Few surprises
I'm not fond of these big Jeeps; I prefer sportier vehicles. Still, I have to admit that the Grand Cherokee handles like it should. Highly disadvantaged in tight corners, its excessive weight translates into significant understeer. However, you can easily apply steering corrections.
The kilos are also felt during braking maneuvers: the forward weight transfer induces considerable nosedive. It's already a concern during normal stops, so you can imagine how disastrous this unbalancing reaction is during emergency braking.
But when it's all said and done, the Grand Cherokee does not aspire to become the ultimate racer. It primarily aims to offer loads of comfort and a driving experience which stays true to the Jeep heritage.
From that standpoint, the Grand Cherokee -- with or without the turbodiesel -- offers few surprises. True, my Laredo tester boasted an impressive array of features, including navigation, premium audio and, of course, leather seats.
In the trails
That being said, the real strength of the Grand Cherokee remains its off-road capabilities -- just like any other Jeep for that matter. The fully-automatic, full-time Quadra-Drive II system represents the brand's most advanced 4WD technology. At the push of a button, you can lock the front and rear differentials in "4-LO" mode to prevent inopportune skidding. Even in normal mode, the system proves highly effective and reassuring.
To be honest, while I'm usually able to find the track limits of a sports car, I still haven't found the off-road limits of the Grand Cherokee. Because of its massive size, it provides extra confidence to push it even more.
A taste of luxury
Despite being fuel-efficient and, dare I say it, environmentally friendly, the Grand Cherokee Diesel is certainly not the most affordable option in the category. In fact, you only have to shell out a few additional grand to get your hands on the ultra-high performance SRT8 model.
Bottom line: buying a Grand Cherokee Diesel is more of an act of faith than a rational decision. But if you can indeed afford it, you won't be disappointed.
Prodigious torque
Comfort
Undeniable off-road skills
Excess weight
High price
None
photo:Bertrand Godin
I'm not fond of these big Jeeps; I prefer sportier vehicles. Still, I have to admit that the Grand Cherokee handles like it should. Highly disadvantaged in tight corners, its excessive weight translates into significant understeer. However, you can easily apply steering corrections.
The kilos are also felt during braking maneuvers: the forward weight transfer induces considerable nosedive. It's already a concern during normal stops, so you can imagine how disastrous this unbalancing reaction is during emergency braking.
But when it's all said and done, the Grand Cherokee does not aspire to become the ultimate racer. It primarily aims to offer loads of comfort and a driving experience which stays true to the Jeep heritage.
From that standpoint, the Grand Cherokee -- with or without the turbodiesel -- offers few surprises. True, my Laredo tester boasted an impressive array of features, including navigation, premium audio and, of course, leather seats.
 |
| The Grand Cherokee offers loads of comfort, but that doesn't mean it can't deliver high levels of excitement once in a while. |
In the trails
That being said, the real strength of the Grand Cherokee remains its off-road capabilities -- just like any other Jeep for that matter. The fully-automatic, full-time Quadra-Drive II system represents the brand's most advanced 4WD technology. At the push of a button, you can lock the front and rear differentials in "4-LO" mode to prevent inopportune skidding. Even in normal mode, the system proves highly effective and reassuring.
To be honest, while I'm usually able to find the track limits of a sports car, I still haven't found the off-road limits of the Grand Cherokee. Because of its massive size, it provides extra confidence to push it even more.
A taste of luxury
Despite being fuel-efficient and, dare I say it, environmentally friendly, the Grand Cherokee Diesel is certainly not the most affordable option in the category. In fact, you only have to shell out a few additional grand to get your hands on the ultra-high performance SRT8 model.
Bottom line: buying a Grand Cherokee Diesel is more of an act of faith than a rational decision. But if you can indeed afford it, you won't be disappointed.
 |
Comfort
Undeniable off-road skills
 |
Excess weight
High price
 |
None
photo:Bertrand Godin
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