The Jeep Grand Cherokee enters its fifth generation in 2021, based on an all-new architecture and it now gains a third row of seats in the model called the Grand Cherokee L to accommodate six or seven occupants in total. The successor to the fourth-generation WK2 model will be built at the automaker’s Mack plant in the Detroit Assembly Complex, the 2021 Grand Cherokee L will be offered in in four trim levels – Laredo, Limited, Overland and Summit.
In terms of exterior dimensions, the 2021 Grand Cherokee L measures 5,204 mm long, 2,149 mm wide (1,964 mm with mirrors folded) and 1,815 mm tall with a wheelbase of 3,091 mm and wheel track widths of 1,660 mm. The 3.6 litre variant in both 2WD and 4WD guises has a towing capacity of 2,818 kg, while the 5.7 litre V8 is rated for a towing capacity of 3,300 kg.
The new 4X4 comes with a choice of two engines – 3.6 litre Pentastar petrol V6 with 290 hp at 6,400 rpm and 348 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm, while the 5.7 litre petrol V8 outputs 357 hp at 5,150 rpm and 528 Nm of torque at 4,250 rpm. The 3.6 litre V6 is available across all four variants, while the 5.7 litre V8 can be specified with the upper three trim levels, the Limited, Overland and Summit.
In terms of driveline, both are mated to a ZF-manufactured Torqueflite 8HP70 eight-speed automatic transmission and a choice of either a single-speed, electronically controlled full time active 4WD transfer case for the 3.6 litre V6, or a two-speed electronically controlled transfer case (with low range) for both 3.6 litre V6 and 5.7 litre V8 engines. The front axle on 4WD models can automatically disconnect to improve fuel economy at a cruise, while 5.7 litre V8 variants can be optioned with an electronic limited-slip rear differential.
For venturing off-road, the Grand Cherokee L boasts of approach, breakover and departure angles of 20.6 degrees (28.2 degrees with air suspension), 18.2 degrees (22.6 degrees) and 21.5 degrees (23.6 degrees) respectively. Ground clearance as measured from its fuel tank is 261 mm with standard suspension (320 mm with air suspension), 246 mm at the front axle (305 mm) and 275 mm at the rear axle (355 mm).
Standard suspension for the Grand Cherokee L is multi-link for both front and rear, employing coil springs and twin-tube dampers with aluminium arms and knuckles front and rear. The rear suspension includes extruded aluminium spring links. Brakes use 354 mm vented discs in front, and 350 mm vented discs at the back.
Rolling stock for the Grand Cherokee L starts with 18-inch cast aluminium wheels painted in silver and which are standard on the Laredo, while the Limited gets either 18-inch wheels in low-gloss silver or 20-inch polished wheels with a high-gloss Technical Gray contrast colour.
The Overland variant moves up a selection of to 20-inch machined cast aluminium with the Black Noise contrast colour, or 18-inch polished wheels with high-gloss black contrast finish when specified with the off-road equipment group. The Summit rolls on 20-inch polished aluminium wheels, while the Summit Reserve pack brings 21-inch machined aluminium wheels with a mid-gloss Granite Crystal contrast finish.
Inside, the Grand Cherokee L gets a 10.3-inch digital instrument panel from the base Laredo variant onwards, which also starts with an 8.4-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The Lux Tech equipment package adds a powered tailgate, remote engine start, heated front seats and steering wheel, 115-volt auxiliary power, a wireless charging pad and USB outlet for the third row.
Next up in the Limited variant comes leather seats, a heated, eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory and a power-adjustable front passenger seat with lumbar adjustment. Adding the Lux Tech equipment pack brings a cooling function to the front seats, a digital rearview mirror, power-adjustable steering column and window shades for the second row. Instrumentation remains the 8.4-inch screen here as standard, or an optional 10.1-inch unit.
Stepping up again to the Overland variant brings heated and cooled Nappa leather seats as standard, and the steering wheel adds wood trim. Instrumentation here is the 10.1-inch display as standard.
The top variant of the range is the Summit, which offers four-zone automatic climate control, which has the ability to give different fan levels, temperatures and modes for each occupant in the first and second rows.
The Summit variant can be further augmented with the Summit Reserve pack, and this brings cooled front and second-row seats trimmed in Palermo leather, front seat memory and massage functions, open-pore waxed walnut wood trim, suede pillars and headliner and a 19-speaker, 950-watt McIntosh sound system as standard, and optional on the Overland.
Active safety equipment on the Grand Cherokee L features Active Driving Assist, which is a Level 2 autonomous driving function, says Jeep. This is to facilitate hands-on-wheel, eyes-on-road automated driving, which employs lane-centering and adaptive cruise control technologies as an option on the Overland, and standard on the Summit.
Hands-free Driving Assist, as the name indicates, will offer hands-free Level 2 autonomous driving later this year in 2022 model-year Grand Cherokee L Overland and Summit variants, offering hands-free driving “at all speeds and lane centering on approved roadways”, and will also predictively slow the vehicle in tight bends and automatically resume control after the driver overrides the system and verifies that attention is being paid to the road, says Jeep.
Also available on the Overland and Summit variants are the night vision camera that employs infrared sensors to detect pedestrians and animals up to 200 m away, and a full-colour head-up display that offers up to five different information elements including active lane management, speed limit and turn-by-turn navigation.
Standard on the Summit variant are traffic sign recognition and Intersection Coliision Assist, where four sensors and a camera determine if a collision is imminent and emits audible and visual alerts. If the driver does not respond, the brakes are applied automatically. Other systems available on the Grand Cherokee L are a digital rearview çamera feed and drowsy driver detection.
Standard safety equipment across the Grand Cherokee L line-up are full-speed collision warning with AEB and pedestrian and cyclist detection, rear cross path detection, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, advanced brake assist, blind spot monitoring, reversing camera and tyre pressure monitoring. Passive safety kit includes driver and front passenger multi-stage airbags, side curtain airbags,front occupant side airbags and driver’s knee airbag.
While the Grand Cherokee L will enter showrooms in the second quarter of this year, the two-row seating configuration will continue to be offered in this fifth-generation model, and is set to enter production by the end of 2021 along with a plug-in hybrid 4xe variant, says Jeep.
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