SAFE AND SOUND (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_jeepgrandcherokee_270409

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

Introductionword count: 119

Rarely has a car been transformed quite so radically in one generation as Jeep's Grand Cherokee. At a swipe, it went from an also ran to a car that deserved serious consideration. The trouble is not everybody caught onto the proposition that Jeep was offering and the Grand Cherokee received a couple of sniffy reviews in some esteemed journals that really should know better. This is good news for you. While the used market for Land Rover Discoverys and Volvo XC90s is on fire, you'll be able to negotiate an even more attractive deal on a Grand Cherokee. Then you'll just have to suppress a chuckle every time you see a Land Rover or Volvo come the other way.

Modelsword count: 18

Models Covered: Third generation - 2005-to date (3.0 V6 diesel, 5.7, 6.1 V8 petrol [Limited, Overland, Predator, SRT8])

Historyword count: 236

I must admit to genuinely disliking previous Grand Cherokee models. While they seemed to work well in the US, they never really made a decent translation to this country, the agricultural steering, poor body control, plasticky interior and prehistoric diesel engines not really endearing themselves to the car buying public once the novelty of a 'luxury' 4x4 had worn off. The 2005 model year Grand Cherokee was a completely different kettle of fish. For a start, Jeep prioritised the diesel engine and had a cracker at their disposal in the form of the 3.0-litre V6 CRD common rail unit also found across the Mercedes range. The petrol engine was also pretty good, albeit a little irrelevant in a country with sky high fuel prices. Jeep also fitted a decent steering system, smartened up the cabins and improved the chassis no end. An evolution in the luxury 4x4 market also saw the Grand Cherokee no longer trying to compete with the really high end stuff like Porsche Cayennes and Range Rovers. Jeep repositioned it as the value choice in the luxury division with an equipment packed Predator model aimed at private buyers coming in with an eye-catching price of under £27,000 with some dealers able to cut prices to less than £24,000. That represented a lot of car for the money. In late 2006, Jeep introduced a testosterone-fuelled flagship model, the SRT-8, packing an incredible 420 horsepower.

What You Getword count: 177

At first glance, this car doesn't look a great deal different to the Mk2 Grand, but park the two cars back to back and the changes are obvious. The waistline of the latest car is a good deal higher, giving a wedgier, tauter look. The headlamps are more rounded to conform with Jeep family styling. With 90mm extra in the wheelbase, this car also caters for its passengers a good deal better than its surprisingly bijou predecessor. A stiffer chassis, better aerodynamics and a proportionally longer bonnet also point to the latest Grand Cherokee's modernity. Equipment? Everything you'd expect is in place: a 6-speaker CD Hi-Fi, front foglamps, air-conditioning, electric everything, power folding and heated mirrors, an independently opening rear tailgate glass section and a reversible cargo tray in the estate compartment for those muddy boot moments. Trim levels run from Predator through Limited to the plush Overland range-topper. All Grand Cherokee models were covered by the comprehensive Jeep warranty scheme, which provided a three-year/60,000 mile mechanical warranty, seven-year anti-corrosion warranty and 12 months European roadside assistance.

To see the full road test text contact us on 0330 0020 227