Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee good for families?

What is it?

 

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a large and established American SUV, well-known for its off-road prowess, and now a part of the Stellantis supergroup, consisting of OEMs such as Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat, Chrysler, Vauxhall, Dodge, RAM, and Opel. In the current Grand Cherokee line-up, we have 5 models, but they are on the way out — the Stellantis group has announced that the all-new long-wheel-base Grand Cherokee L, which has recently been unveiled to overseas markets, will be making its way here.

If you're looking for a bargain, and you're certain that you need a Jeep Grand Cherokee in your life, then look for a used, but young model with low mileage. You will surely find one at the right price, as dealerships try and clear out stock to make space for the new model.

 

 

Currently, the South African line-up looks like this:

Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L Laredo, R 799 900

Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L Limited, R 879 900

​Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L Overland, R1029 900

​Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L Trailhawk, R 969 900

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, R 1 359 900

(Pricing correct at the time this article was published, but may increase without prior notice. Please consult the Jeep SA website for the full list of specs and latest prices.)

 

Engines 

V6-engines are a thing in the 3.7-litre Grand Cherokees, while the top-spec SRT model accelerates to a 100 km/h in only five seconds thanks to its 6.4-litre V8.  For the average parent, this is a little excessive, so one of the 3.7-litre models will probably meet your needs just fine.

 

Practicality and space

 

Leather seats are standard in the Limited and Overland models, so if you have kiddos, cloth seats are out, if you can help it. The Trailhawk and SRT models have partial leather/cloth seats. We'll take one of the more affordable Limited or Overland models then, thanks. It's also easier to clean should someone have a little accident in the car. Perforated leather is a bit more of a challenge to clean, however.

Comfort features include climate control, electric seat adjustment(for the driver), a stop/start button, hill-start assist, Satnav (from Limited models and up), a multifunction steering wheel, touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth, voice control, AUX input, USB ports, 12V power sockets, keyless entry, heated mirrors, and an optional panoramic sunroof on the entry-level models. The passengers on the second row will be pleased to find 2 USB ports at the back of the centre tunnel.

The Grand Cherokee, measuring 4828 mm in length, has ample room inside, and the boot holds 782 litres, which can be increased to 1554 litres if the rear bench is folded flat. It's massively spacious and ideal for active families who don't travel light.

 

 

The Grand Cherokee's reputation for being an off-road beast also precedes itself and many owners report that they couldn't be happier with their purchase, but I've also heard horror stories of people who have had all kinds of mechanical issues with their Grand Cherokees. The issue with our local Jeeps is that they are built in Austria to cater for our right-hand drive car-market, and differ significantly from the right-hand-drive models destined for the North American markets, for example. This makes the locally-available Grand Cherokee's parts pricey, and also hard to find, in many cases.

 

Safety

 

If safety's what you're after, you'll get it in the Grand Cherokee. There's the usual ABS with EBD and brake assist, traction/stability control, hill-descent control, tyre pressure monitoring, 6 airbags, auto drive-away locking, ISOFIX seats on the outer rear seats, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, daytime LED running lamps, front and rear fog lamps, and an assortment of rear or surround view cameras, depending on which model you opt for.

 

Semi-autonomous features such as adaptive radar-based cruise control is optional in the higher-spec models, and only standard in the SRT. This model also gets lane keep assistance, a collision avoidance system that will intervene if you don't brake in time, and so forth.

 

Would I buy one?

 

I haven't driven a Jeep product in while, and from what I've heard, cars that were part of the Fiat/Chrysler group haven't enjoyed excellent reliability ratings lately. I do hope that now Jeep is backed up by the Stellantis group, things will start looking up, but this is not a guarantee. One should also bear in mind that once the Grand Cherokee runs out of its warranty/service plan, it won't be cheap to fix, like any premium SUV, really. Your local Jeep dealership may also not be able to find parts as quickly and easily, as we've mentioned before. 

On the flip side, many Jeep Grand Cherokee owners are very happy with their purchase and tend to stick with the nameplate once trade-in time comes.

If you only seek an answer to whether the Cherokee is good for families, the answer is a resounding 'yes', from a space and practicality perspective. But since breaking down in South Africa is so dangerous, this answer probably needs some more consideration.

 

What else would I consider in this price range?

I would certainly keep the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, top-spec Fortuner, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, Audi Q5, Volvo XC60/XC90, BMW X5, Tiguan Allspace, Kia Sorento / Hyundai Santa Fé or VW Touareg in mind as well, depending on my budget and where I want to take the vehicle, of course.