Jeep has made no secret of the fact it wants to shift its brand and products further upmarket, and according to a senior regional executive for parent company Stellantis, the new seven-seat Grand Cherokee L is already turning the heads of the German ‘Big Three’ owners.
When asked whether conquest business for the new, three-row flagship SUV could challenge the premium BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi brands, Stellantis senior vice president, India and Asia Pacific region, sales, marketing, and regional operations, Billy Hayes told CarsGuide: “Absolutely.”
“Anecdotally we’ve already seen it because we’re in the middle of launching the vehicle dealer by dealer, and we’re having consumer events, where we’ve got existing customers coming in and taking a look and driving the vehicle,” he said.
“We’ve also got prospective customers coming in, and it’s funny, because I always ask, where are they coming from? Are they mostly WK2 (previous-generation Grand Cherokee), or are they moving up from Cherokee or Compass? And if we’re conquesting, where from?
“And clearly it’s been premium. Premium European brands has been the theme.”
Jeep has upped the cost-of-entry to the Grand Cherokee with the first seven-seat version of the model, dialling up the standard features, safety tech, and drivetrain hardware at the same time.
Measuring 5.2 metres end-to-end, and offering seven seats over three rows, the new Grand Cherokee L is offered in three model grades stretching from just over $80K, before on-road costs, and topping out at roughly $115,000 before on-road costs.
The entry-level Grand Cherokee L Night Eagle at $82,250, before on-road costs, features suede and leather-appointed seat trim, eight-way electrically-adjustable and heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, sat nav, an 8.4-inch multimedia screen, a 10.25-inch instrument display, six-speaker audio (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity), three-zone climate control, a rear-view camera, keyless entry and start, adaptive cruise control, auto LED lights, 20-inch alloys, a power tailgate, and more.
The mid-range Limited and top-spec Summit Reserve add extra equipment including even plusher trim, slicker multimedia, bigger rims, punchier audio, and a host of other creature comforts.
A comparable offering in terms of size and accommodation from Audi, the Q7, starts at around $109K, BMW’s X7 range kicks off at a fraction under $139K, and Mercedes-Benz’s GLS line up begins at just over $164K, before on-road costs.
And it’s the Grand Cherokee L’s relative value proposition that Mr Hayes said is generating interest from luxury SUV buyers.
“When you compare the vehicles side-by-side with what’s out there, we’ve got tonnes of value, and the price point is very, very competitive compared to what you get,” he said.
“So, we’re actually drawing a customer that we don’t see too much of. Wrangler’s such a lifestyle, cool vehicle, so we get some really premium customers from that. But in terms of a vehicle that’s not necessarily just lifestyle, but something you can pile your family in, and put a bunch of stuff into, and we’re seeing these side-by-sides. It’s good for the dealers, they’re getting some pretty good trade-ins, too.”
Keyword: 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee stealing sales from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz!