I got to sample Jeep’s new 5-seater iteration of the Grand Cherokee at the launch that saw us travel to Limpopo last month.

 

We set off for the Waterberg region in Limpopo in a large convoy of brand-new Jeep Grand Cherokees. There’s something about almost 15 Jeeps sprawled across the highway that’s a very commanding site. We got the occasional wave, hoot, cheerful smile, and a few excited kids pointing – oh, and even a few questionable looks from two Land Rover drivers.

 

But what’s not to love about the new Jeep Grand Cherokee? Especially this one that I was driving, in the 5-seater configuration and shorter wheelbase. The more handsome, and better proportioned 5-seater with bold and muscular lines goes on sale a year after its larger 7-seater Grand Cherokee-L was launched in South Africa.

 

According to Jeep, the new Grand Cherokee is the “most capable Grand Cherokee ever”. Now that is a bold statement considering how capable the previous versions were, so we were not just going to test the vehicle on gravel roads then, but rather on a dedicated off-road course about 40 minutes away from Bela Bela in Limpopo.

 

Just as we got off the highway, there was chatter over the two-way radio, “Guys just look out on the gravel neh, there are parts of the road that are completely washed out and flooded”. But surely the team didn’t expect anyone driving a Grand Cherokee to turn back, right? No, not at all, this was merely a precaution to prepare the drivers for what was to come.

 

About 5 km into the gravel, I soon understood why the warning was necessary. The little back road that we were travelling on turned into a marsh pit, thick mud, and deep puddles laced the ground ahead of us.

 

A little pit formed in my throat, there was just something about sending a vehicle that costs the same amount as a 2-bedroom apartment in an upmarket neighbourhood, through a mud bath that didn’t sit well with me. I kept telling myself that this is what the Grand Cherokee was designed for – touring off the beaten track in ultimate luxury, and there was no shortage of luxury in the cabin.

 

The interior is decked out in all sorts of high-end materials. It’s everything you’d expect from a luxury full-sized SUV. The cabin space has grown too since the last iteration, there is ample space and then some. The model we were driving had “Nappa” leather seats. I’ll be the first to admit, prior to this, I was never really big on leather, I mean, I knew what basic leather was, Alcantara of course, and then that cheap and nasty stuff you’d find sold as “leather” seat covers, but after this experience, I’ve become somewhat of a leather snob! Nappa leather is now what I work for.

 

After about 50km of gravel and what seemed like endless water crossings, we arrived for lunch at Serendipity 4×4 eco-trail in vehicles covered in mud. Almost immediately though a competition ensued – who had the dirtiest vehicle? All that splashing through puddles had our vehicles painted in various shades of brown. It was a tough place for first place, but I can tell you that we were definitely in the top three. A sight that brought even more attention to our convoy.

 

As soon as lunch was over, we got straight into it tackling our first obstacle. I turned the dial on the centre console selecting “rock mode” and we were ready to go.

 

This new 5th generation Grand Cherokee comes to market as the most technologically advanced and 4×4 capable model yet. The Jeep is built on a unibody chassis which is complemented by a Quadra-trac || 4×4 system, which features an active transfer case improving traction by moving torque to the wheels with the most grip – translated means the vehicle barely broke a sweat getting over our first obstacle, a series of ruts and axel twisters.

 

The second obstacle, a deep water crossing a good few meters long, was where the Jeep’s class-leading ground clearance of 287mm and 610mm of water fording came into play.

 

A newly introduced feature in the Cherokee line-up is the front axle disconnect system which automatically switched from two-wheel drive to 4×4 depending on the surface the vehicle is driving on. We made it to the end of the track, vehicles and drivers unscathed, thankfully, testing Jeeps claims on every off-road obstacle – long corrugated gravel roads, water crossings, deep ruts, steep inclines, and declines, and even some pretty gnarly muddy sections, the Jeep made it all seem like a walk in the park. With a simple turn of the dial, selecting the mode you wish to engage, and the sophisticated 4-wheel drive system, air suspension, and throttle response did all the work, effortlessly. When we arrived at our hotel for the evening. The chatter amongst all the journalists was surrounding the off-road performance of the vehicle, and as remarkable as that was, to me, its on-road performance was even more noteworthy. The vehicle is very enjoyable to drive, it has plenty of power and I can now understand why Jeep stuck with just one petrol power plant, the 3.6l Pentastar V6 petrol with an 8-speed automatic that makes 210kw of power and 344 nm of torque, why fix what’s not broken right? It’s powerful, smooth, and fuel-efficient, so fuel-efficient that I regularly managed a fuel consumption of 9.5l/100km, that’s lower than the claimed 9.9l/100km. The first time I’ve ever achieved an average lower than the claimed amount on a test vehicle.

 

So then, my unbiased opinion.

The new Jeep Grand Cherokee is completely refreshed but remains reminiscent of its Grand Cherokee lineage. The 5-seater variation has strong muscular lines, a shortened wheelbase, great on-road presence, and in my opinion, better proportions than its awkward-looking bigger sibling, the Grand Cherokee L. The new Grand Cherokee is focused on safety and aside from the usual safety features one expects to be found in a premium SUV, there are several class-leading features that would prove invaluable on a large SUV. The interior feels spacious, comfortable, and sophisticated and has a premium feel. A digital cluster, ambient lighting, Glossy black buttons, and accents add to a very sophisticated feel. As expected, the new Jeep Cherokee comes packed with more technology, safety features, and a host of creature comforts. But don’t let the fancy suit that the Grand Cherokee wears fool you though, it is still a Jeep, and its 80 years of off-road legacy is evident, even if its owners probably would never access even half of its off-roading potential, and while no one buys a vehicle solely based on its sound system, the Jeeps 19 speaker Mcintosh Sound system was very impressive.

 

2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee range pricing

• Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 3,6L 4×4 8AT: R1 329 900

• Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 3,6L 4X4 8AT: R1 539 900

• Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 3,6L 4X4 8AT: R1 735 900

 

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee is offered a five-year/ 100 000km maintenance plan and a five-year/100 000km warranty