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Jeep Grand Cherokee

The Jeep name is synonymous with off-road excellence, and Chrysler has been careful to avoid losing that reputation. Hence, even the new Grand Cherokee is capable of going off the paved path.

For reasons we cannot imagine, Chrysler's press department set up our test car with the trailer towing package, luxury options such as the Infinity stereo and leather, and the heavy duty suspension, but forgot to buy the 4.7 liter V8. The result of this choice of options was a car with a stiff, jouncy suspension (since we did not have a trailer to tow), with rather poor acceleration. We know this is not normal for the Grand Cherokee, but it's the hand we were dealt.

The 4.7 liter V8 has slightly lower EPA gas mileage ratings than the 4.0 liter in-line six. However, its acceleration is considerably better than the smaller, ancient, AMC-derived engine. We strongly recommend getting the V8. The six is fast in the Wrangler, good in the Cherokee, but out of its depth in the heavy Grand Cherokee. Acceleration is not lethargic, but it is also not very quick - it is very similar to the Nissan Pathfinder.

The transmission could do more to compensate for the lack of power. In cars like the Hyundai Elantra, fast and frequent downshifting brings out the best in the engine. In the Grand Cherokee, downshifting is delayed unless the pedal is floored, which is unusual in Chrysler vehicles. Indeed, the transmission shifted very firmly and slowly most of the time. The 4.7 comes with a newer five-speed automatic, and moves from zero to sixty with alacrity.

The Grand Cherokee's handling is very good for an SUV, as is its braking, though we experienced some body roll.

The instrument panel is clean, and backlit with traditional green light at night. Controls all make sense, and include cruise control buttons on the front of the steering wheel with unlabelled radio buttons on the back. A cruise-set light would be handy. The overdrive can be shut off with a button on the gearshift. The emergency brake, for some reason, is all the way on the passenger side of the massive center console. The English might love this setup, but if you drive on the right and sit on the left, you might find it awkward.

The moonroof has an express open and close feature, so you don't need to keep your finger on the switch. Automatic headlights are optional, and use the same control as the Nissan Pathfinder. The optional Infinity stereo system reproduces sound extremely well, with very deep bass that can be quickly shut off (via a convenient slider) on demand. We appreciated the easy radio controls, including a three-band equalizer.

There are many places for coins, sunglasses, and other things. Cup holders are simple round depressions in front, with none provided in back.

A clever infra-red, skin-temperature-sensing climate control system is available but again, Chrysler neglected to install it on our test vehicle.

The overhead console (standard on the Laredo) provides information such as the temperature and compass heading, gas mileage (average and current), and the current trip (e.g. hours spent). It also tells how many miles you have until the next service (service intervals can be customized), and how long until you run out of gas. Most impressive is the new feature of letting you customize all sorts of operations via the console, such as the automatic headlight delay, whether the doors automatically lock and unlock, etc. We've waited a long time for something like this, and we're glad it's here. But when will it appear on the other Chrysler products?

The sun visors are adequately sized and have pull-out sections for those times when the sun is in just the wrong place.

The spacious cargo bay is a bit larger than the Pathfinder's, but looks similar, with a removable, windowshade-type cover to provide security without intruding on the available space. The rear seats fold down or lift up for more storage.

The air conditioning is powerful and, though the fan is not quiet, it is nowhere near as noisy as the Pathfinder's. For a vehicle of this size, there was relativey little wind noise. The roof rack was designed to allow eash movement of the crossbars.

Part time four wheel drive is available via a gearshift-like control, unless you opt for the sophisticated full-time four wheel drive system. Because part time four wheel drive is generally only useful for those who drive off-road, or on roads covered in snow and ice, we strongly suggest the full time system. The Quadra-Trac II is $1,000, and is a massive improvement over the Selec-Trac for those who use the Jeep mostly on-road. Normally, part-time systems are left off, even when going over wet roads - but the Quadra-Trac stays on all the time, and does not have much impact on gas mileage or suspension life.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a premium off-road vehicle which is not punishing on-road. Its build quality is far better than its nearest competitor, the Land Rover. On the other hand, you can buy a Wrangler and Intrepid for about the price of a fully loaded Grand Cherokee, and have off-road fun and on-road practicality at the same time. (Or get a Wrangler and a Neon and save lots of cash).

The Grand Cherokee, like the Nissan Pathfinder, gets about 17 mpg on mostly highway driving. If you do not take your car off-road, you can get a Chrysler Town and Country (or Toyota Sienna) for far less money, and get about five more miles out of each gallon of gasoline - and get a far more comfortable ride wih far more interior space. But if image is all that you care about, by all means, get the Grand Cherokee - thanks to Jeep's off-road prowess, its image is well established and unlikely to change.

Likewise, if you really do go off-road, the Grand Cherokee will take you there quite well. It's built for that, unlike, say, Ford's Ex-series. But so is the standard Cherokee, and the Wrangler.

In brief, if you're going off the paved road, go with the Jeep. If you're commuting on highways, go with a car or minivan, and get a Subaru if you're eager for all wheel drive.

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