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Kamis, 21 April 2016

2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4x4 review

Jeep’s stout-but-comfy SUV still isn’t showing its age

Been a long time since I drove a Grand Cherokee. Forgot how much I like them. As for this particular one: The handsome devil is about $6K cheaper than I was guessing as I drove along.
It’s just such a well-rounded thing. The eight-speed trans is a joy: smooth and offering good mid-range punch. How often was it shifting? I have no idea. Couldn’t feel it.
Same with the V6: smooth and plenty powerful. This truck has stop/start -- it was only a little rough. Mostly fine. Last time I drove a Grand Cherokee it was the diesel, if I recall. I wonder how much, if at all, VW’s troubles have hurt GC diesel sales.
Ride/handling? It’s quiet and comfortable -- about all you can expect from an SUV. I’m sure its off-road creds are top notch and it reminds me that Jeep and Land Rover are really the last two companies offering such a wide range of capabilities.
Love -- LOVE -- the interior. It’s the primary reason I thought the truck cost more. It makes the driving experience just that much nicer. Build quality is awesome, ditto materials. The digital instruments provide all the information I was looking for through the various displays, accessible by pushing steering wheel-mounted buttons. Easy.
If you want a midsize SUV that does it all (the V6 means 6,200 pounds towing -- plenty for most, I’d guess), a Grand Cherokee needs to be at or near the top of the list with its terrific combination of composure and go anywhere-ness.
Though I gotta say, while I’m thoroughly impressed, I do look forward to the 707-hp Hellcat we said is coming.
-- Wes Raynal, editor
OTHER VOICES:
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is the SUV off which I base all my judgments of other SUVs. It didn’t create the segment -- that honor belongs to the standard boxy Cherokee -- but it surely defined it when it went on sale in 1992.
This 2016 model is just the right size, with just the right amount of power and a good mix of sport and luxury. Actually, this one looks a little more lux, considering it’s the Summit model with all of the goodies.
The interior is serene. All of the controls are laid out within reach, and everything is pleasing to the touch. The seats are comfortable; visibility is outstanding.
Like Wes said, the 290-hp V6 has plenty of grunt for everyday activities, and yeah, the eight-speed is smooth as silk. Steering has a good amount of weight, and if you need a little more go, it has driving modes for sport, rocks, mud and the like.
Yikes! I just saw the price. OK, that’s a little rich for my blood; I guess I was thinking it would be in the high 30s. Maybe I’m delusional. The Limited model, which I think is the company’s volume seller, costs $38K with two-wheel drive, $40K with four-wheel drive. It still isn’t cheap, but if you can ditch some of the goodies, wood trim and such, you can still get into a kick-ass SUV for a decent price.
-- Jake Lingeman, road test editor

The platform underpinning isn’t getting any younger, but the Grand Cherokee just doesn’t seem to be showing its age. I think we’re still at the point where Jeep can refer to this SUV’s underpinnings as “proven” rather than “ancient,” and I wouldn’t blame them -- this thing is good on road and off.
Not that I asked this particular Grand Cherokee Summit to perform any off-road feats (it did accommodate an entire 1951 Packard sedan interior with the rear seats folded down, but that’s another story). I’m probably going to say this about every Jeep I drive for at least the next few months, but I saw bone-stock Grand Cherokees scrambling over impressive rocks at the recent Easter Jeep Safari in Moab.
So trust me when I say that the Grand Cherokee can handle the well-maintained gravel road to your ski lodge.
Whether the price is high is a matter of perspective. Jeep’s sitting at an interesting part of the market. Is it a luxury marque? The existence of the Cherokee and Renegade (and the Patriot and Compass) would say no, but a Wrangler, depending on the configuration, is sort of a luxury -- or at least highly discretionary -- purchase, and the Grand Cherokee can hold its own against the best in the fancy-ute business.
This one sits at the peak, the apex, the top of the trim mountain (the Summit, as it were), but even entry-level Grand Cherokees are pricey at nearly $30K for a 4X2. Remember, though, that this isn’t the 1990s anymore. Fuel economy regulations, the threat of high gas prices, etc., etc. have steered consumers toward milder crossovers. And though you’re paying more for a loaded SUV these days, it’s a far more refined package than anything you got back then.
If you do want to go the loaded route, this is about all you need in a light- to medium-duty luxury SUV. You could get a V8 or a diesel V6; either upgrade gets you a 1,000-pound upgrade in towing capacity (from 6,200 pounds to 7,200 pounds for 4WD-equipped vehicles). Without towing similarly heavy trailers side by side, it’s tough to say how much more relaxed the uprated Grand Cherokees are while hauling near their limits, but on paper, the differences aren’t staggering -- and if you’re going to be hauling yachts around regularly, this isn’t what you need anyway.
Otherwise, a V6 Grand Cherokee will treat you well. If you’re looking for a two-row near luxury -- heck, full-luxury -- SUV, a Grand Cherokee in an upper trim should at least be in the running.
-- Graham Kozak, associate editor

2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4x4 review Rating: 4.5 Diposkan Oleh: Unknown

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