Iconic American off-road brand Jeep finally has a competitor in the full-size SUV segment, courtesy of its new Grand Cherokee L, which boasts a longer wheelbase and third row of seats among a raft of changes to the new model.

Available in a three-variant line up, all with the same 3.6-litre petrol V6 and eight-speed automatic powertrain, the range starts with the $82,250 Night Eagle, rising to the $87,950 Limited, and on to the top of the range Summit Reserve tested here, costing a hefty $115,450.

First impressions are positive, the imposing exterior styling marked by Jeep’s trademark seven-slot grille, automatic LED headlights and taillights and big 21-inch wheels. The top-of-the-line Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve’s generously proportioned interior is also distinctly premium, with luxury touches like quilted Palermo leather, open-pore waxed Walnut wood, and a 19-speaker, 760W McIntosh sound system.

The lavish list of kit would give a Range Rover a run for its money and includes a frameless 10.25-inch configurable digital instrument cluster, 10.1-inch colour touchscreen, and ambient LED interior lighting among other features.



The touchscreen runs Jeep’s latest Uconnect 5 operating system, which the company claims is five times faster than the previous generation. The system delivers standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but you’ll have to find an extra $5500 if you want a wireless phone charger, which comes as part of an Advanced Technology Group bundled options pack that also includes night vision, windshield Head-up Display (HUD), and an additional front passenger interactive display screen.

Driver and passenger benefit from plush 12-way power adjustable leather front seats with heating, cooling and massage functions, with the second row also getting seat heating and cooling, window blinds, climate control, and individual USB charge points.

A power operated tailgate provides access to rear switchgear which folds the second and third third-rows. Boot space is a still generous 487L with the third row in use, expanding to 1328L with the third row folded, or a yawning 2395L when using the maximum cargo capacity.

Access to the third row is via the second row, which tilts and slides forwards to make ingress and egress a reasonably elegant affair. Third row passengers get better than average legroom, plus their own power outlets, air vents and cupholders, marking this as one of the better third rows you’re likely to find, short of a people mover.

Under the bonnet, or ‘hood’ as the Yanks prefer to call it, is a 3.6-litre naturally aspirated ‘Pentastar’ petrol V6 with outputs of 210kW/344Nm. By way of comparison, the turbocharged and supercharged 3.0-litre inline six cylinder beneath the snout of rival Land Rover’s similarly priced Discovery P360R-Dynamic HSE produces a more muscular 265kW/500Nm. Jeep offers a V8 option in the US market but not here.

The V6 is carried over from the previous generation “two-row” Grand Cherokee and is in many ways the weakest link in this otherwise very impressive large SUV. It’s a dated unit by contemporary standards and despite the Jeep’s otherwise excellent NVH properties the engine makes its presence known under a medium to heavy throttle. The engine’s torque characteristics are also such that it needs to rev reasonably high to give its best, and it lacks the effortless oomph we’ve come to expect of modern turbocharged donks.

Driving through an eight-speed automatic transmission the V6 puts it power to all four wheels via a Quadra-Trac II all-wheel drive system, which comes with the option of low-range and Selec-Terrain traction management system.

The latter features various driving modes to suit different conditions, including Rock, Sand/Mud, Snow, Auto and Sport modes.
Excellent off-road performance is a given with most Jeeps and, while we didn’t get more ambitious than decent quality gravel roads on this particular test, the specs show the sort of aggressive approach, departure, ground clearance and wading depth numbers that suggest a high level of capability.

The Summit Reserve is the only variant to get a two-speed transfer case, meaning you can select the necessary low range gearing for really gnarly conditions, while the height adjustable air suspension increases ground clearance to a maximum of 276mm. That’s a handy 41mm more than you get with off-road rival, Toyota’s LandCruiser 300 Series.

If there is a weakness in the Grand Cherokee L’s off-road arsenal it’s likely to be the ramp over angle, courtesy of that long 3092mm wheelbase, which also contributes to a less than stellar 11.7m turning circle. The latter is about the same as a LandCruiser 300 Series, incidentally.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve with air suspension has the same 2813kg braked towing capacity as the steel sprung Night Eagle and Limited models in the same range.

On the touring range front, the Jeep’s generous 104-litre fuel tank capacity is within six litres of the Toyotal LandCruiser, endowing the Grand Cherokee L with an excellent 980km touring range. That’s when achieving its claimed combined cycle average of 10.6L/100km, which is not always a given and we returned a thirstier 13.7L/100km during our test.

Under the skin there’s an all-new vehicle architecture boasting unibody construction, independent front and rear suspension, Quadra-Lift air suspension and electronic adaptive dampers at each corner. Jeep claims the new setup delivers class-leading off-road capability and premium on-road driving dynamics and the setup certainly does an impressive job of ironing out the bumps, even despite the 21-inch wheels.

Ride and handling are fairly soft in the auto mode, with the high riding position meaning more body roll than you’d get in an equivalent passenger wagon. Switching to Sport firms things up significantly and the big Jeep can be hustled along at a fair clip in this mode while displaying exemplary road manners.

Safety is also right on the money with features including AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, driver fatigue detection, Adaptive cruise control with stop/go, and traffic sign recognition. The Summit Reserve also includes a total of eight airbags, a 360-degree surround view camera, plus a reversing camera with front and rear parking sensors.

Jeep says this long-wheelbase seven-seat model will soon be followed by a shorter wheelbase five-seat Grand Cherokee, including a Plug-In-Hybrid electrified version, due sometime in 2022.

In summary, the new Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve is an impressive piece of kit that takes Jeep into a decidedly more premium and upmarket space. With its generous interior accommodation and quality fit out it should prove a hit with well-heeled families looking for a Land Rover like combo of luxury, space and off-road ability. Provided you can afford its fairly steep price tag, the limited towing capacity and somewhat underwhelming engine are among the few evident vices.

Key Stats 

• PRICE: $115,450 (MRLP)
• ENGINE: 3.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol V6 (210kW @ 6400rpm and 344Nm @ 4000rpm).
• ANCAP CRASH RATING: Not yet rated
• FUEL CONSUMPTION (combined cycle, litres/100km): 10.6L/100km (243g CO2/km).
• FOR: Attractive design, generous equipment list, plush ride, roomy interior, off-road ability.
• AGAINST: Price, engine performance, fuel consumption.