How
it saves fuel
Of course Grand Cherokee petrol engines will never be described as economical—but
the designers have come up with one clever wheeze. When the vehicle detects a
steady cruising speed it can shut down four of the engine’s cylinders.
These are then reactivated automatically when the driver accelerates again. MDS—Multi-Displacement
System—could give you 20% fuel economy on a long journey.
Weekend cowboys
Jeep was making an SUV when the whole concept was still a twinkle in the eye
of a marketing director. For thirty years, the Jeep Wagoneer—with its distinctive
wood panelling—was the vehicle for weekend cowboys. Can you believe that
they made it until 1991?
But I digress. We used to have 4x4s for farmers and cars for everyone else. A
crossover? Forget it. But the Grand Cherokee has been hauling trailers, weekend
cowboys and assorted off-road fans since 1993—and there have been few styling
updates.
Until now that is. The last splinters of faux wood are cur-rently limited to
the dashboard and even the signature shark-tooth grille is now a broad grin.
Yes, the Grand Cherokee 2005 has softened up its look, in order to compete with
the new generation of pavement SUVs. This Jeep can do off road but it will also
sit elegantly in the driveway pretending to be a car.
Big, powerful and quiet
First impressions? This Jeep is big, powerful and quiet. In fact, the new range
is wider and a touch lower than the last generation of Grand Cherokees. Apparently
the designers were aiming for more rear passenger legroom. Unfortunately,
this is still not great and I am astounded that a vehicle this large still
has no extra capacity to turn it into a seven-seater. The upcoming Jeep Commander
will remedy this apparently.
Road clearance is now inferior to that of the Nissan Pathfinder for example—which
could make a difference if you do intend to off-road or do battle with snowy
paths.
Kick-down – and you’re off
The new Jeep GC comes with four engine options. In Europe, the Laredo has a
4.7-litre V8 petrol unit or 3-litre V6 CRD diesel engine. The Limited has
both these options plus a top of the range 5.7-litre V8 Hemi alternative.
Zero–100km/h will take you only 7.1 seconds in this gas-guzzler, pretty
impressive for a large, heavy vehicle. In the diesel version it will take
you closer to 9.7 seconds, still very respectable and a little less costly.
In fact, the CRD will be the one to watch in Europe. Jeep is benefiting from
DaimlerChrysler’s new generation of diesel engines, complete with the
innovative Kick-Down feature. This bites before the pedal has travelled full
distance thus optimizing acceleration by reducing the number of gear changes.
I had hoped to tell you more about the CRD but the press test vehicle was temporarily
off the road thanks to a fender-bender. Obviously that journalist was enjoying
Kick-Down …
Fuel consumption? The low point is the V8 petrol, which achieves an average
of 15.4 litres per 100kms, while the CRD diesel can claim 10.2 litres per 100km
on a mixed urban and motorway drive.
I drove the Hemi Limited and can vouch for the wonderful engine roar at the
traffic lights. It’s a V8, all right. Jeep has developed a fine new super-smooth
five-speed automatic gearbox, with sequential manual Autostick option. The
Hemi comes with all leather seats, power adjustable floor pedals with memory;
rain-sensing wipers and a Boston Acoustics sound system. An Electronic Stability
Program is standard with this model, as well as Dynamic Handling to reduce
body roll, which was a problem with early Grand Cherokees apparently. As well
as ABS, the new range has a 4-BTC anti-skid system. There’s also an electronic
tyre pressure-monitoring safety device and an option on tinted windows.
How to tell the Laredo and the Limited apart? The Limited has a chrome side
strip while the Laredo’s is body coloured.
Less is more
The new look GC is about more steel and less glass, a raked back windscreen,
twin round headlamps to soften the front aspect and a large, mean-looking
spoiler. On the subject of less glass, the aspect may be sharper and meaner
(think Hummer!) but there is limited visibility for reversing. And there
is no reversing camera—which is fast becoming standard on the Japanese
SUVs at least.
Need to use the Jeep to tow a horsebox? Press the
button marked “Haul” to give a direct fourth
gear and the vehicle will make light work of the job. In
fact, the GC is a very sophisticated workhorse, with an all
new Quadra Drive II system for permanent integral traction,
as well as Electronic Limited Slip Differentials. One of
the most powerful units in the segment, the V8 5.7-litre
engine can cope with heavy loads yet still perform like a
sports car. Without the horsebox, that is.
The on board computer and GPS are also very easy to use and I liked the tiny
joystick instead of direction buttons. Another important update on the 2005
GC is the suspension. This gives the vehicle a smaller turning circle and
less lean in the corners, plus better ride quality—especially for rear
passengers.
Need to stow away the family luggage? There’s a reversible load floor
panel storage tray and a big, big boot. Maybe this is why my backseat passengers
complained of being cramped. With split seat options the loading area is
vast so why compromise on passenger legroom?
Any dislikes? The grey plastic trim and the hard elbow rest between the front
seats. More padding, please! Apparently the front seats have been made much
firmer but to me they were still too wide and soft. However, the heated lumbar
panel was bliss.
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