Review - Jeep Grand Cherokee

Designed largely for the American market, the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s sizable platform, rugged underpinnings and family-friendly nature means that the recipe has translated well into the Australian landscape. 

The only problem for the Grand Cherokee is that it goes up against cars like the Toyota LandCruiser Prado, Kia Sorento, Ford Everest, Mazda CX-9 and Land Rover Discovery, where it’s often forgotten by buyers. 

With that in mind, just how good is the latest Jeep Grand Cherokee, how does it stack up in terms of value and driving comfort, and compare to its major rivals? Let’s find out.

Starting Price: $59,950

OnlineAuto Savings: $2,745

Jeep Grand Cherokee - NIGHT EAGLE (4x4) Specifications

For more details and other variants, check Jeep Grand Cherokee car page.

How Much Does It Cost?

The Jeep Grand Cherokee lineup kicks off from $59,950 for the entry-level Cherokee Night Eagle petrol, with the Night Eagle diesel priced at $65,950. The range then moves to the Grand Cherokee S-Limited range, which is priced at $72,950 for the petrol and diesel variants. 

Opting for the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk diesel brings the price to $75,950, while the Grand Chrokee S-Overland is priced at $82,950. 

Finally, the range-topping Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is priced at $139,950. 

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change, and do not include on-road costs. 

How Much Can OnlineAuto Save You?

You could save money by using one of OnlineAuto’s car agents to assist you in finding the best car for you. As one of the leading car buying services in Australia, our team have access to a range of dealerships across the country to help find you the best deal.

What Features Does the Jeep Grand Cherokee Have?

The entry-level Grand Cherokee Night Eagle comes riding on a set of 20-inch alloy wheels, and receives Bi-Xenon headlights, leather upholstery, keyless entry & start, powered and heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters, cruise control, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster and an 8.4-inch infotainment system with DAB+, satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay & Android Auto which is paired with a six-speaker sound system. 

Stepping up to the Grand Cherokee S-Limited adds black alloys, adaptive cruise control, LED fog lights, a powered boot lift, heated steering wheel, power-adjustable steering wheel, semi-autonomous parking and an upgraded nine-speaker sound system. 

Opting for the Trailhawk adds a smaller set of 18-inch alloys wrapped in all-terrain rubber, as well as ventilated front seats and heated rear seats and Nappa leather upholstery. 

Finally, the range-topping Trackhawk comes riding on 20-inch forged alloys, and receives adaptive HID headlights, quad exhaust pipes, launch control, upgraded Brembo brakes, adaptive suspension and Nappa leather for the door surrounds. 

Range Features:

• 20-inch alloys 

• 4x4 system 

• Two-speed transfer case 

• Bi-Xenon headlights 

• Leather upholstery 

• Keyless entry & start 

• Powered and heated front seats 

• Leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters 

• Cruise control 

• 8.4-inch infotainment system with DAB+, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay 

• Adaptive cruise control (S-Limited)

• LED fog lights (S-Limited)

• Heated steering wheel (S-Limited)

• Powered boot lift (S-Limited)

• Semi-autonomous parking (S-Limited)

• 18-inch alloys with all-terrain rubber (Trailhawk) 

• Nappa leather upholstery (Trailhawk) 

• 20-inch forged alloys (Trackhawk) 

• Launch control (Trackhawk) 

• Upgraded Brembo brakes with yellow calipers (Trackhawk) 

• Adaptive suspension (Trackhawk) 

• Nappa leather for door surrounds (Trackhawk) 

Jeep Grand Cherokee Colours

The Jeep Grand Cherokee range is available in an choice of exterior colour finishes, including Rhino, True Blue, Redline, Green Metallic, Sting Grey, Granite Crystal, Sangria, Diamond Black Crystal, Bright White, Velvet Red, Slate Blue, Ivory, Walnut Brown and Billet Silver. 

Is it Comfortable to Drive?

In the face of growing customer demands, there’s a Grand Cherokee to meet the needs of every Australian family, all of which are a pleasure to drive on the worst conditions that Australian roads can throw at it. 

The range kicks off with the Night Eagle that is offered with a six-cylinder petrol producing 213kW of power and 347Nm of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic that powers all four wheels. 

Power on offer even in the base model is impressive, although those looking to put their Grand Cherokee to work towing large objects should look closely at the diesel that produces 184kW of power and 570Nm of torque, which helps to get you moving off the line with heavy loads in tow, or the V8 unit, although fuel economy does suffer in the V8. 

Finally, the range-topping Trackhawk receives a supercharged V8 producing a massive 522kW of power and 868Nm of torque, which is absolutely immense for any road-going vehicle, offering supercar thrills in a large, SUV body. 

If you’re looking to get your Grand Cherokee dirty with some off-road driving, the Trailhawk variant is the pick of the bunch thanks to its smaller 18-inch alloys that are wrapped in all-terrain tyres. 

Once you’ve gotten the tyres dirty, the Quadra-Trac II four-wheel drive system features a two-speed transfer case, air suspension system and electronic limited-slip differential for the rear axle for some impressive off-road abilities. 

Whichever variant you opt for, you’ll be glad to know that the Grand Cherokee platform translates perfectly to the needs of Australian buyers, where it remains smooth and comfortable on everything from city streets to rough country B-roads. 

While it might be big and bulky on the outside, the Grand Cherokee is easy to pilot around town, making for a user-friendly driving experience that is supremely comfortable, even without the adaptive suspension system that higher-spec variants receive. 

All up, it’s a fabulously comfortable and relaxing SUV to drive, and makes for a great companion for long distance road trips with the family.

Is it Practical and Spacious?

As we know, Americans like to do everything bigger, and this means that Australian buyers stand to benefit from an extremely spacious and practical cabin filled with premium elements, even in the base model. 

Up front, the driver and front passenger have a heap of room and a great view out of the front windscreen, while the manually-adjustable steering wheel allows you to find your preferred seating position; mid-spec variants gain an electric steering column. There’s a great amount of headroom in the first row of the cabin. 

The front of the cabin is spacious, and while the interior itself is beginning to look a bit dated and over-crowded with buttons, as a complete package it’s absolutely fine for the pricepoint and actually comes well-equipped even in the base model. 

There’s also a heap of storage options in the front of the cabin, which is a nice touch for a family SUV. There’s storage in the large door bins either side, two tiers of storage inside the folding armrest, a set of cupholders near the transmission lever, a sunglasses holder and a small storage tray perfect for loose items and smartphone behind the gear lever. 

Move to the rear of the cabin and you’ll find a comfortable benchseat that is able to recline back even further, while there’s a heap of headroom that adds to the sense of space inside the Grand Cherokee. 

The legroom in the second row is perfect for a growing family, and can comfortably accommodate an adult, but is no doubt more suited to young ones. You’ll also find a pair of ISOFIX anchors in the second tow, and three top tether points for easy mounting of child seats. 

In terms of boot space, the Grand Cherokee has a boot rated with cargo storage of 782L, which is on par for the segment and translates to a heap of storage for school bags and loose items for holiday road trips. Better still, there’s a full-sized spare tyre under the boot floor, which is a nice touch that is becoming difficult to find in its rivals. 

Is it Safe?

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has been awarded ANCAP’s maximum five star safety rating, scoring 14 out of 16 for front impact offset and perfect 16 out of 16 for side impacts. 

As standard, all Jeep Grand Cherokee variants come packaged with autonomous emergency braking, seven airbags, lane departure warnings with lane-keep assistance and a reversing camera with front and rear parking sensors. 

For those looking for adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alerts and blind-spot monitoring, you’ll need to upgrade to mid-spec variants, because the entry-level Night Eagle misses out. 

Is it Fuel Efficient?

The entry-level Grand Cherokee petrol is rated at 10L/100km on a combined cycle, while the diesel variant drops this figure down to 7.5L/100km, making it the fuel economy pick of the bunch. 

The 5.7-litre V8 is rated at 13L/100km, while the range-topping Trackhawk’s supercharged V8 engine raises the fuel economy figure to 16.8L/100km. 

Our Verdict: Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee Worth it?

While it might not be the go-to option for Australian families, there’s a heap of value, comfort and family-friendly features on offer in the Grand Cherokee lineup. 

We recommend sticking to the base or mid-spec diesel variants, which still offer an impressive amount of power for towing large objects, while retaining its fuel efficiency. 

If, however, you’re looking for a fire-breathing, fast SUV, the Trackhawk is one of the most unique offerings on the market and offers a heap of personality atop its family-friendly platform. If you’re in the market for a new car, you can get a free quote and see how much OnlineAuto can save you on your next car, or call us on 1300 719 925 

Five Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year/100,000km warranty 

2. Five-star ANCAP safety rating 

3. 3,500kg braked towing capacity 

4. V6 petrol, diesel and V8 engines available 

5. Seven-seat Grand Cherokee L set for release in near future 

Pros

• Spacious and practical interior packaging 
• Smooth ride quality 
• Genuine off-road and towing powerhouse 

Cons

• Fuel economy suffers in V8 variants 
• Set to be replaced soon 
• Uninspiring cabin design

OnlineAuto Rating: 8/10

Jeep Grand Cherokee Competition