Jeep Grand Cherokee is a premium all-wheel drive mid-size SUV and, at the same time, the flagship of the American automaker's lineup, which combines a balanced appearance, high-quality and roomy interior, modern technology and civilized "driving" characteristics ... Its main target audience is wealthy men looking for a "comfortable and versatile vehicle" suitable for outings ...
The fourth incarnation of the Jeep Grand Cherokee with the in-plant designation "WK2" was shown to the general public in April 2009 at the International Motor Show in New York - it has radically changed compared to its "ancestors" (both in technical terms and in terms of design).
Serial production of the car started in May 2010 - at the facilities of a plant in Detroit (and after - at other enterprises).
In January 2013, at the North American Auto Show, the debut of a restyled SUV took place, which became more modern in appearance (new bumpers and optics), more noble inside (revised front panel and better finishing materials) and technically improved (8-band "automatic" instead of 5- stepped).
The next modernization overtook the five-door at the beginning of 2017 - it was again tweaked the exterior and interior design, and also expanded the functionality.
The "fourth" Jeep Grand Cherokee looks attractive, modern and "thoroughbred", and the poorly hidden angularity of the body gives it a special charm of a "manly guy".
At the front, the car inspires respect with all its appearance, but at the same time does not catch up with horror - squinting headlights with LED "brackets" of running lights, seven "family" slots of the radiator grille, lined up in a row, and an impressive bumper.
In profile, the SUV demonstrates a truly monumental look with a high waistline, a small glass area and "muscular" strokes of rounded-square wheel arches, a bit of energy which is given by a heavily tilted rear windshield and a smoothly sloping roof.
Well, the powerful rear, crowned with beautiful lanterns and a bumper with two "curly" exhaust pipes, harmoniously completes the brutal, but quite calm look.
The length of the Jeep Grand Cherokee WK2 extends to 4828 mm, of which 2915 mm is the center distance, the width reaches 1943 mm, and the height does not exceed 1802 mm.
With a spring suspension, the vehicle's ground clearance is 238 mm, and with a pneumatic suspension it varies from 152 to 282 mm (in the normal position - 206 mm).
In the "stowed" form, the SUV weighs from 2221 to 2403 kg (depending on the modification).
Inside, the fourth-generation Grand Cherokee has less angular outlines than the exterior - there are no sharp corners and bold outlines, but the interior looks beautiful, relevant and quite expensive. The noble center console is crowned with an 8.4-inch screen (in the "base" - a 5-inch) of the uConnect multimedia complex and the keys and controls for the air conditioning instruments.
The five-door interior is qualitatively assembled exclusively from high-quality finishing materials - pliable plastics, genuine leather, aluminum, wood-like inserts, etc.
The SUV's “apartments” have a five-seat layout. The front seats boast a comfortable profile with indistinct lateral support, moderately dense padding and wide adjustment ranges.
In the back row there is a full-fledged three-seater sofa with a somewhat flat pillow, a solid supply of free space on all fronts and an almost flat floor.
With five riders on board, the luggage compartment of the car is 457 liters (under the shelf). The second row of seats folds in a 60:40 ratio into a horizontal “rookery”, increasing the capacity to 1554 liters. In the underground - a full-size "spare wheel" on a cast disc and the necessary tool.
In the Russian market, the fourth-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee is equipped with two petrol V-shaped "sixes" that meet Euro-5 environmental standards, with two overhead camshafts, multi-point fuel injection, 24-valve timing and phase shifters at the inlet and outlet:
- The first option is a 3.0-liter (2985 cubic centimeters) engine that produces 238 horsepower at 6350 rpm and 295 Nm of torque at 4500 rpm.
- The second is the 3.6-liter (3605 cubic centimeters) Pentastar unit, generating 286 hp. at 6350 rpm and 347 Nm of available potential at 4300 rpm.
By default, each of the engines is equipped with an 8-band "automatic" with gear shifting by means of paddle shifters.
But there are two types of transmission for the five-door:
- Quadra-Trac II is an active permanent four-wheel drive system with an electronically controlled center differential capable of directing up to 50% of thrust to the front or rear wheels, and a transfer case with a lowering row.
- Quadra-Drive II is a four-wheel drive with symmetrical distribution of traction along the axles in normal conditions, "transfer case" and cross-axle limited slip differentials with electronic control in both axles. If necessary, the entire power reserve can go to both the front and rear wheels.
The maximum capabilities of the SUV do not exceed 206 km / h, and the acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h varies from 8.3 to 9.8 seconds.
In the combined travel mode "American" consumes from 10.2 to 10.4 liters of fuel, depending on the modification.
At the heart of the "fourth" Jeep Grand Cherokee is a platform from Mercedes-Benz M-class "W164" with a monocoque body, in the design of which high-strength steels are widely used, and a longitudinally oriented engine.
"In a circle" the car is equipped with independent spring suspensions with hydraulic shock absorbers and lateral stabilizers: in the front - a two-link system, at the rear - a multi-link system.
The SUV is equipped with a rack and pinion steering gear, which has a built-in hydraulic power steering. All wheels of the "American" are equipped with disc brakes (ventilated in the front), supplemented by ABS, EBD and other modern electronics.
On the Russian market, Jeep Grand Cherokee can be purchased in three trim levels - "Laredo", "Limited" and "Overland" (the latest version - only with a 3.6-liter engine).
- At least 2,870,000 rubles are asked for this SUV in 2018, and its basic functionality combines: seven airbags, dual-zone climate control, a multimedia complex, 18-inch aluminum wheels, ABS, ESP, cruise control, engine activation from a button, front and rear parking sensors, heated and powered front seats, bi-xenon headlights, an audio system, power windows for all doors and a bunch of other equipment.
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- For the "top" performance, you will have to pay at least 3,800,000 rubles, and it can boast: 20-inch "rollers", a panoramic roof, adjustable air suspension, a rear-view camera, Nappa leather trim, a more advanced infotainment center, heated rear seats, premium "music" and other "goodies".
In addition, this SUV is offered in a "charged" modification called "SRT", which is discussed in detail in a separate review.
