What was once Willys-Overland became the first ever military "Jeeps" that the military used during WWII. It was such a popular and successful design, almost everyone copied it, including Toyota in Japan, Mahindra in India, and Land Rover in the UK. After WWII ended, Willys-Overland became Jeep, and started shifting their focus more towards a market that had just laid its foundations: the luxury SUV.
The Grand Wagoneer is one of the most iconic nameplates in history, but back in the 1980s, then-owner of Jeep, AMC, needed a new SUV model to replace the Wagoneer and aging Cherokee in the lineup. The result was the Grand Cherokee, which is now in its fifth generation.
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee
- New electrified powertrain
- New technology
- Three-row seating available
- Make: Array
- Model: Grand Cherokee
- Segment: Array
- Engine/Motor: 3.6-liter V6 / 5.7-liter V8 / 2.0-liter turbo I4 + electric motor
- Horsepower: 293-375 hp
- Torque: 260-470 lb-ft
- Drivetrain: Front-engine, RWD/4WD
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic
- Easily the most luxurious and best-built Grand Cherokee ever
- Still a capable off-roader
- Frugal PHEV powertrain
- AWD isn't standard
- Third row on L model is a little tight
- The V6 and V8 are pretty thirsty
Overview Of The 2022 Grand Cherokee
For almost 30 years now, the Grand Cherokee has been the darling of the Jeep lineup. It's no longer the flagship, as that honor now belongs to the new Wagoneer and its derivatives, but it's still the most popular and the most instantly recognizable in the lineup. The fifth generation is debuting for the 2022 model year, and even though it may only look evolutionary on the outside, it is, in fact, revolutionary. New platform, new styling, new powertrains, new tech, pretty much new everything.
While the previous generation Grand Cherokee rode on a platform that traces its roots to the second generation Mercedes ML-Class, the new Grand Cherokee sits atop a modified version of the Giorgio platform, also found on the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio. As Alfa doesn't plan to do much with Giorgio in the coming years, we're glad that the excellent RWD platform has found a home here. The front-end gets much slimmer headlights, as well as the refreshed Jeep grille. The side profile looks slimmer, in a way, and it's also a lot cleaner. The same applies to the rear, with the slimmer taillights and a cleaner design. Jeep also offers three-row seating for the first time on a Grand Cherokee, but we'll be focusing on the smaller two-row model here. The new Jeep Grand Cherokee is going into battle with the Mercedes-Benz GLE, the Lexus RX, which also just entered a new generation, the Audi Q7, the BMW X5, and the Lincoln Aviator.
2022 Grand Cherokee Powertrains And Drivetrains
There are some big news regarding the powertrains on the new Grand Cherokee. For the most part, the lineup remains the same as before, with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 taking the role of base engine, and the upgraded one being the 5.7-liter HEMI V8. The V6 puts down 293 hp, and the V8 puts down 357 hp. For most buyers, these engines will do the job, as we've grown used to them, and they have decent shove to propel the Grand Cherokee. But, the biggest news is the 4xe plug-in hybrid model.
Jeep is offering the Grand Cherokee as a hybrid for the very first time, and it's definitely worth talking about. A 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder pairs up with an electric motor to deliver a higher combined output than both the V6 and V8. Specifically, 375 hp and a massive 470 lb-ft of torque. That torque figure gets very close to the previous Grand Cherokee SRT (not the Trackhawk), and the 4xe manages that while also offering a 25-mile electric-only range (admittedly a little lower than the competitors) and much better fuel economy and emissions. While not without its flaws, we're very curious to see how this powertrain fares.
All three powertrains spin the wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission, and buyers also get a choice of a few different 4WD systems, including one that pairs up with adjustable air suspension. 4WD is not standard on the V6, but the V8 and 4xe do get it as standard, with room for further upgrades. However, with 4WD, the Grand Cherokee is even more capable off-road than ever, while also being a lot more refined on the tarmac.
2022 Grand Cherokee Comfort And Quality
Some of the most major changes on the new Grand Cherokee are in the interior. Compared to the previous Grand Cherokee, it's very much a chalk-and-cheese situation. As well as the immense improvements in materials and quality, there are tons of technology as well. A new infotainment system with the latest version of Uconnect in the middle, as well as a fully digital gauge cluster, with an optional third screen that sits in front of the front passenger. For the audiophiles, Jeep offers a very high fidelity 19-speaker McIntosh sound system, among other goodies. There's a lot of standard safety tech as well, including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, and all the like. The Grand Cherokee seats five passengers, and its cargo area boasts 37.7 cubic-feet of space.
2022 Grand Cherokee Pricing And Launch
Due to the slew of upgrades and improvements on the new Grand Cherokee, it's quite a bit more expensive than the previous one. The base Laredo is a fairly reasonable $40,120, but if you want a fully loaded 4xe model, meaning the Summit Reserve, you'll have to fork over $76,095. Almost $80,000 for a Grand Cherokee is someone no one could have expected. However, with all the improvements in refinement, comfort, powertrains and quality, the new Jeep Grand Cherokee might just be worth the price of admission.