THE GRAND CHEROKEE BY JACK SLATER

Considering the flavours that the Grand Cherokee comes in

with, from a mild V6 to a meaty 6.3 litre V8 it’s good to see

that for this year a diesel engine will be joining the list.

Noisy with excessive vibrations and bad smells are usually

associated with diesel engines and all of these lamentations are

absent. There is more noticeable unwanted engine noise than with

the V6 or even the V8 HEMI-powered Grand Cherokee, but it isn’t

overly intrusive. Starting up after sitting outside through a cold winter

night, the engine clatter is the loudest, but that mostly fades away

once it warms up. It’s also worth mentioning that we faced average

temperatures between 14 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit and the engine

never took longer than three or four seconds to start up predawn

when we started our test drives.

Low-end grunt is the most noticeable trait of this engine. Torque is

a strong-point for any diesel, and Chrysler’s 3.0-litre is no exception.

Even at highways speeds, the motor always seems to have accessible

power.

GearsMaking sure that the power is used in the most efficient manner

possible, an eight-speed automatic transmission and the gearing

setup never misses a beat when it comes to shifts. Fuel economy

benefits too. The EPA pegs the Grand Cherokee Eco Diesel at 24 mpg

combined for four-wheel drive models, and our time with this Jeep

returned an average of 23 mpg which is good considering the power

involved.

Even at highways speeds, the motor always seems to have accessible power.

Lots Of ToysOne of the coolest new

things is an air suspension

system that not only allows the

driver to choose from a range of

suspension settings and heights,

but the system will also lower the

vehicle to improve aerodynamics

at higher speeds. The drop is not

noticeable and the system works

well in the background while

providing a solid suspension feel

that allows the Grand Cherokee

to offer reasonable handling and

a comfortable ride, which I found

very useful because I really didn’t

notice at the time.

Rated to tow 7,200 lbs in

all-wheel drive, the GC diesel is

fitted with a 3.45:1 rear-end axle.

Towing won’t feel the same in a

unibody crossover as it does in a

body-on-frame truck of course,

but the engine power will remain

strong and it’s good to know

what’s available if ever you have

to haul a caravan somewhere.

Setting the Select-Terrain system to “Snow,” I found it could

tackle a solid two feet of the white stuff in some spots along with

some shallow water crossings. Throttle calibration is controlled well,

allowing you to crawl along at a slow and steady speed, while the

torque of the transfer case combined with the diesel engine feels

strong enough to uproot a tree.

Eventually, or inevitably, as I do like to push the cars, I did get stuck,

which exposed a weakness in the air suspension. Once immobile,

I switched it out of snow mode to try and get more top-end power

into the wheels. The issue is, when the wheels are freely spinning in

the stuck snow, the air suspension decides to drop out of its off-road

height setting, which meant that the body of the GC was now sitting

on the snow like a mechanical walrus.

Yes, this is the most luxurious version of the Grand Cherokee

which will probably spend most of its time on pavement, but any

vehicle equipped with drive modes like “Snow” and “Mud” should

include easy to access recovery hooks. We ended up hooking the tow

strap to a part of the axle, which meant crawling underneath, in the

freezing snow, to hook it up and eventually we freed ourselves and

left the inside thoroughly soiled...

Worth Its MoneyMy girlfriend made a pleasant comment, that the Grand Cherokee

is luxurious beyond its price point with as much style as vehicles

twice its price. The car we had to test was outfitted in Summit trim,

which includes a seven-inch LCD gauge cluster, wooden tones and

comfortable stitched leather that covers just about every surface,

including much of the dashboard. It dripped comfort.

Finding the centre console to be laid out sensibly and simply,

while the 8.4-inch touchscreen found there runs Chrysler’s fantastic

UConnect infotainment system. It is intuitive and the graphics make

it simple to understand. Likewise, the seven-inch screen in the LCD

gauge cluster is intuitive and makes pertinent information easy to

access, which judging by the way I drive, is a good thing.

Actually, things to complain about on the diesel-powered GC are

few and far between, until it comes to the price. The diesel engine is

only available with the Limited, Overland and Summit trimmed Grand

Cherokee, which means that the cheapest diesel-equipped model you

can starts at $41,890. Just to get the oil-burner, you have to drop an

extra $4,500 over a V6-powered Grand Cherokee or $1,305 over the

V8 HEMI motor.

So In The EndBuying this really depends on how you want to use it. Honestly,

the V6 is a brilliant motor when hooked up to the eight-speed, and will

return comparable fuel economy and a pleasurable drive experience.

However, if you’re like me and torque and fuel economy are absolute

priorities, then the diesel-powered Grand Cherokee is going to be the

one you jump for.

Endeavour Magazine | 19

The air suspension system not only allows the driver to choose from a range of suspension settings and heights, but will also lower the vehicle to improve aerodynamics at higher speeds.