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Jeep Grand Cherokee: Test Drive Review
Date: 16 May 2014 | Author: Jack Carfrae
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Cosmetic updates and an eight-speed automatic transmission are among the alterations that have improved the Grand Cherokee for 2014.
The top-end model in Jeep's range has been trimmed at the front, with slimmer headlamps and a narrower grille, but the new gearbox is of far greater note.
It's more efficient, and when hooked up to the 250hp 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine, it's responsible for upping economy by 10% to 37.7mpg and slashing CO2 by 9% to 198g/km.
That might not sound much of a drop, but the Jeep is well ahead of an equivalent Land Rover Discovery's 230g/km, and VW Group rivals with similar power - VW Touareg, Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne - all sit around the 190g/km mark, so it isn't bad.
The new transmission suits the car well, too: it's smooth and transfers the engine's plentiful pulling power well, which makes the Grand Cherokee feel reasonably quick despite its heft.
It's not as good as the rest of the luxury 4x4 crowd, nor is it likely to make a serious splash in the large
4x4 fleet market, although it has to be admired for the sheer amount of kit on offer such as a panoramic sunroof, keyless entry and a plush infotainment system with satnav and DAB radio, which is has to be applauded given the price and stingier nature of aforementioned rivals.
Substitute for a lower trim level and you can even get the P11D down to £36,465 on the entry-level Laredo model.
The downside is cost per mile, however - at 104.8ppm the much-improved Grand Cherokee is in the same ballpark as prestige rivals (the cheapest, surprisingly enough, is a Porsche Cayenne Diesel at 92.8ppm and the dearest is the Land Rover Discovery XS SDV6 at 104.0ppm), but it's at the upper end, which is a hard sell given the strength of those other brands.
| G. Cherokee 3.0 CRD Overland | |
| P11D price | £45,165 |
| Model price range | £36,465-£58,875 |
| Residual value | 34.7% |
| Depreciation | £29,476 |
| Fuel | £10,006 |
| Service, maintenance and repair | £4202 |
| Vehicle Excise Duty | £995 |
| National Insurance | £6607 |
| Cost per mile | 104.8p |
| Fuel consumption | 37.7mpg |
| CO2 (tax) | 198g/km (34%) |
| BIK 20/40% per month | £256/£512 |
| Service interval | 12,500mls |
| Insurance (1-50) | group 41 |
| Warranty | 3yrs/60,000mls |
| Boot space (min/max) | 782/1154 litres |
| Engine size/power | 2987cc/250hp |
| Top speed/0-60mph | 126mph/8.2secs |
| On sale | July 2013 |
VerdictA lower P11D than most luxury 4x4s but less desirable |
7/10 |
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