Jeep Grand Cherokee Review 2024

We've been waiting a while for the new Jeep Grand Cherokee to arrive in the UK. It's finally here - with a premium price tag pitching it against the best SUVs from the BMW X5 to the Land Rover Defender and even the Range Rover Sport. It's not without its charms and a small number of buyers will appreciate its off-road capabilities. But will struggle it for appeal against other, more impressive SUVs. Find out in our Jeep Grand Cherokee review.

There are four trim levels available in the Jeep Grand Cherokee range (Limited, Trailhawk, Overland and Summit Reserve) with prices starting from around £70,000. Certain models take a more off-road-focussed approach, which makes sense if you're in the market for a luxury SUV that can almost keep up with the iconic Jeep Wrangler when the going gets tough.

Curiously, Jeep offers the Grand Cherokee with just one engine in the UK. This is a plug-in hybrid, combining a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol with a pair of electric motors. It suits the Grand Cherokee pretty well, providing punchy-enough performance and the ability to travel in serenity for short distances. It has its limitations, though - its relatively small battery means the engine will noisily jump into life sooner than you might like, while it's also not a particularly capable tow car.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee comes with four-wheel drive, naturally, and we've found it to be very capable off road. A Land Rover Defender will have the edge in extreme conditions, but if you're looking for an armchair with some genuine mud-plugging credentials, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is a respectable choice.

It's fine on the road, too, although most buyers of £70k-plus SUVs have expectations a little more than 'fine'. Its automatic transmission is a little dimwitted, while the steering is lethargic and it'll roll around in corners. Refinement is respectable, though, while it makes a perfectly competent motorway cruiser.

The interior is nothing special - neither posh enough to make buyers think twice about a Range Rover, nor robust enough to tempt you away from an Ineos Grenadier. There's lots of technology on offer, though - it's just a shame most of it is a bit laggy and feels like it's from an SUV made at least five years ago. Special shout out to the optional digital display on the passenger side of the dashboard which is pretty cool.

It's quite a large SUV, clearly, and that does translate into lots of interior space. The interior isn't the biggest in the class, though, while you can't get the Jeep Grand Cherokee with seven seats in the UK. We can't help but feel that most family buyers will be better saving a heap of cash by buying a Skoda Kodiaq instead.

Anyway, even Jeep isn't expecting the Grand Cherokee to sell in huge numbers in the UK. That's perhaps what gives it its biggest appeal: park one of these on your driveway, and it's unlikely that anyone else in the cul-de-sac will buy another in a higher specification or better colour. The Jeep badge is desirable, too, while the Grand Cherokee is arguably less 'try hard' than the Defender 110. It's a car we'd struggle to recommend, but we certainly wouldn't judge you for buying one.

Even by large SUV standards, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is pretty chunky. It measures 4914mm in length, 2149mm in width and 1795mm in height.

It certainly feels pretty big inside, with those in the front treated to large armchair-like seats offering plenty of adjustment and a high view of your surroundings. There's plenty of stowage, too, including deep cubbies and some storage under the arm rest.

There's space for a trio of adults in the rear, while the 533-litre boot is fairly big - if not exactly class-leading in terms of outright capacity. Unfortunately you can't buy a seven-seat Jeep Grand Cherokee in the UK; that seems short sighted when you can get most of its competitors with seven seats.

Interior quality is not the Jeep Grand Cherokee's strong point. While we might forgive some of its flimsy finishes on a more affordable family SUV, the Grand Cherokee has the price tag of a posh SUV, while it's marketed as a rugged off-roader that'll stand the test of time. In our view, the cabin is neither plush nor likely to withstand day-to-day family use very well at all.

At least the cabin looks pretty smart, while we like the use of physical buttons rather than an over-reliance on touchscreen displays. Unfortunately the tan leather and wood trim fitted to our test car is no longer available in the UK.

As you'd expect for a premium SUV, the new Jeep Grand Cherokee is loaded with technology and up to four different screens.

The central display is a 10.1-inch display which houses wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as navigation, DAB radio and all the usual functions you'd want in a modern infotainment system. It looks smart enough but isn't exactly rapid to respond - just like many things in the Grand Cherokee, it falls slightly short of a truly premium experience.

There's also a head-up display, a digital instrument cluster and, perhaps most noteworthy, an optional front passenger screen. This is a 10.25-inch display on the passenger's side of the dashboard, providing your co-pilot with their own view of the navigation or driving cameras. Perhaps more realistically, it can also be used for entertainment - meaning your passenger can watch Youtube or play video games on the move.

As of 2024, the cheapest Jeep Grand Cherokee stars from a smidgen under £70,000, while the highest-spec Summit Reserve model is more than £85,000. That kind of money buys you a lot of Land Rover Defender 110 - while even a Range Rover Sport can be had for £75,000. Unfortunately it's value for money where the Jeep Grand Cherokee starts to lose face - a lot of its quirks and foibles are difficult to overlook when it's pricier than some of the most desirable premium SUVs.

While the new Jeep Grand Cherokee hasn't been on the market long enough for it to hit the used market in any great numbers, we wouldn't be surprised if heavy depreciation means you can save a heap of cash on a nearly-new example in a year or two's time.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is offered exclusively as a plug-in hybrid, with an advertised electric-only range of up to 31 miles. That's ideal for buyers with a short commute or those wanting to do the school run under electric power alone, although other PHEV SUVs can travel further before the petrol engine kicks in.

Plug-in hybrids make the most sense for company car drivers who can enjoy significant tax savings compared to petrol or diesel vehicles. With CO2 emissions of 60g/km, though, the Grand Cherokee will cost a lot more in company car tax than competitors with official emissions of less than 50g/km.

Anyone else looking for cheap-to-run large SUV would be better looking for a diesel alternative, particularly if you cover a lot of motorway miles or plan to tow a trailer. The Grand Cherokee's 108.6mpg figure should be taken with a pinch of salt, especially if you're not able to charge it regularly.

It's quite telling that a significant chunk of our test route for the Jeep Grand Cherokee was on rocky, rutted off-road tracks. Much like a Land Rover Defender, the Grand Cherokee really shines in tough conditions. No, it might not be as capable as the Jeep Wrangler but, even on road tyres, it'll happily float over rough terrain - its air suspension does a superb job of isolating passengers from what's going on beneath the car.

Does that come at the expense of off-road manners? Yes and no. It's certainly not as agile as a Range Rover Sport or BMW X5 - there's a noticeable amount of lean in corners, while the steering feels a bit ponderous. But it settles down nicely at motorway speeds, while it'll be a much more civilised car to live with day-to-day than the old-school Wrangler.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is now offered exclusively as a plug-in hybrid, combining a 2.0-litre petrol engine with two electric motors and an eight-speed automatic gearbox. With 380PS and 637Nm of torque, you're going to be a little disappointed if you're trading in an old Grand Cherokee SRT - but even Jeep now has an eye on economy, and the new Grand Cherokee fares pretty well in that regard.

It's not like it's a slouch, either. It'll accelerate from a standstill to 62mph in 6.3 seconds... the fact that it doesn't feel quite that quick is perhaps because of the Grand Cherokee's impressive refinement, aided by trick active noise cancelling. There's enough performance from the electric motor alone to dart around with the engine off, although a heavy shove of the accelerator pedal will spring the four-cylinder motor into life. When this happens, that refinement does take a knock - it's quite brash and not as civilised as six-cylinder alternatives.

Euro NCAP crash-tested the Jeep Grand Cherokee in 2022 and awarded it an impressive five-star safety rating. It performed well across the board, with a particularly impressive 89% score for child occupants. That's good news if, like most buyers, you're considering the Grand Cherokee as a family car.

That impressive result shouldn't be a surprise, considering Jeep's claiming no fewer than 110 advanced safety and driver-assistance features. These include Jeep's active driving assist feature which combines the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping features to take the strain out of day-to-day driving, especially when in traffic or cruising on the motorway.

Traditionally, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is a very capable tow vehicle. The latest model can tow a braked trailer weighing up to 2332kg, which is more than enough for most caravans. We suspect its hindered slightly by its hybrid powertrain, though - both the new Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Rover Defender 110 can tow up to 3500kg, which is more useful if you're planning to lug a heavy trailer or horsebox.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited model sits on 20-inch wheels and features full LED exterior lighting. Standard safety equipment includes full speed Forward Collision Warning, Traffic Sign Recognition, Drowsy Driver and Selec-Terrain system for added traction when going off road. The interior hosts premium vinyl perforated seats with front and rear ventilation and a 10.25-inch digital TFT cluster, plus the 10.1-inch Uconnect infotainment screen.

Standard equipment on the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk includes 18-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres, Jeep off road accessory kit, a rear tow hook, and skid plates. Off-road technology includes an electronic limited slip rear differential, Quadra lift air suspension, front disconnect sway bar, an integrated off-road camera and hill descent control. Inside, the Trailhawk comes with vinyl/suede seats and all-weather floor mats.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland comes with 20-inch polished wheels, a dual-pane sunroof, hands-free tailgate, premium reflector headlights, front corner LED lights and body-coloured exterior highlights. On the inside, the Overland model comes with nappa leather seats, a PUR wrapped instrument cluster, ambient lighting, a Delux security alarm system, McIntosh sound system, map-in-cluster display and head-up display.

Topping the range, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve builds on the Overland with 21-inch alloy wheels, a rear camera washer, chrome exterior accents, black painted roof and an electronic limited slip diff. Four-zone climate control is standard, as well as leather seats (16-way adjustable with massage function in the front), illuminated sill plates and walnut wood interior accents. The Summit Reserve model also comes with a digital rear-view mirror, 360-degree camera, active drive assist, wireless phone charger, night vision and a 10-inch digital passenger display.