Jeep’s all-new family-friendly seven-seat Grand Cherokee L pushes the 4×4 wagon into luxury territory
What is the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L all about?
The first seven-seat, three-row Jeep Grand Cherokee arrives in Australia from May 2022, and the US off-road brand is so serious about regaining a foothold in the large SUV segment it’s undertaken local testing of the new model.
We had a few hours in the saddle of the range-topping 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve model grade prior to the Aussie launch, and the major take-out is that it’s headed upmarket. Big time.
It’s also a sizeable troop carrier.
Measuring 5204mm from end to end, with a 3091mm wheelbase, the Grand Cherokee L has a significantly greater footprint and offers more interior room than the regular five-seat Grand Cherokee, which is a 4914mm-long proposition with a 2964mm wheelbase.
The long-wheelbase GC L is also significantly bigger than two of the hottest three-row SUVs in Australia, the Toyota LandCruiser and Prado. It’s longer than even BMW’s flagship X7.
But it’s missing two key ingredients offered by its predecessor: a turbo-diesel engine and a petrol V8 powerplant. Instead, it comes with just one engine option for now, 3.6-litre petrol V6 – but more on that later.
Brandishing a classy new design inside and out and available with more luxury features than we’ve ever seen on a Jeep, the new Grand Cherokee L has plenty of swagger.
It’s loaded with high-tech equipment – night vision anyone? – and new luxury touches, including super-supportive quilted leather seats with massage functionality and open-pore woodgrain inlays across the dashboard.
It all feels very swish, especially for a brand perhaps best known for its all-American, freedom-loving, rock-crushing Jeep Wrangler. Even the drive experience is polished, the air suspension of our top-spec Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve favouring ride comfort over corner-carving dynamics, which suits the big luxury bus to a tee.
Rivals? Vehicles such as the segment-leading Prado will be in its sights, along with classier competitors such as the Land Rover Defender – our recently-crowned 2022 Best Off-Road SUV which has a three-row ‘130’ model in the pipeline. Even German SUVs might be cross shopped, including the X7.
How much does the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L cost?
The flagship 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve is pegged at an eye-watering $115,450 plus on-road costs in Australia, which is a big upward step from the previous Grand Cherokee’s circa-$60,000 price tag.
It’s also significantly more expensive than the range-topping Toyota Prado Kakadu’s $87,807 plus ORCs.
Jeep will bolster the all-new fifth-generation WL Grand Cherokee range with five-seater models from October 2022, and these shorter wheelbase versions are expected to slot into the $70,000 price bracket.
The 4xe plug-in hybrid version arrives in early 2023, but it’s likely to start at around $100,000.
Yep, the new model is really putting the ‘grand’ in Grand Cherokee. There are three models in the GC L line-up at launch; apart from Summit Reserve, there’s the Limited (from $87,950) and, at entry level, Night Eagle (from $82,250).
Check out our pricing and spec story on the Jeep Grand Cherokee L range for the full rundown, but as it stands the entry-level Jeep Grand Cherokee L Night Eagle is generously equipped. Headline standard features include a whopping 14 USB ports (USB-A and USB-C) across all seat rows, a wireless phone charger, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster up front and automatic LED headlights.
With 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, active lane management, traffic sign recognition, a height-adjustable powered tailgate plus heated leather-trimmed and power-adjustable front seats, the base-grade GC L shapes up well.
Some of the big-ticket features on the top-spec Summit Reserve on test here include six LED screens – including four touch-screens, two of them up front, two in the middle row – a night vision system, a large panoramic glass roof, quad-zone climate control, and heated and cooled seats up front and in the second row.
The second-row seats on our test car were twin captains’ chairs, creating a six-seat layout. They’re wide and welcoming – just like the front seats – but Jeep Australia says only the seven-seat model with a second-row bench will be offered locally.
Features like the highway assist system, adaptive cruise control and active lane management along with a 10-inch head-up display made open-road cruising an exercise in relaxation, while the massaging seats were a welcome treat.
Multi-colour ambient interior lighting also creates a more premium ambience during night driving.
Why should/shouldn’t I buy the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L?
The best things about the new 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L are the huge and comfortable cabin, massive cargo hold and go-anywhere capability.
Access to the relatively spacious third-row seats is easy, thanks to quick-release sliding and tumbling second-row seats, and the big boot will swallow a lot of gear. Even with all three seat rows in place, the 487-litre cargo capacity is enough to swallow a couple of large suitcases.
Folding down the powered third-row seats via push-button liberates 1328 litres, which grows to a whopping 2395 litres when the second-row seats are folded down. With all seats folded flat there’s almost enough room to host a small karaoke party – and the 19-speaker McIntosh stereo will ensure it’s a soiree to remember, with excellent audio fidelity.
All models come standard with a full-time 4WD system (Quadra-Trac) and our up-spec vehicle was rocking an impressive air suspension system (Quadra Lift) backed up with a more capable 4×4 system (Quadra-Drive II) with a two-speed transfer case with low-range gearing.
Replacing the fourth-generation WK Jeep Grand Cherokee that has been around for more than 10 years, this fifth-generation WL model feels like a thoroughly modern machine, with all the technology and equipment you can shake a digital fidget-spinner at – except for the engine…
It feels very ‘last generation’ and, well, that’s because it is. A reworked version of previous GC’s Pentastar 3.6-litre V6, the petrol powerplant is impressively refined and generates an appealing thrum when the revs rise.
But this new Jeep SUV is heavy at around 2300kg and the V6 – outputting 210kW at 6400rpm and 344Nm at 4000rpm – feels lacklustre in some situations, such as overtaking.
It should also be noted that the previous V6 had slightly more herbs and spices (213kW/347Nm).
Meandering around town, through traffic and cruising, the six-cylinder engine is adequate, and the eight-speed auto is a smooth and diligent operator. But with the petrol V8 and turbo-diesel V6 engines axed, the single engine choice at launch feels undercooked and will be a tough sell for those with serious towing requirements.
The sooner Jeep slots its new 373kW twin-turbo inline-six engine into the Grand Cherokee, the better.
Who will the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L appeal to?
As a big seven-seater, the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L will be pitched primarily at family buyers and those seeking extra room and cargo space.
But rather than directly targeting models like the Toyota Prado or Isuzu MU-X – the two top-selling seven-seat large SUVs in Australia – the Grand Cherokee L’s upmarket push will see it rise higher in the pecking order.
There are pros and cons to this northward trajectory.
On one hand, the Grand Cherokee L’s luxury status should see a new set of customers enter the frame, who may not have considered a Jeep before.
However, that group of wealthier car buyers is arguably smaller than those shopping within mainstream circles for vehicles like the Prado and MU-X. It’s challenging to predict how the new model will fare in the Aussie market, especially given the Grand Cherokee’s chequered past, but Jeep is confident it will boost the brand’s fortunes.
So, what do we think of the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L?
The new 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L is a polished product and a significant improvement over its predecessor.
It’s a large, roomy, luxurious and comfortable family chariot, with a chiselled new look and the sort of off-road capability that will surprise newcomers to the brand – but probably not existing Jeeple.
There are two – perhaps three – elements that may put buyers off, beginning with the underpowered 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine and relatively high asking price.
Both these issues are likely to be resolved as the range expands to include a plug-in hybrid powertrain and less expensive grades.
The third issue is public perception of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which was plagued by reliability issues in its previous generation.
Jeep execs say the new model and new aftersales processes address previous concerns, but it will be the car-buying public who will decide whether it’s time to forgive and forget.
Taken on face value, and based on a couple of drives now on US soil, there’s a lot to like about the new Jeep Grand Cherokee L.
If you’re not too concerned about the lack of diesel or V8 power, and are keen on a rugged but well-appointed family SUV, it will warrant closer inspection when it arrives Down Under soon.
How much does the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve cost?Price: $115,450 (plus on-road costs)Available: May 2022Engine: 3.6-litre V6 petrolOutput: 210kW/344NmTransmission: Eight-speed automaticFuel: 11.2L/100km (US EPA)CO2: 266g/km (US EPA)
Safety rating: Not tested
Keyword: Jeep Grand Cherokee L 2022 Review – International