Jeep Grand Cherokee (2005 - To Date)
BY ANDY ENRIGHT
Rarely has a car been transformed quite so radically in one generation as Jeeps Grand Cherokee. At a swipe, it went from an also ran to a car that deserved serious consideration. The trouble is not everybody caught onto the proposition that Jeep was offering and the Grand Cherokee received a couple of sniffy reviews in some esteemed journals that really should know better. This is good news for you.
While the used market for Land Rover Discoverys and Volvo XC90s is on fire, youll be able to negotiate an even more attractive deal on a Grand Cherokee. Then youll just have to suppress a chuckle every time you see a Land Rover or Volvo come the other way.
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A stiffer chassis, better aerodynamics and a proportionally longer bonnet also point to the latest Grand Cherokees modernity. Equipment? Everything youd expect is in place: a 6-speaker CD Hi-Fi, front foglamps, air-conditioning, electric everything, power folding and heated mirrors, an independently opening rear tailgate glass section and a reversible cargo tray in the estate compartment for those muddy boot moments. Trim levels run from Predator through Limited to the plush Overland range-topper. All Grand Cherokee models were covered by the comprehensive Jeep warranty scheme, which provided a three-year/60,000 mile mechanical warranty, seven-year anti-corrosion warranty and 12 months European roadside assistance.
Because of the heavy discounting from new to shift stock, Grand Cherokees often appear to have suffered big depreciation. Youll be able to track down 3.0-litre CRD diesels from around £18,000 with around 15,000 miles on the clock which is, quite frankly, an awesome deal. If you must have a petrol engine, youll need to stump up at least £20,500.
Insurance ranges from Group 13 to Group 16 for the mainstream models, although if youre interested in the SRT8 model it may well be worth seeking out a specialist that offers competitive quotes on high performance vehicles.
As with any used 4x4, check for signs of heavy off road use. Few Grand Cherokees will have done much more than climb a grass verge but you can never be too careful. Oil leaks and worn rear shock absorbers have been known. The wheels are easy to scratch during enthusiastic off-roading.
Otherwise this is a pretty tough vehicle that has few reported gremlins. Dont pay top dollar from a buyer who claims to have paid full list price from new.
As you might expect for a car of American origin, parts are not particularly cheap. However, there is a well-established dealer network so it should be reasonably easy to track spares down. A clutch assembly is around £400. Front brakepads are around £40, a full exhaust about £700 (with the catalyst) and an alternator around £300.
This Jeep Grand Cherokee is a much better steer than its predecessor. Why? The old recirculating ball steering system was replaced by a rack and pinion set-up and the difference is night and day. Where the old car required constant corrections to keep on the straight and narrow, the latest feels resolutely car-like, with decent feedback. Its still not what youd describe as sporty, but it at least feels as if its now attached to a car rather than a boat.
Hand in hand with the changes to the steering go a root and branch revision of the suspension system. Independent front suspension helps the on-road ride and also pays dividends off-road, increasing wheel articulation and ensuring that the tyres sit squarely on the ground when the suspension is extended. Improved safety systems also feature, with stability control being fitted for the first time. This works in concert with the electronic rollover mitigation system that anticipates critical situations for the vehicle that may lead to a rollover scenario, nipping at the brakes and reducing engine torque to keep this high-sided vehicle dirty side down.
Three engines are available. The 3.0-litre CRD diesel has proved the most popular, taking over 85 per cent share of all Grand Cherokee sales. Its a good deal more powerful than the 161bhp 2.
7-litre CRD diesel fitted to the previous generation Grand, pumping out a healthy 218bhp. This engine also marked a change in philosophy between Mercedes and Chrysler, Jeeps parent brand. Whereas in the past, many Chrysler products had to make do with what were effectively Mercedes hand-me-downs witness the old SLK platform for the Crossfire this 3.0-litre CRD engine was a state of the art unit, currently being installed in the Mercedes M-Class.
This common rail diesel engine fires up with encouraging civility and only becomes vocal when fully extended. The midrange torque is predictably excellent, peaking at 376lb ft, making towing heavy loads no problem at all. It also makes crawling through tricky off road sections at little more than idle simplicity itself. Of course, there will be those who want eight cylinders and a big appetite for petrol from their American car in order to feel properly authentic and Jeep serve up the proper charisma with the 5.
7-litre hemi V8. This is a powerplant that has some real history with Chrysler and in this form, it develops some 326bhp and can run on four cylinders when cruising to save fuel. Mind you, even when running on four its a vehicle that likes a slosh of juice just not as much as the 420bhp 6.1-litre unit in the range-topping SRT-8.
In a rapidly evolving luxury 4x4 market, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is the one vehicle that has improved hand over fist but not received the recognition it deserved. This, coupled with some desperate dealer discounting from new, makes this car one of the best used buys about. Track down a 3.0-litre CRD that hasnt seen the mud and you should have a gem of a vehicle.
