Sophistication and fluidity of design comprise the new Jeep Grand Cherokee.

A first look at a vehicle that owes much to basic training

By: Ron Amadon
MarketWatch

DAMASCUS, Md. (MarketWatch) — It was sitting there at the service station being looked over by one and all, still in its Army colors and the white military lettering on the sides of the hood.

The GI Joe version of the Jeep, and no one could have invented a more basic set of wheels. And yet here it is, still running after conquering all the wars and winning the hearts of thousands of GI’s.

This tribute to all things basic was spotted while on route to the unveiling of the redesigned 2011 Grand Cherokee. It had soft leather seats in place of canvas, air conditioning in place of the open air, a pulse-setting audio system in place of a guy whistling a Glenn Miller tune. However, when it comes down to the basics of what makes a Jeep a Jeep they could not be more similar.

Both will take you where you want or need to go and back regardless of whether it’s halfway across the Sahara Desert, along the Rubicon Trail, or off to a Saturday golf match at the club. And both would draw a crowd.

There are three 4×4 systems in the new Grand Cherokee although rear-wheel drive is available if you don’t, like most owners, ever fancy yourself going off road.

Yet if you do, in some upscale models, your eye will be drawn to a knob on the center console that is very Land Rover-like. It allows the Grand Cherokee to select just the right combination to get you through sand and mud, snow, rocks, sporty driving and the one most people will choose — automatic. Early in the model year, only a 5-speed automatic transmission will be offered.

Some models have an air suspension that will raise the body for true off-road adventures while protecting vital stuff underneath. You start the process with 8.1 inches of ground clearance and it can tow up to 7,400 pounds.

To do that, you will need the 360 horsepower, 5.7-liter hemi with 390 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm. Not exactly a gas sipper, this engine will haul even with a curb weight of up to 5,200 pounds. Jeep’s MDS System will alternate between four-cylinder power when less grunt is needed to a full bore, all-systems-ignited hemi when that is desired.

For 2011 there is also a new V-6 available as the base engine in the Grand Cherokee. It is good for 290 horsepower and 260 lb-ft torque 4,800 rpm. Jeep claims 11% better gas mileage with this six over the 2010 model.

The six is EPA rated at 16-23 mpg in two-wheel drive models and 16-22 in 4WD. The EPA said the eight is good for 14-20 mpg in 2WD and 13-19 in 4WD. Jeep claims the six is happy with unleaded regular, and the hemi with midgrade 89-octane fuel.
Forgetting it’s an SUV

The interior is the Grand part of the name with a more luxurious touch than previous models to the degree that some might forget they are in an SUV. There is wood trim and lots of soft surfaces on the dash top and soft smooth leather seating that would be comfortable enough for cross-country treks. The navigation system and other controls will be of no mystery to anyone who has driven a Chrysler product and easy to figure out for those who haven’t.

The top of the line Overland model I briefly test drove seemed very comfortable with a nice fat steering wheel and easy-to-read gauges. While build quality felt solid overall, I did notice that some secondary controls felt flimsy and an overhead light covering was becoming undone.

There are all the audio connections one would expect and an available 506-watt subwoofer will probably turn any rocks to dust.

This is a very important vehicle for Jeep to get right, being its first all new SUV since the merger of Chrysler-Fiat — even if parts of it are based on the Mercedes Benz M-Class. It is kind of like a spouse getting the table and sofa from a dissolved marriage.

On first blush, the Grand Cherokee was impressive, and I look forward to spending more time behind the wheel once Jeep sends one to our press fleet. It does seem to be on a par with much of the competition, especially if you want to go off road in style.

Expanded stuff

• Wheelbase: 114.8 in
• Length: 189.8 in (3 plus inches longer than 2010)
• Width: 76.3 in
• Ground clearance: 8.6 in to 10.6 in with air suspension
• Approach angle: 26.3 in standard
• Fuel capacity: 24.6 gals
• Cargo volume with second row seats up: 35.1 cubic ft
• Cargo volume second row folded: 68.7 cubic ft
• Base price: $30,995
• Fully loaded about: $47,405

Snowboarder contemplating riding the mountain. The only vehicle that could get him to that point on the mountain is a Jeep Wrangler. He is having his own adventure. i live. i ride. i am.

Top Ten Reasons to Buy a Jeep Wrangler

1. Jeep Wrangler has earned the U.S. Government’s highest rating for frontal-impact crash testing—Five Stars.
2. All 2010 Jeep Wranglers are protected by a five-year, 100,000-mile limited warranty.
3. Jeep Wrangler allows you to conquer any terrain, and also has a healthy 2,000-pound towing capacity, when properly equipped.

Read More >

WHAT IS IT? A four-door all-terrain conquistador.

HOW MUCH? Base price, $32,800; as tested, $35,975.

WHAT MAKES IT RUN? A 3.8-liter V-6 (202 horsepower, 237 pound-feet of torque); 6-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.

IS IT THIRSTY? Does a Jeep drink in the woods? The economy rating is just 15 m.p.g. in town and 19 on the highway.

ALTERNATIVES Land Rover LR2, Toyota FJ Cruiser.

REUNIONS are often a letdown, as anyone who’s been reintroduced to a high-school flame can tell you. (Who is this psycho and why does she want to dance to “Lady in Red?”)

So when a Jeep Wrangler appeared on my doorstep, I kept my expectations low. I had a serious crush on a Wrangler Sahara I owned in the ’90s, but I was single and carefree then. The Jeep’s kidney-shaking ride, intermittent heat and nearly useless back seat were all part of its charm.

I knew that the Wrangler was still around, doing its woodsy, back-road, ski- and beach-bum thing. But as with a Facebook “friend” from the old neighborhood, being aware of the Jeep’s existence didn’t mean I wanted to rekindle a relationship. But then it happened. After a 10-minute reintroduction to the Wrangler, I was ready to hightail it to the nearest mountain hideaway or find some muddy ruts to wallow in.

The Wrangler is as fun to drive as ever, even in unlikely places — like my cobbled Brooklyn street. And while “icon” is used loosely in the auto business, the Wrangler — like the VW Beetle or Mini Cooper — certainly is one.

The Jeep, of course, is a direct descendant of World War II military vehicles, and the Wrangler name can be carbon-dated to 1987. And from its school-bus-style manual shifter to its painted-metal interior and fold-down windshield, the Jeep’s authenticity and stout, old-school feel could melt the hardest automotive heart.

In that vein, the Jeep makes trendy, boxy urban crossovers like the Kia Soul or Scion xB look as dweeby as a Dungeons and Dragons convention.

By Jeep standards, the addition for 2007 of the stretched four-door Unlimited model constituted a near revolution, adding a roomier, more accessible back seat. And while any Wrangler is a nearly unmatched off-roader, the Rubicon version — named for the fearsome off-road trail in the Sierra Nevada — is the hardest of the hard-core. It adds a two-speed transfer case with a burly low-range gear ratio, steel-plate underbody armor and rock rails; electric locking for the front and rear axles; an electronic sway-bar disconnect; and knobby 32-inch off-road tires.

If you find yourself conversing with off-road types — perhaps when they’re rescuing your “crossover S.U.V.” from a slushpile — you may hear them refer to their Jeeps’ “breakover and departure angles.” These gents are referring to the Wrangler’s short body overhangs, which, combined with 10.5-inch ground clearance, let the Wrangler climb and descend incredibly steep obstacles.

A standard Hill Start Assist feature keeps the Jeep from rolling back on steep grades; optional electronic trailer-sway assist helps to ensure that jet skis and dirt bikes don’t perform tricks before they reach their destination.

The Jeep’s Freedom Top is another recent development. The three-piece modular hardtop features two front overhead panels that can be quickly removed and stored on board. A more complex disassembly removes the entire roof cap (along with the doors if you like) for the full naked-Jeep effect. Adding the dual-top option lets you pop the hardtop and unfurl a fabric top over the exposed roof bars. (A softtop with a built-in sunroof is also available.)

These and other changes have made the Jeep just civilized enough, but not so much that its rough vitality is lost. There’s an optional touch-screen navigation system, satellite radio, Bluetooth capability and a hard drive for music.

The steering still feels truckish and slack, yet pleasingly mechanical: like its brethren dating back a half-century or more, the Jeep makes you feel alive and attuned to every sensation. That’s both compliment and criticism: once my nostalgic glow subsided, I had to admit that the Wrangler is not everyone’s cup of jittering tea. The ride is noisy and jouncy, it’s a taxing climb in and out and the reliability record is poor.

I’ll admit two other things. First, I had no idea that the Wrangler could reach $36,000. Second, I would never pay 36 grand for a Wrangler.

But with a two-door Wrangler Sport 4×4 starting at $21,915, the Jeep remains a dream date for the young — a perfect excuse to skip work and play.