Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep is an iconic brand in most places around the world, including in India, and not just because Mahindra used to assemble WW2 Jeeps. The go-anywhere ability of the Jeep brand has been retained over the decades, and an element of luxury has been added especially to their big models like the Grand Cherokee.
exterior
The Grand Cherokee that will come to India is the 2016 MY vehicle. This means the new face multi-slat grille with the thin LED headlights and indicators. There are conventional fog lamps and a bash plate assembly garnished in chrome. The butch looks of the previous Cherokee have been retained. This is enhanced by the square wheel arches, roof rails and big wheels. Moving to the rear, we can see wrap around LED tail lamps, chrome garnish and a roof mounted spoiler. There will also be an SRT model which gets a sporty body kit, different headlamps and obviously the legendary SRT badging.
The 'Grand' in the name offers a hint of luxury all on its own, but it also denotes the fact that this Cherokee is the larger of two siblings, but there still is no capacity for three rows of seating. However, in markets around the world, it goes toe to toe with two-row SUVs like the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5, with a notable three-row mention being the Land Rover Discovery Sport.
Standard features are expected to include climate control, touchscreen infotainment system, electric seat adjustment for front seats, leather seats, auto dimming mirrors, AC for the second row. It is expected to also be the vehicle that will debut the automaker’s latest infotainment system as well as connectivity technology. The SRT model gets brown leather seats with SRT stitching and badging, black and grey dashboard.
Engine and gearbox
The Grand Cherokee seems to be a good fit for the Indian market: the current generation boasts a 3.0-litre V6 diesel that generates 237bhp and 549Nm and feeds power to all four wheels. The only other engine option is a 470bhp, 6.4-litre petrol V8; it is extremely unlikely that anyone in India will want one of those. The suspension is tuned for comfort rather than handling, just like the steering - and that will be perfect for Indian roads. It helps that it has electronic control over the suspension, differentials and stability control that is programmed for a one-touch suitability to different surfaces like Land Rover's Terrain Response System.
The SRT-spec Cherokee gets a thumping big 6.4-litre V8 that produces 475bhp and is mated to a eight-speed automatic. It has a 0-100kmph time of 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 260kmph, which is a lot when you consider the size of the vehicle.
Price and competition
The Grand Cherokee is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 50 lakh to Rs 65 lakh while the SRT- spec model will easily breach the Rs 1.2 crore mark and be offered in extremely limited numbers. It will compete with the BMW X3, Audi Q7 and the Mercedes-Benz GLE.
| TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | |
| ITEMS | Diesel |
| ENGINE | |
| Configuration | V6 / Common Rail Direct Injection |
| Engine | 3 Litres |
| Maximum Power (bhp/rpm) | 240 @ 3600 |
| Maximum Torque (nm/rpm) | 570 @ 2000 |
| TRANSMISSION | |
| Type | 8 - Speed AT / 4WD |
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