamler, yanno the company that owns Mercedes and invented the car
Then in 2007 just ahead of teh financial crisis Diamler dipped out and Chysler owned Jeep completely again
And then it stayed that easy until December 2014 when the struggling Chrysler brand folded into the Fiat umbrella and became FiatChryslerAutomobiles or FCA
And FCA Stood long and proud….until this year 2021 when FCA merges with French conglomerate PSA and became Stellaintis

I mean good lord, this legendary brand has changed hands more than a loosely rolled joint at a college party

Usually, this level of back and forth waters down brand identities and makes for very compromised and uninspiring products.

In teh case of Jeep that couldn’ be further from the truth

Jeep has always been about rugged off-road capability. The name Jeep defines a segment and people use the term “jeeps” to refer to off-road ready vehicles regardless of make and model.

And this unwavering commitment to that idea has created an incredibly loyal and passionate fanbase.

But there was alway one thing holding jeep back from unrivaled greatness…

This is the all new Jeep Grand Cherokee and it brings the offroad chops, but with a bafflingly luxurious and tech heavy experience

Nowhere is the luxury aspect more on display than behind the wheel

This car, as tested is 65k...and you get A LOT for that money

The seats are quilted, heated and cooled, not to mention have massage
There’s wood and aluminum trimming everywhere
The infotainment is the latest Uconnect system and it’s VERY good
AND this thing drives itself

The ride is pretty exceptional, the vehicle is riding on adjustable air suspension
The car will lower itself so it’s easier for you to get in
The safety suite is VERY good and the driver aids are incredible, but as a reminder - not car on sale today is full self driving
The cabin is very refined and quiet, there’s storage everywhere, you have a semi-useable 3rd row, but fitting 3 rows in a vehicle meant for 2 compromises the 2nd and third rows so i’d just get the 2 row
Overall it’s an excellent place to spend time

Which leads us to really the only negative I’ve found during our week with the Grand Cherokee.

And that’s the powertrain.

The 8 speed automatic is very good
The 4x4system is fantastic and has a low range for real hard offroading
The quadralift air suspension will raise up to almost 11 inches of clearance
So it’s still worthy of the jeep name…
But speaking of Jeep stuff… the 3.6 pentastar v6 is under the hood and while it’s a legendary motor, it’s basically 2022 and there’s no reason a v6 should be delivering 18mpg and making under 300hp

You can option a v8 and coming very soon you will get a 4xE version with a plug in hybrid and if it were me i’d get the plug-in

So the motor is a little old, but you can get a Hemi or go the other way and get a hybrid soon
The interior is bafflingly luxurious
The car uses a unibody architecture, but it’s still plenty strong and capable off-road
And there’s a myriad of tech and features for day-to-day

But then there’s the look…

It’s not what I would consider bad, but the nose seems to be turned upward in reflection of it’s new luxury status
The profile reveals how long this thing is with the chrome strip running the length
And around back there just isn’t much going on.

I’m not bothered at all by the design, but it’s far less aggressive than the old one and I kinda miss that

So there it is, the brand new Grand Cherokee.
The rollout on this vehicle is interesting to me because you’ve been able to buy the 3 row for a few months now, but the 2 row is still a few weeks away from lots.
Regardless or branding or rollout or marketing, the truth is this:

The new Grand Cherokee hits on everything you could want and is an incredibly compelling offering. Calling it the American Range Rover isn’t too far off...