First Drive Review
It has been three years since Jeep dramatically updated its Grand Cherokee, delivering a refined flagship with style and substance constructed on a chassis shared in large part with the Mercedes-Benz M-class. Jeep would be the first to admit that, in the past, it would slide out a new model and then ignore it for five years. No longer. The iconic brand has reloaded the Grand Cherokee for 2014 with a new engine, transmission, and other features.
One sect of Jeepers naturally will focus on the new 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 engine, which we have reviewed in a separate story. Those less interested in the brand’s core values and more into automotive oddballs will gravitate toward the 470-hp SRT model. But those are far from volume plays—the dual beating hearts of the lineup are the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 and 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi models covered here.
All Eight Up with Gears
The most significant drivetrain news is the adoption of a ZF-engineered eight-speed automatic for all Grand Cherokees; last year’s V-6 played with five forward ratios, the Hemi with six. Paddle shifters have sprouted behind every steering wheel. Also new is an Eco button that alters the gearbox shift schedule and throttle sensitivity for optimal fuel economy. On V-8 models, Eco also effects cylinder deactivation. Finally, if you have the optional air suspension, it will automatically lower the vehicle to "Aero" ride height when traveling at higher speeds. Four trim levels are available—Laredo, Limited, Overland, and the rechristened Summit—with all-wheel drive a $2000 option on Laredo and Limited models and a $3000 option on the Overland and Summit.
The base 290-hp V-6 and optional 360-hp Hemi are essentially unchanged. (We recently completed a long-term evaluation of a 2011 V-6 model.) The Hemi can tow the same maximums as before—7200 pounds with four-wheel drive and 7400 with rear-drive—but the V-6’s tugging ability ratchets up from 5000 pounds to 6200. Thanks in large part to the new gearbox, fuel economy improves slightly for both powerplants. For rear-wheel-drive V-6s, highway mileage is up by 2 mpg to 25; city efficiency is unchanged at 17 mpg. All-wheel-drive V-6 economy is up 1 mpg in the city and on the highway (to 17 and 24). The Hemi moves up 2 mpg on the highway (to 22) with rear drive and 1 mpg in the city (to 14) with all-wheel drive.
On the Move
The V-6 does an admirable job of hauling two-and-a-half tons of Jeep around, but the Hemi remains a solid step up. We have an appreciation for the EPA-rated mpg you lose in opting for the eight, but given how deep you have to go into the throttle to move the V-6 with any urgency, the real-world mileage won’t be great either way. Further, we imagine—lacking side-by-side comparative data—the gap narrows some on undulating roads, and the V-8 has its cylinder-deactivation program when the pavement levels out. So there’s that.
Being a Jeep, the Grand Cherokee has a spec sheet that offers a mind-numbing array of chassis and suspension possibilities, including a five-mode air suspension, a multisurface chassis-control system called Selec-Terrain, rear-wheel drive, and three all-wheel-drive options. As a treat for boulder bashers, the GC now offers a slick feature on the Limited and Overland called Selec-Speed Control. Typical hill-descent-control systems automatically work the throttle and brakes to allow you to creep downhill, but this system also lets you do the same uphill. Push the button, point the nose uphill, and you can control your rate of ascent in increments of less than 1 mph via the shift paddles. We climbed impressive rocks with the 2014 Grand Cherokee, and it was as easy as slipping into a parking spot at Nordstrom's.
