Test: Jeep Grand Cherokee

The American carmaker, which is part of the FCA Group's global brand, has been cultivating its off-road tradition for more than 77 years. With its 4 × 4 expertise, Jeep has so far sold over 1 million vehicles worldwide. The BRC (Bantam Reconnaissance Car) built for the American military certainly achieved cult status for die-hard off-road fans. With the introduction of the Grand Cherokee in 1992 at the latest, Jeep proves to us that off-road cars also have something to do with luxury Test premium suitability. The Jeep finds its entry level at a high 2016 euros.

Review: Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 V6

Luxury living room on four wheels

As a rule, you don't want to try out the Grand Cherokee's off-road capabilities, because who wants to drive such a vehicle into the dirt. However, we can make an exception for the luxury jeep. We are amazed when he crosses difficult terrain with ease. He accepts shopping in the city, but maneuvering becomes a task with the dimensions. His appearance is striking again and again, which we can only describe as massive. This includes the brand-typical, slightly lower-seated radiator grille with a total of seven ventilation openings. The rear design also appears very masculine and robust.

Interior or living room?

Noble materials that are very well processed are used in the interior. The equipment variant “Summit” that we tested has a long list of features that are supplied as standard from the start. This of course includes leather upholstery and a heated steering wheel with real wood applications. The two-zone automatic air conditioning ensures the right climate in the car. The 8,4 inch display as a control center in the dashboard not only shows the navigation maps. The trendy mirror link replicates the apps on our smartphones and much more. We get something on our ears with the Harman-Kardon surround system and its 19 loudspeakers, which deliver a total of 825 watts and which transport us to a concert hall in the middle of an opera. The space available on the Grand Cherokee can be described as more than generous. Both the driver and front passenger as well as passengers in the rear enjoy excellent head and legroom. The panoramic glass roof that extends over the entire roof area gives us a great sense of space. Pleasant travel programmed. If you get bored in the rear seats, you can use the displays in the headrests of the front seats. Optionally, Blue-Ray discs or video games can be used here. Bluetooth in-ear headphones are included so that the driver is not disturbed. When the vehicle is stationary, the driver and front passenger can watch on the screen in the console. The Grand Cherokee also proves its enormous volume of space in terms of the trunk volume. When fully seated, there is still 782 liters of space in the trunk. With the rear seats folded down, 1.552 liters come into play. Comfort features such as a cruise control system with distance control, a parking assistant for parallel and perpendicular parking, a reversing camera and a chassis with air suspension are included in the standard package.

Strong-spined colossus

The approximately 2,5-ton SUV with its 184 kW (250 PS) is catapulted from 8,2 to 0 km / h in a stately 100 seconds. A respectable achievement for the Grand Cherokee, which looks very massive. Equipped with its eight-speed automatic transmission, which noticeably manages without shift holes, it delivers its more than sufficient 570 Newton meters at 2.000 revolutions well to the road. The American Italian scores points when it comes to fuel consumption: During relaxed cruising, we did not exceed 10 liters per 100 kilometers during the test period.

The safety drives in the giant also with. For a vehicle in this price range, an alarm is required that the Grand Cherokee likes to meet. The "Forward Collision Warning System" warns of a possible rear-end collision with an audible signal that can not be ignored. However, this situation could overwhelm an untrained driver very quickly. The Lane Keeping Assistant, which is not missing in the features list, is ideal for longer trips on motorways and makes driving a lot easier. Approaching slopes is facilitated by a Hill Start Assist. When driving off the big Italians supported with another assistance system.

And finally ... All in all, the Grand Cherokee hits the word "SUV" perfectly. The combination between a comfortable family vehicle with generous space and a vehicle with appropriate driving dynamics has been successful in all situations. Practical variability is always given. Traveling with family and luggage as well as using it on difficult terrain with the Land Cruiser is fun and nothing is missing.

engine and gears

Dimensions and performance

Consumption in the test

Text: Stefan Beckmann, picture: Jan-Niklas Eickhoff - contribution picture: Jan-Niklas Eickhoff