JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE L SUMMIT RESERVE

By JEFFREY GIBBS

Launched last year, Jeep’s Grand Cherokee L (for long wheelbase) offers three rows of seats for the frst time, giving larger families the opportunity to enjoy the iconic American car maker. However, apart from one diesel Compass, all Jeeps now come with a petrol engine in what has long been a diesel-dominated section of the market. While Jeep has hybrid and electric powertrains on the way, they won’t arrive until the end of the year, which could be problematic for the brand.

At 5204mm in length, with a wheelbase of 3091mm and tipping the scales at 2270kg, the Grand Cherokee L is a big vehicle with an eyecatching long profle. It comes in four favours, starting with the Night Eagle and topping out with the Summit Reserve.

The Summit Reserve comes with all the bells and whistles, including 21-inch polished alloys, four-zone air, ventilated, 12-way adjustable front seats with memory and massage function, open-pore waxed walnut wood fnishes, powerfolding second and third-row seats, auto high beam, auto lights and wipers, poweradjust steering column, a digital rear view mirror, front and rear parking sensors, parallel and perpendicular parking, and adaptive cruise control with stop and go. It is covered by a fve- year, 100,000-kilometre warranty, along with lifetime roadside assistance when serviced by Jeep.

Service intervals are spaced at 12,000km or 12 months, with a fee of $399 a pop. In terms of infotainment, the Grand Cherokee L features a slick 10.1-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, voice control, built-in navigation, AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio, plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Summit also includes a bespoke 950 watt, 19-speaker McIntosh audio system specifcally tuned to the vehicle’s layout, plus a night vision system that projects a greyscale image of the darkened road ahead in the centre of the instrument cluster. It also features a unique interactive, front passenger touchscreen integrated into the front of the glovebox. This allows the passenger to stream music wirelessly to the audio system, view the GPS map and send destinations directly to the centre touchscreen. No matter which grade you choose, they’re all powered by the same 3.6-litre Pentastar petrol V6, with 210kW of power at 6400 rpm and 344Nm of torque on tap from 4000 rpm.

The V6 is paired with an eight-speed conventional automatic, with drive to all four wheels, steering wheel mounted gear change paddles and auto engine-stop-start to help save fuel. Fuel consumption from the 87-litre tank is rated at 10.6L/100km, but this can vary depending on the type of terrain and the driver. The Grand Cherokee L also comes with a fve-star safety rating, with multiple airbags, a surround view camera and autonomous emergency braking (with cyclist and pedestrian detection). It also has blind spot monitoring with rear cross-path detection, active lane management, drowsy driver detection and traffc sign recognition. In terms of off-roading, the car features a Quadra-Trac II Active 4x4 System with high and low range gearing, Selec-Terrain off-road modes and Quadra Lift Air Suspension with semi-active damping. This offers up to 276mm of ground clearance and a wading depth of 610mm.

On the road, the Grand Cherokee L can be quite thirsty, so it is best to plan out longer journeys carefully. The ride can be quite harsh, transmitting the smallest imperfections through the wheels to the cabin. It also has a low 2813kg tow rating. The cabin, however, exudes class with quilted leather and real wood inlays, while the second and third row of seats can be dropped at the push of a button. Ultimately, the Grand Cherokee L is a big and classy car with plenty of toys, but its high fuel consumption and lacklustre ride quality make it a less than ideal choice for most drivers. It takes standard 91 RON unleaded and has a sizeable tank, but you may fnd yourself needing to refuel more often than you’d like. While the features and safety ratings are appealing, there are better options out there that offer more effcient engines and superior ride quality.

MODEL RANGE

Night Eagle, $82,750 Limited, $88,750 Overland, $103,250 Summit Reserve, $119,450

Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Jeep dealer for drive-away prices.

SPECIFICATIONS:

(Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve, 3.6L six-cylinder petrol V6, eight-speed automatic, high and low range on demand 4×4)

ENGINE:

Capacity: 3.6 litres

Confguration:

Six-cylinder V6

Maximum Power:

210 kW @ 6400 rpm

Maximum Torque: 344 Nm @ 4000 rpm

Fuel Type: Unleaded petrol (91 RON)

Combined Fuel Cycle (ADR 81/02): 10.6 L/100km

DRIVELINE:

Eight-speed automatic, high and low range on demand 4×4