">Antilock Brake System
Competition: Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota 4-Runner, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Land Rover Discovery.
Review
Jeep has been a legendary brand within the automotive industry since it
was introduced to help military efforts during World War II. The brand is
so intrinsic to Americans’ concept of off-roading that in Moab, Utah the
off-highway vehicle roads are called Jeep trails.
And then there is the name. There has been a lot of discussion about how
it originated. Some say it is a take off of the term “general-purpose”
vehicle. Others say it was named after Popeye’s magical friend “Jeep,” who
never let him down.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is the grand-dame of the sport utility vehicle
(SUV) wagon market. Its lineage starts with the 1946 Jeep station wagon
made by Willys-Overland Motor Corporation. In 1966 the Jeep station wagon
became the Wagoneer, which Jeep claims was the first luxury SUV. The first
Grand Cherokee was unveiled at the Detroit Auto show in 1992, as a 1993
model. The second generation Grand Cherokee was launched in 1999. The 2005
Jeep Grand Cherokee is all-new, from the ground up. It represents a
tremendous improvement over the last two versions.
A relative or our’s just purchased an 2004 Grand Cherokee - his third Jeep
product. We’re sorry he didn’t wait a couple of months for the all-new
2005, as we’re sure he would be delighted by all the changes.
The Jeep brand is an American icon. Hence the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee had
to retain the design elements that make it instantaneously recognizable as
a Jeep.
For example Jeep has a trademarked 7-slot grille, and it remains in the
2005 version. When the Hummer was introduced with a similar grille Jeep
sued them for utilizing a too-similar design. The rounded headlight
enclosures containing high-performance halogen headlamps, are also back.
(And here is an odd bit of trivia: we have been told by another
manufacturer that true SUVs have round headlights. Why that is the case,
we do not know.)
Jeep designers focused on vehicle aerodynamics with the redesign of the
Grand Cherokee. They wanted the vehicle to be both more fuel efficient and
quieter. To do this the designers added a front air dam, a first on the
Grand Cherokee. They also added a long hood with more distance between the
centerline of the front wheels, and the base of the windshield. The hood,
air dam and side-view mirrors underwent extensive wind tunnel testing to
minimize wind noise.
The higher beltline in the Grand Cherokee reduces the glass-to-body
ratios. Other new Chrysler products like the 300 also have this change.
The ugly cladding has been removed. It was expensive to repair, and lent
nothing to the look of the vehicle. Now that it is gone, the 2005 Grand
Cherokee has a much cleaner, more modern look, making it a sophisticated
and elegant product anyone would be proud to own.
The passenger cabin is more squared off than the last two generations of
the product. This change is particularly apparent from the B pillar back
to the tailgate.
The tailgate is large, and comes standard with a big, flip-up, rear
window. Very convenient. There are large tail lamps that wrap around from
the sides, just below the D pillar. They taper toward the bottom of the
tailgate in a triangular shape.
Interior
The 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee has the best interior of any version. More
importantly though, it is among the best ever in a Chrysler product. It is
clean, and more refined than previous versions. Gone are the excessive
number of competing patterns, and gaudy fabrics. What is left is elegant,
and very useful.
The instrument panel is two-toned. The top portion is made in a dark
color, with the lower area in a lighter color - you choose from several
options. Under the cowl on the lower, left-hand side there is a small gas
gauge, with a slightly overlapping speedometer, and a digital display. In
the center is a large tachometer, with a digital display in the lower
third. It overlaps a small water temperature gauge in the lower-right
corner. All the gauges have chrome bright work to add a bit of bling
bling.
The center stack has the controls for the audio system at the top - a
change that was necessary, and one that Chrysler fought for years. This is
where the optional DVD navigation system goes, if you purchase it. Below
are the controls for the climate control system, along with two power
outlets for cell phones laptops, etc.
There is a large steering wheel, which contains the cruise control
switches. This steering wheel is solid, and has an excellent feel to it.
The seats are solid, and very comfortable for long drives. We did notice
however that the side bolsters seemed a little soft. If you plan to use
the Grand Cherokee for off-roading, or camping, consider purchasing the
optional leather seating surfaces. We are concerned that the cloth seats
-- standard
on the Laredo - might not be rugged enough for very heavy use. But if you
are using the Cherokee to get to and from work, this shouldn’t be an
issue. The upscale Limited model, comes with two-tone, leather seating
surfaces, with perforated inserts to keep passengers cool. The quality of
cloth is good, and the patterns nondescript.
The second row bench folds flat, giving Grand Cherokee 67.4 cubic feet of
cargo space. There is no third row seat available at all. Chrysler
employees claim the percentage people who want this feature is too small
to warrant offering it. While we don’t know with certainty how many people
want 3 rows of seating, the Chrysler claim runs contrary to that of
Nissan. Nissan claims 40% of the market for SUVs requires 3 rows of
seating.
A very cool feature on the 2005 Grand Cherokee is the reversible cargo
load floor. It is carpeted on one side, and the other has easy-to-clean
plastic. If you’ll be carrying wet, or dirty things, or even pets with
sharp toenails, using the reverse side is a great option.
Performance
There are three engine choices for the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The
smallest is 3.7-liter, Single Overhead Cam (SOHC), V-6 that generates
210-horsepower at 5,200 rpm, and 235 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. The
next size up is a 4.7-liter, SOHC, V-8 with 235-horsepower at 4,000 rpm,
and 305 lb-ft
of torque at 3,600 rpm. The largest engine is a 5.7-liter, Hemi V-8, with
330-horsepower at 5,000 rpm, and 375 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. This is
the first Jeep product ever offered with Chrysler’s Hemi engine.
We spent most of our time driving the Hemi version. It guzzled gas, but
was a blast to drive on, and off road. The engine had plenty of power to
get the 4,735 lb. Grand Cherokee moving. And if you plan to tow, the Grand
Cherokee with the Hemi, can pull up to 7,200 lbs.
If you enjoy a performance engine, you’ll like the sound of the Hemi.
However if you stand outside of the truck with the engine running, it’s
pretty noisy. You might wake up your neighbors when you start it in the
morning.
We drove the V6 version for about 100 miles. It’s ok if you are on a
budget, however the towing capacity is half that of the Hemi, and 3,000
pounds less than the V-8. A word of caution: we think it is a mistake to
buy a 4,500 pound vehicle with an engine that is underpowered. Opt for, at
least, the 4.7-liter, V-8 or you may find that getting on the highway,
with the vehicle fully loaded with stuff, is more difficult than you would
prefer.
Ride and Handling
Ride and handling represent among the most significant improvements in the
Grand Cherokee. Our experience with the old version was that its on-road
performance was sloppy, and unpredictable. Fortunately the new version is
vastly improved, so much so that it doesn’t seem to be related to the old
car.
The redesigned independent front suspension responds to driver input
without effort. The vehicle goes precisely where you aim it - very
important when you are off-roading, or towing. The turning radius has been
reduced to 37.1 ft, making it a lot of fun to drive on twisty roads.
There is very little body roll (the feeling that the truck will roll
over), or head toss (passengers being bounced around the interior) from
bumps or potholes in the road. This made highway cruising very
comfortable. The Grand Cherokee would be perfectly comfortable to drive on
every day commutes.
The 5.7 liter Hemi powered Limited is available with Chrysler’s Dynamic
Handling System (DHS.). DHS is a hydraulically-controlled, active,
stabilizer system which reduces body roll. It will be an option in
other 2005 Grand Cherokee models, but not immediately.
All Jeep products are “Trail-Rated.” “Trail-Rated” means the vehicle has
been designed to perform well under a variety of challenging off-road
conditions. To carry this designation there are five key
consumer-oriented, performance categories that Jeeps have to meet:
traction, ground clearance, maneuverability, articulation, and water
fording. Without being able to handle all these conditionals well, the
vehicle cannot carry the “Trail Rated” moniker. We have been told that all
Jeep vehicles must be able to navigate the
infamous Rubicon Trail near Lake Tahoe. It is one of the most demanding
off-road trails in the world. And we’ve driving the Rubicon Trail. If the
Grand Cherokee can handle the Rubicon, it certainly should be allowed to
carry the “Trail Rated” designation.
We were given the opportunity for a brief off-road test in the 2005 Grand
Cherokee in the hills above Santa Barbara, California. The same location
was used for a recent Camp Jeep program with hundred of cars taking the
same route. The Grand Cherokee climbed very steep, and dusty hills without
a problem, and the trail provided very little traction. Rock crawling
through riverbeds was easy, just what you would expect from the brand that
has defined off-highway vehicles in the US for six decades.
The Grand Cherokee is capable of dealing with much more difficult terrain
than what we tested it on. It would have been good to try it on a course
similar to the one on which we tested the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. But that
kind of test is rare, and generally given only when vehicles are very
likely to be driven off road on a regular basis.
A technology that, surprisingly, was not in the Jeep Grand Cherokee was
any form of hill decent control (HDC) for managing down-hill speed. There
also was no climbing assist to make sure the vehicle didn’t roll backward
after stopping on a steep hill, and then starting again. These features
are available on other competitive products. We think these technologies
should be included in the Jeep, or at least available as options.
Especially as they are useful to drivers who live where there are both
mountains, and inclement weather,
Safety
The original Jeep Grand Cherokee was the first SUV equipped with a
driver’s-side airbag. The 2005 models come equipped with multistage, driver-
and front-passenger airbags. There is an optional, supplemental,
side-curtain airbag to protect both rows of occupants in the event of a side
impact, or rollover. We highly recommend that consumers purchase these
options, especially when they purchase an SUV.
Grand Cherokee is equipped with four-wheel, antilock brakes (ABS) and
electronic stability control (ESP.) These help to keep the truck moving in
a straight line during a panic stop. They also help drivers cope with a
variety of road conditions including rain, snow and ice.
All grand Cherokees come equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system,
something NHTSA has recently required of all vehicles over 10,000
pounds. Though Grand Cherokee weighs a lot less, this monitor alerts
drivers when tire pressure is low enough to potentially cause an accident.
To prevent car to pedestrian, or car-to-car, accidents when backing up, the
2005 Grand Cherokee is available with an optional park-sense, back-up sensor.
In Conclusion
It is rare that a new version of a product is such a tremendous improvement
over the previous version, but that is the case with the 2005 Jeep Grand
Cherokee. On road performance is greatly improved, as is the styling. With
the price ranging from $28,745 for the base V-6 model, to $37,860 for
the top of the line Limited with the 5.7 liter Hemi engine, the 2005 Grand
Cherokee has models that will appeal to a lot of people, and their budgets.
Pros: Tremendous improvement in ride and refinement over previous model, nice interior and great off-road capabilities. You can go to Camp Jeep, which you can’t do with a hummer .
Cons: No hill descent control or assist, expensive, noisy.
Ratings (1-10)
- Style: 8
- Performance: 7
- Price: 7
- Handling: 8
- Ride: 8
- Comfort: 8
- Quality: 7
- Overall: 8.8
