Jeep Grand Cherokee Long Term Review, March 2025 Report

When you think Jeep, undoubtedly you picture the Wrangler – with its rugged go-anywhere appeal. But what if you wanted to retain a majority of that off-road ability but in a much more civilised everyday package. Then you need to think ‘Grand Cherokee.’ In fact, since its introduction in the US in the early 90s, it’s developed a legacy all its own. This fifth generation Grand Cherokee is the first one to make it to our shores, but it’s safe to say that it hasn’t exactly made much of a dent in the market. So, we thought we’d spend a couple of months with it to find out why.

The first thing that strikes you is its clean, typically Jeep, design – with that signature seven slat grille and squared off wheel arches. It’s a really good-looking machine, although there isn’t much to differentiate it from its smaller sibling, the Meridian, which is possibly one of the reasons why you don’t see (or notice) too many on our roads. The second thing that strikes you is its rather punchy 2.0-litre turbo-petrol with 268 horses mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, sending power to all four wheels. Surprisingly, the drivetrain is brilliant, and at 7.4km/l even the fuel economy isn’t as bad as I was expecting.

But there are a few shortcomings. The cabin feels cheap in places, especially the faux leather. The low-speed ride is busier than it ought to be, and the steering is heavier than it should be. Plus, in some cases the cost cutting is perceptible, such as the Alpine sound system, which sounds cheap and tinny.

At just short of 80 lakhs on-road, what you get is an SUV that offers real go-anywhere ability, looks and feels imposing, but at the same time struggles to justify its price tag. The Grand Cherokee has another month in which to win us over, so stay tuned for final impressions next month...

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