2021 has been a big year for Jeep with the brand celebrating its 80th anniversary and now launching a new Grand Cherokee. Don’t forget that it is also the first 4xe electrified Grand Cherokee as well.
The Grand Cherokee model was first launched in 1992 with Jeep driving one up the steps of Cobo Hall in Detroit and through a glass window. It has been a breakthrough SUV right from that moment!
The fifth-generation of the iconic SUV brings with it new interior & exterior design, hybrid tech, quality craftsmanship and some firsts for the full-size SUV segment. The main idea behind the new generation was to get the balance right between on and off-road handling while combining hybrid performance. With seven million+ sales so far, Jeep’s flagship has been extremely successful. The first batch of the new generation is set for an American debut later this year followed by a global debut early next year.
The 4xe plug-in hybrid technology is a first for the Grand Cherokee nameplate and offers 40km of pure electric driving along with 708km of combined range. The new model has also conquered the Rubicon Trail while in pure EV mode! Naturally, it has Jeep’s renowned Quadra-Trac 1, Quadra-Trac 2 and Quadra-Drive 2 4×4 systems. All that is in addition to the Quadra-Lift air suspension and Selec-Terrain management system.
This new model has incredible off-roading ability for a large luxury SUV. Nearly 30cm of ground clearance and a whopping 61cm wading depth is just mind-boggling! The active transfer case and rear e-LSD further accentuate the off-road focus of this Jeep.
If you’re not much of an outdoorsy person then don’t worry because plenty of focus has been given to the interior as well. There are two 10.1 inch screens, one for the Jeep uConnect 5 infotainment screen plus one for the gauge cluster. The new Grand Cherokee also features a segment first option of a 10.25 inch screen for the passenger. There is also a rear seat entertainment system available with Amazon Fire built in! The interior is wrapped in Palermo leather and has a 950W 19 speaker McIntosh audio system for your thumping tunes!
Safety has been a big priority for this new Grand Cherokee as well with 110 safety and security features available. 360 degree cameras, lane departure warning, cross traffic alert, collision warning and a plethora of other safety features work hard to make the car a reassuring place to be.
The 2022 Grand Cherokee line-up is available in Laredo, Altitude, Limited, Overland, Trailhawk, Summit and Summit Reserve trims. With the 4xe PHEV option only available on Limited, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit and Summit Reserve models.
Jeep’s famous 3.6 litre Pentastar V6 comes as standard across the range with the monstrous 5.7 litre V8 available on the top four trims. However, the 4xe powertrain uses an entirely different 2 litre turbo four cylinder engine coupled with two electric motors through an 8-speed auto gearbox.
The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee will be manufactured at the brand’s all-new Mack plant in the Detroit Assembly Complex. The city’s first new plant in almost 30 years. The first models are set to arrive in North American showrooms later this year with the 4xe model arriving in the States at the start of next year.
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Words by Matthew D’Souza, pictures courtesy of Stellantis Media.
