the grandest of cherokees

"perryair52" (perryair52) 10/22/2020 at 23:30 • Filed to: None

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just kidding, apparently its 5th out of 12 trim levels. there was a time when the term “limited” meant that something was hard to find and often times would signify a top trim level, but i suppose just as grande supremo venti wordplay has spread across our country that this is just how it is. but i digress...

also, since im already digressing i wonder how long a car named cherokee can last these days before it becomes the ‘jeep grand washington football team’? alright. reeling it in.

this week’s rental car chronicles belong to a jeep grand cherokee limited. i was actually pretty excited to drive this car, given that i had a really nice drive in a durango recently and they apparently share the same platform.

the hits

by far, i think that the best parts about this car are 1) its pretty, with really nice lines and muscular yet not over the top styling as per the photo above. and 2) a nice and comfortable interior with decent materials that’s executed well, as per the below.

also, huge gas tank. i drove a 425 miles round trip and then some assorted city driving and still had 70 miles of range when i dropped it off. i’m pretty sure that filling time is an expensive proposition but to get 500 miles of range is a fantastic thing.

the misses

given how much the larger and slightly heavier durango was somehow able to feel really carlike in its handling, i’d hoped this would be even better with a dozen or so less inches in length and a hundred or so fewer pounds. that.. was.. incorrect. normal mode felt really wallowing with lots of sway. the dedicated sports button tightened up the steering but then made throttle tip in ridiculous, so digging in deeply into the menus led to being able to *only* adjust steering to sport, which made it feel better, though still nearly not as responsive or well weighted as durango.

also, i know its harsh to judge rental cars about interior rattling cause of the lives they lead.. but that said, some of them tend to not have them and some of them always have them (ahem, every one of the *five* mustangs ive rented in the last year) this one did. not a lot, but two rattles out back, i think in the tailgate area.

the rest

comfy seats, heated and cooled and they look good. there was power adjustment and seat memory, with lumbar / lumbar height. maybe this was all in my mind but even with all the adjustment i really couldn’t find a truly comfortable seating position. as with many things, your mileage may vary.

for some, this might be a hit. for others maybe a miss? but for me a ‘rest’. there was a relatively complete lack of active driving aides. cruise control? the regular-ass kind! (also otherwise known as the best kind, i like adjusting speed myself, thankyouverymuch) lane alert? an amber light on the inside of the sideview mirror housing. lane keep? nah. emergency braking? nope. maybe its missing a trim package or something but certainly wasnt in this suv.

the go pedal goes. pretty well, even. brake pedal likewise.

verdict

this trim level starts above 40 large and a durango gt plus is just under 40. with more size, an honest to goodness third row and better driving dynamics i’d probably choose to dodge if larger suvs from the fca universe were my options. though, if driving dynamics dont matter too much to you and you want something solid and handsome this ain’t a terrible choice.

Nothing > perryair52 10/22/2020 at 23:58

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The design has aged really well. It’s still a great looking rig and my wife really like her ‘14 Overland. I don’t imagine she’ll want to get rid of it anytime soon.

I’ve heard that the regular suspension vs the air suspension makes a bit of difference on the Grand Cherokee, I’ve never driven the regular coil sprung version, but the air on ours feels really good to me. 

perryair52 > Nothing 10/23/2020 at 00:05

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yeah fca really has in their overall lineup a decent number of vehicles that seem to have aged well, dare i say that im sure some people appreciate that they havent changed much.

Nothing > perryair52 10/23/2020 at 00:12

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Given my ‘19  4Runner isn’t any different from a ‘14, I appreciate that neither of my vehicles have changed much since they’ve been released!

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > perryair52 10/23/2020 at 01:07

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The Cherokee looks much better than a Durango though. Pretty much how I feel about the Forester vs the Ascent. The 3-row sibling is more useful but there is a price to pay.