Jeep is in the midst of a shift. You may even get in touch with it an try at climbing the obstacle that is going from a mainstream brand to a higher-finish luxury brand. One cannot just do that by bedazzling the Wrangler, the Renegade, and the Compass even though. There have to be huge clear shots more than the bough of other individuals in the space if any person is going to take Jeep seriously. 

The Grand Cherokee L is a single of these deadly critical SUVs. This generation arrived early in 2021 as the very first all-new Grand Cherokee because 2010. It had a lot of perform to do to catch the Grand Cherokee nameplate up with modern day rivals. All reports recommend that it is created that headway and far more but we hadn’t had the likelihood to test it ourselves – till now. 

As the name may recommend, the Grand Cherokee L is the extended version of this SUV and sports a third row that the regular Grand Cherokee does not. Jeep gives each in at least eight various trim levels all with varying functions and accessible alternatives. For a deeper dive into these trims see our explainer right here. The distinct model that we’re testing is the Summit trim, a single away from the quite leading and it functions an MSRP of $73,515. 

Attention To Interior Details

Jeep nailed the huge issues when it comes to the interior of the Grand Cherokee. The front-row seats look like they could’ve been pulled out of some swanky lawyer’s workplace. They function outstanding adjustable bolstering, an extendable thigh cushion, a massaging function, and exceptional contrast stitching. From these seats, the dash is a blend of cues from the Wagoneer and special touches. Yes, there is way also a lot low cost piano black plastic but Jeep has also added true wood trim also.

The center handle stack functions a close to-best blend of physical buttons and knobs along with a massive effortless-to-use touchscreen interface. This instance even has the optional $1,095 interactive passenger show. It makes it possible for the front-seat passenger to handle media, verify on rear-seat occupants, load a navigation program, or even hook up and play a third-celebration gaming technique like XBOX. The driver’s data show is huge and vibrant and even has little slits on each and every finish with true ambient lighting (not element of the digital show) glowing from inside the dash. 

The second-row seats are not something to sneeze at even though since they’re captain’s chairs with their personal contrast diamond-patterned stitching. A massive center console offers a handy armrest along with a quite clever storage bin. It opens in two various methods for these second-row passengers offering two layers of storage and we’ll come back to its celebration trick in a moment. Ahead of that console are the rear-seat climate controls which are physical buttons as an alternative of a touchscreen. Beneath that are far more energy points. The windows get sun shades also. Shy of obtaining giant screens in the second row, this is about as good as it gets at this cost point. 

More: 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee Holds The Line On Price Increases

It’s the third row even though exactly where the Grand Cherokee L may stand out as the greatest in the enterprise. I’ve not driven or ridden in each and every single 3-row SUV out there so perhaps I’m missing anything but I know these to be the greatest third-row seats I’ve ever knowledgeable.

Not only are they individualized seats but they are supportive, effectively-positioned, and truly spacious. No Cadillac Escalade, Ford Expedition Max, or Dodge Durango I’ve been in can compete on the mixture of headroom, legroom, and hip area discovered in the third row of the Grand Cherokee L. I’m six-foot-six for reference. 

Let me also say that they do not just really feel very good or match effectively, they appear far better than most second-row seats in other vehicles. There are two USB energy ports on each and every side of the cabin also so each and every individual gets their personal. Each side has its personal climate vent also. Finally, there’s the celebration trick I described above. 

The second-row center console truly has hinges at the front so that third-row occupants can open it from back there. It’s a quite straightforward resolution that empowers third-row passengers. The third row is so very good that it feels practically intentionally created for adults, not little ones. Of course, the little ones that do uncover their way back there may get pleasure from the tiny Jeep easter eggs in the windows and they will not be fighting more than who gets the charging port either. 

Storage behind the third row is strong at 17.two cubic feet. Of course, that expands to more than 80 after the second and third-row seats are folded down. That method is fairly straightforward also thanks to buttons in the cargo location that drop or raise the third row. You can drop the second-row also but you will need to have to go back up to it to raise it manually. 

The Go-Anywhere-In-Comfort Crew Transport

Jeep utilizes the exact same three.six-liter V6 engine as the basis for each and every Grand Cherokee but there are a couple of optional ones that we didn’t get to test. Those contain the 4xe hybrid powertrain discovered in only the regular length GC and the five.7-liter V8 that is only accessible on the Summit and Summit Reserve trims. While either of these would’ve been entertaining and intriguing from inside the cockpit, the V6 was surprisingly sufficient. 

While Jeep seemingly hides how a lot energy this engine tends to make on its web site (actually, have entertaining obtaining it there), it feels like far more than the 293 ponies claimed. Some of that comes down to the buttery smooth eight-speed automatic gearbox. Whatever is going on beneath the hood is somewhat overshadowed by the chassis and ride handle even though. 

It drives far more sharply than any Jeep I’ve piloted just before. The steering offers nicely weighted feedback and the accelerator pedal is effortless to modulate. Body roll is kept to a quite acceptable level for a car of this size and it is effortless to see out of as effectively. That does not imply that there are not a handful of places worthy of improvement even though. The brake pedal is not quite linear which means that at about 30 % engagement there’s a tipping point exactly where a lot far more stopping energy comes in. It was challenging to finesse that in the handful of days we had with the Grand Cherokee. 

The suspension is occasionally compromised also. Some bumps in the road translated far more vibration into the cabin than we anticipated but it is worth mentioning that they have been somewhat handful of and far among. Generally speaking, the Grand Cherokee felt self-assurance-inspiring on the road and quite comfy. Of course, the Grand Cherokee has anything in its arsenal that handful of SUVs quick of a Land Rover Defender can claim: true off-road capability. 

This instance has Jeep’s Quadra-Trac II, a semi-automatic 4WD technique with a two-speed transfer case and a restricted-slip rear differential. It can send energy to just a single wheel if it wants to and although we by no means got anyplace close to getting stuck it was comforting realizing that the Jeep could probably pull itself out of just about something. 

In our mix of highway, city, and dirt-road driving we ended up with 19.three mpg which is beneath the EPA estimate of 21 mpg combined but not sufficient that we’re complaining. We didn’t get a likelihood to tow with the Grand Cherokee but when correctly equipped with the V8 it’ll tow up to 7,200 pounds. 

The other bit worth discussing right here is how effectively Jeep’s driver-help package does its job. The adaptive cruise handle is precise and quite smooth and the lane-hold help keeps the SUV in its lane on the highway with ease. Another function is evening vision, which shows up in the gauge cluster and actually performs excellent via the use of yellow indicators when it sees a individual or animal in the field of view. These tiny touches make piloting the Grand Cherokee significantly less of a chore than its size may have you think. 

Claiming New Territory

Take a fast appear about the automotive industry and you will uncover that the Jeep Grand Cherokee and this, the longer L version, have handful of direct rivals. Sure, lots of SUVs price this a lot, some provide this level of high quality, and other individuals supply far more energy but how a lot of combine sincere off-road capability with this level of luxury?

Jeep also contains 3 complete years of complimentary upkeep to sweeten the deal. In terms of rivals, the Land Rover Discovery or Defender are almost certainly the closest and they’re merely not as posh inside as the Jeep is. Some may choose the style aesthetic of the Brits but go appear at the second and third rows and then come back and inform us. Which would you choose to take your bougie buddies camping in? We’re taking the Grand Cherokee.

Images: Stephen Rivers for Carscoops