The original Jeep Grand Cherokee first went on sale back in 1993. It was the Jeep’s first luxury SUV, and it was also, unlike many other SUVs of the time, constructed around a monocoque chassis. With its rugged looks, impressive off-road capabilities, and luxurious interior, the Grand Cherokee quickly garnered praises and became a popular choice for many buyers in this segment. The present, fourth generation model made its global debut in late 2010, and came with marked improvements over its predecessors.
The 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee, though new, remains more or less the same car. In the United Arab Emirates, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is available with six-cylinder and eight-cylinder engines, and go head-to-head with some of the most established players in the market. Still, the Grand Cherokee remains one of the best-selling models for the American marquee in the whole region. Its main rivals include the Dodge Durango, Ford Explorer, and Toyota Land Cruiser Prado.
Exterior
The 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee has an unmistakable and commanding presence on the road. Its boxy yet (relatively) upscale design makes it stand out fairly well, even in a busy parking lot. The front face of the Grand Cherokee wears the seven-slot chrome grille that’s a Jeep hallmark, flanked by stylish HID headlights with neat-looking LED DRLs. The macho styling of the hood and front bumper seem right at place on this SUV, and the latter gets integrated foglights, tow hooks, and a bash plate.
The brutish side profile of the Grand Cherokee features huge 20-inch alloy wheels along with bold and aggressive fender flares, heightened ground clearance, chrome door handles and window surrounds, and a prominent “Grand Cherokee” badge on the front door. The rear gets large LED taillights with some chrome trimmings, a roof-mounted spoiler, and a meaty bumper with dual-exhaust pipes. The 2019 Grand Cherokee comes in at 4.828 meters in length, 1.943 meters in width, 1.792 meters in height, and its wheelbase is 2.916 meters long. Being almost 5 meters long, but only having to seat five means that the Grand Cherokee’s boot is truly humongous – being able to accommodate 782 liters worth of cargo.
Interior
The 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee’s cabin is vast and can easily carry five adults in comfort. The leather-clad seats provide ample support and you can travel for hours without any issues. Jeep has mostly used good quality, soft-touch padding on most of the interior surfaces, save for a few areas. On the whole, the cabin trim, material and build quality are well above average for this class. The ambient lighting, stitched effect on the leather, satin silver metallic and some wood trim lends this interior a premium feel.
This Jeep’s features/conveniences include automatic headlights, panoramic sunroof, power tailgate, adaptive cruise control, multi-zone climate control, leather upholstery, heated/cooled front seats, all-around parking sensors and camera, ambient lighting, an 8.4-inch touch-infotainment system with navigation, and a Harman Kardon audio system. Among its many safety gadgets, there’s 8 airbags, hill assist and descent control, stability and traction program, and blind-spot warning.
Engine and performance
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is available with a 290 hp 3.6-liter V6, or a 350 hp 5.7-liter N/A, and 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engines. The latter, found in the insane Trackhawk makes 707 hp and 875 Nm of torque. Fuel consumption for these motors is 10.0, 13.0, and 18.0 L/100 km, respectively. All Cherokees come with an 8-speed auto and all-wheel-drive system as standard. The ridiculous Trackhawk can do 0-100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds, and tops out at 290 km/h.
Verdict
Prices for the 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee range between AED 188,000-500,000, while insurance costs from AED 4,230-11,250.
