Category: Sporting 4x4s 
Price Range: £27,100 to £41,800
Value for money. Delivers plenty of performance, especially in V8 form. Easy to drive, and quite able off-road.
Fuel economy is on poor side. Rear seats not spacious. Rivals have better interior quality.
Not as good competitive it was. Image and value keep it selling.
Despite its bulk, the Grand Cherokee is quite easy to drive. The driving position is lofty and good visibility is afforded by large windows and decent mirrors. The dashboard is clearly laid out and easy to use, while the comprehensive trip computer has a simple, roof-mounted control panel. The Grand Cherokee behaves well on the road for a vehicle of its size, with a smooth ride providing quite effortless travel. It's a bit less stable than its best rivals at higher speeds, but is easily the match of the ML Class Mercedes, if not the Lexus RX300 or BMW X5. Off road it's very able, with a unique Quadra-Trac transmission system making it exceptionally agile by channelling power to the wheels with most grip.
For sheer power the 4.0 litre six cylinder engine is quite adequate. It accelerates well from low speeds, remains smooth and composed at higher speeds and works well with the automatic gearbox, though this is a little eager to kick-down. The 4.7 V8 comes in two versions - 220bhp as standard or 255bhp in Overland trim. The extra performance and refinement is welcome, but comes at a price. A '17mpg if you use the performance' sort of price. The 2.7-litre turbo-diesel is strong - as well as usefully more economical - but not quite as smooth as the best rivals' units. It replaced an earlier 3.1-litre unit, which was noisier.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Jeep Grand Cherokee
wrote on 23 09 2006
wrote on 15 08 2006