I know, as a few colleagues and I trekked down to Niagara-on-the-Lake in the Grand Cherokee. Total seat time was seven and a half hours and, surprisingly, none of us felt destroyed or required being in traction. You may have guessed that the seats do everything right as does the rear bench. The nav, HVAC, audio and other controls are straightforward and easy to operate.
Grand on the road
Unknowingly at the time, the GC's platform was being co-developed with Mercedes before the divorce became official. This explains in part why the Grand Cherokee behaves as it does on the road. If Chrysler had been left to their own devices after the breakup, I would have been concerned for the GC's future. Thanks to Fiat, all should be good. Back to the drive.
“It will take you there. Will you go?” That's the GC's new catch phrase and I think its meaning runs deeper than you think. Not only can this bonified SUV take you on any off-road course thanks to systems and gadgets like Quadra-Trac II with Selec-Terrain and Hill Descent Control, but as a road-going vehicle, it certainly is excellent.
As I've stated earlier, we drove down to Niagara. Between Montreal and the Falls, the only rough terrain we encountered were Quebec highways. Once the border crossed, there really ain't anything doin' on the road... Yet, the Grand Cherokee coddled us, kept us free from sin, rewarded the driver with well-weight and decently communicative steering, strong brakes with good pedal feel and better than average stability on the motorway.
Once off the ultra-boring 401, the Grand Cherokee still did not fail. Its relatively short turning radius and good sightlines make city driving a breeze. The suspension masterfully isolated the occupants from harsh surface changes and best of all, the cabin remained quiet at all times. This entire experience had me thinking Mercedes ML-Class and Lexus RX all the way.
 |
| Total seat time was seven and a half hours and, surprisingly, none of us felt destroyed or required being in traction. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
Grand on the road
Unknowingly at the time, the GC's platform was being co-developed with Mercedes before the divorce became official. This explains in part why the Grand Cherokee behaves as it does on the road. If Chrysler had been left to their own devices after the breakup, I would have been concerned for the GC's future. Thanks to Fiat, all should be good. Back to the drive.
“It will take you there. Will you go?” That's the GC's new catch phrase and I think its meaning runs deeper than you think. Not only can this bonified SUV take you on any off-road course thanks to systems and gadgets like Quadra-Trac II with Selec-Terrain and Hill Descent Control, but as a road-going vehicle, it certainly is excellent.
As I've stated earlier, we drove down to Niagara. Between Montreal and the Falls, the only rough terrain we encountered were Quebec highways. Once the border crossed, there really ain't anything doin' on the road... Yet, the Grand Cherokee coddled us, kept us free from sin, rewarded the driver with well-weight and decently communicative steering, strong brakes with good pedal feel and better than average stability on the motorway.
Once off the ultra-boring 401, the Grand Cherokee still did not fail. Its relatively short turning radius and good sightlines make city driving a breeze. The suspension masterfully isolated the occupants from harsh surface changes and best of all, the cabin remained quiet at all times. This entire experience had me thinking Mercedes ML-Class and Lexus RX all the way.
 |
| The suspension masterfully isolated the occupants from harsh surface changes. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |