Ask The Best And Brightest: Is the New Grand Cherokee a "Real" Jeep? Does It Matter?
Checking in with Jalopnik, the just-released specs for the new Jeep Grand Cherokee boast that its Quadra Lift air suspension can elevate the Jeep’s body from Parking Mode’s 4.5″ ground clearance to Off-Road 2’s 11.1″ (obvious joke deleted). So does that qualify the Grand Cherokee for “real Jeep” status? I mean, we are talking about an SUV with a fully independent suspension. Yes, I know: most of the brand’s lineup sport a similar set-up and would fall apart just looking at The Rubicon. But that doesn’t make it right, does it? Jeep’s brand managers are pro-actively defensive on the topic, claiming that the new vehicle “Hits the Sweet Spot of Real-world Capability and On-road Refinement.” I reckon that’s code for Soccer Moms Über Alles (it does sit on a Mercedes ML platform). And lastly, is there anyone who doesn’t think Chrysler is about to go Tango Uniform? Their thirty days are almost up. Isn’t this just pissing in the wind, preparing for a liquidation sale or something they cooked-up a long time ago so? WTH?
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i've always been a fan of the GC, and this new one is easily my pick styling wise for SUVs. i like the interior too, it has a quite a lack of buttons for a car this days. i hope the new V6 is bang on and quality is up tho, for Chryslers sake
In my foolish youth, I rented a brand new Grand Cherokee for fun and took it for some mild off-roading, or so I originally thought. We have a big diversion dam in our city and I drove down the hill beside it, through an opening in the bush and then alongside but above the river. At points I was literally inches away from rolling off the edge down into the river (at least a 12 foot drop). I gathered up some nerve and pressed on only to realize it was a dead end with no place to turn around. I had to go in reverse uphill again on that same precarious path. Thoughts of a destroyed SUV and a voided rental agreement ran through my mind as I tried to get out of the mess I put myself in. It took forever and I was sweating bullets, but man what an adrenaline rush! A couple things I learned from that experience though: • Finding a place to go off-roading is not easy, especially if you live in the city. Practically everywhere you go is trespassing on private property or inaccessible. • I was willing to do it because it wasn’t my car but then I changed my tune half way along when I realized that I might be on the hook for repairs • The GC was fully up to what I threw at it I think many people buy an SUV with the ‘intention’ of trying it off-road, but then the concerns about damaging a vehicle they’ve paid a large amount of money for go into overdrive. For many, having Trail Rated on the side isn’t just for show, they just had unrealistic visions of off-road grandeur when they laid down the big money.
So I'm not an SUV guy. Why is a solid axle better at off-roading then independent suspension?