Review: 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L

After a decade of being one of the best-selling Jeeps in Australia, the Grand Cherokee has been given a complete makeover. Rebuilt from the ground up, the Grand Cherokee L is now a 7-seater, boasting more luxury than ever before.

INITIAL IMPRESSION

It's big, it's bold and even more American than its predecessor. The all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee L (where the L indicates it's the 7-seater model) is indeed long. It's also wide, offers plenty of space inside and has a massive road presence. You right away recognise the lines and shape of the Grand Cherokee, yet it looks more refreshed and more defined on the L. From the sharper lights in both front and back to the elongated roofline, the Grand Cherokee L truly impresses on first sight. Once you get inside, the technology is world class, competing with premium brands. The same goes for the comfort level of the seats and ride overall. It's luxury through and through.

DRIVEABILITY

Where before you could choose to either get the Grand Cherokee with a petrol or diesel engine, Jeep now has decided to offer the L with only one powertrain.  The tried-and-tested 3.6L V6 petrol engine drives all four wheels and puts out 210 horsepower with 344kW of torque. Though the Jeep Grand Cherokee L is a big unit, this engine has no trouble whatsoever to propel it forward. It might not be lightning fast, but if you put your foot down, the L has no trouble to overtake or accelerate away from the traffic lights.

With a vehicle this size you don't have to expect any sporty characteristics, because comfort is more important in this range.  And there is plenty of comfort in the Grand Cherokee L. The seats are wide and plush, while the suspension takes care of all possible bumps in the road. You feel like floating on the road, while definitely noticing you're also piloting a heavy vehicle. This doesn't feel this way though, as the steering is supportive enough to make light work of getting the L around town. On the highway, the Grand Cherokee L is really in its element, eating up the kilometres.

It does so without using too much fuel either, consuming on average 10.6L/100km. This is thanks to the butter smooth 8-speed transmission that controls the power and throttle well. The L tows just over 2.2 tons, which is sufficient for most toys.

LIVEABILITY

Inside is most definitely the place to be in the all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee L. Whether it be in the drivers seat or in the third row, there is no lack of creature comforts. Even on the third row, you get proper seats (that fold down automatically if needed) that would support even an adult for a long trip. With dedicated aircon vents and USB-charging ports, it a great place to be. In the second row, you get separate climate control functions on top of that, plus enough space to seat 3 people or fit an equal amount of child seats.

If you sit in either the passenger or driver seat, you can check on any of your family members using the 'fam cam', which is perfect to keep an eye out on sleeping babies in rear ward facing seats for example. It's part of the Vision Group package, that also gets you the heads-up display and dual-pane sunroof. Just one of the many tech features in the Grand Cherokee L, that also boosts a 10.1-inch touchscreen, digital rearview mirror and driver memory seats in the Limited - mid-range - model that we drove.

The features go even further on the top-of-the-line Summit Reserve, where the entry model Night Eagle has to settle for no less than 12 USB-ports throughout the vehicle, a 10.25-inch multi view display cluster and Apple Carplay/Android Auto. Nothing more than you actually need, but every extra is nice.

COST

The all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee L is available in three different trim levels. The entry level Night Eagle starts at just over $80k, with premium paint ($1,750) and a powered sunroof ($2,450) as options.

It's equipped with all the standard safety tech you need: Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Path Detection, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Active Lane Management, AEB (with pedestrian/cyclist detection), Drowsy Driver Detection, Traffic Sign Recognition and Intersection Collision Assist.

The next step up is the Limited, setting you back about $90k. Opt for the Vision Group with the aforementioned 'fam cam' and you'll need to spend another $4,250. Next to everything the Night Eagle includes, you'll also get a Nine Speaker Premium Audio System with Active Noise, Ambient LED Lighting and Auto High Beam Headlamp Control, amongst other options.

On the top-of-the-range Summit Reserve model you'll also find the famous Jeep Quadra Trac II Active 4x4 system with Selec-Terrain and Quadra Lift Air Suspension & Adaptive Damping, making this a proper 4x4. Other luxuries are Quilted Palermo leather-trimmed seats, Four-Zone Automatic Climate Control, Hands-free power lift gate, 360-Degree Surround View Camera, ParkSense Parallel & Perpendicular Park Assist and Active Driving Assist. It will cost you about $115,000 and you can add the Advanced Tech Group for $5,500 to add the heads-up display and wireless charging.

All new Grand Cherokee L models come with Jeep's capped price servicing during the 5-year/100,000km warranty and lifetime roadside assistance, plus Jeep's legendary 'There and Back' guarantee and ' Jeep Wave' commitment.

CONCLUSION

There is no denying that the Grand Cherokee L is a big deal for Jeep. Literally. It's one of their best selling vehicles and a showcase of what a luxury SUV from the United States should look like. No wonder they launched the bigger, 7-seater L first, with a 5-seater in the pipeline. The Grand Cherokee L makes an impact both in looks, comfort and technology. It holds a lot of Jeep firsts, which set it apart for the competition.

The all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee L looks great, has a massive road presence and drives as you would expect from a large, luxury SUV: comfortable in every way. The standard safety tech is outstanding, with a lot of other technology features added to make live inside very pleasant. If you want to make an appearance, have a large family or need to eat up the kilometres, then the Jeep Grand Cherokee L is definitely for you.