Jeep Grand Cherokee (05-) 3.0 V6 CRD Limited 5dr review
Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 V6 CRD Limited Road Test
Test date 09 August 2005
Price as tested £31,995
For Diesel engine, smooth auto 'box, powerful brakes, equipment
Against Dynamics, cramped rear seats, shoddy trim quality, price
It’s fair to say the test team was quite looking forward to getting its teeth into this, the all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee. All new? It may look like an update of the car that first went into production 13 years ago but, in fact, it owes nothing but its inspiration to its predecessor.
The reason this diesel-powered SUV was raising our pulses was the promise it contained. Old Grand Cherokees were never lacking in charm but fell short when it came to providing the simple, raw talent required to cut it in the competition of our cross-pond environment. We never doubted their off-road ability but nor did we have any illusions about the poor refinement, grotty diesel engine, clunking ride and patchy quality.
However, this new Grand Cherokee comes with not only over a decade of progress behind it but crucially, the resources of the DaimlerChrysler organisation. If it could combine Jeep charm with Mercedes quality, it could be the one thing this market cries out for: a proper rival for the Land Rover Discovery 3. The Toyota Land-Cruiser and new Nissan Pathfinder both failed to come close to the standard set by the extraordinary new Disco, but Jeep was building off-roaders even before Land Rover and, likewise, has never built anything else. It is the original and, if the resources at its disposal were utilised to the full, had the potential to be the best.
Built for Jeep by Magna-Steyr in Graz, Austria, the new Grand Cherokee reaches us with three engines and two equipment levels. Only the diesel is available as a £29,495 base model, while the well-equipped ‘Limited’ specification can be chosen with either diesel or 4.7-litre petrol power (£32,895), or a gutsy 322bhp, 5.7-litre Hemi engine for £37,995. The diesel will, of course, account for the vast majority of sales and it was in Limited form with optional satellite navigation (£1400) that it appeared outside our offices.
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