Jeepers Creepers — Jeep Grand Cherokee Off-Road Review

The entry-level offering by Jeep in India is the Wrangler Unlimited that carries a price tag of Rs 56 lakh for the petrol variant and Rs 71.60 lakh (both ex-showroom Delhi) for the diesel variant. The Grand Cherokee, the flagship offering from Jeep was what put to its test, which would set back a customer by Rs 93 lakh onward.

First, let's do away with basics. The Summit variant of the Grand Cherokee is the second trim on offer and comes with a host of accessories such as three infotainment systems that can be used individually. The engine is a 3.0-litre diesel unit that makes 286bhp and 570Nm of torque with the help of an 8-speed automatic gearbox.

Now, one might think that the Cherokee is a polished SUV that is designed to be more of a city dweller than a hardcore off-roader — yes, but no at the same time. The Cherokee is a polished SUV, but is a capable vehicle when tarmac ends.

The driver gets to chose between Snow, Sand, Mud, and Rock with the help of a dial located next to the gearbox. The mode is displayed on the instrument console.

The Cherokee was put through a series of tests, and the first was to test the ground clearance on a steep hill. Slot the Cherokee into ‘Four-Wheel-Drive Low' and switch on the ‘Hill Descent', the vehicle will crawl down the hill. The driver need not touch the brakes to correct the vehicle — it is done electronically, and the only work the driver has is to steer. Once the vehicle reaches level grounds, the Cherokee will come to a stop.

Also, at any given point of time, if the driver chooses to accelerate, the ‘Hill Descent' mode is turned off, and when the driver lets go of the gas, the assist comes back on again. The speed of the descent can be increased or decreased with the help of paddle shifters.

The course set by Jeep was to showcase the various traits of the vehicle, be it water wading, to go up a steep incline, coming down a hill, and even tight manoeuvres. The Cherokee proved to tackle all these with a calm composure.

Something different Jeep had in place was a fleet of stairs, that replaced the traditional ramp to showcase the Cherokee's ascend and descent ability. The amount of power available as low as 1,500rpm was more than enough to overcome the obstacle.

Like most vehicles today, the Selec-Terrain system allows the Cherokee to suit itself to the path ahead. Traction is focused on those wheels that need it the most, and the SUV overcomes them without the slightest hint of stress on the engine.

Now, coming to the most important aspect — is the Jeep Cherokee a worthy 4X4? Jeep, as a brand is well-known when it comes to off-roading, be it crawling over rocks in Moab, dune bashing in the Middle East, or even exploring an unknown trail in Australia. Jeep wanted to create a similar brand recall in India too, but the pricing has distanced customers from the actual product.

The Jeep Cherokee is a capable vehicle, no doubt. The reality is (let's all admit it), most would not even think of taking a vehicle that costs around Rs 1 crore away from the comfort of tarmac into the lesser known trail. This is when you ask yourself — would you shell out that money when there are 4X4 SUV options for half the price?

Jeep Grand Cherokee Pricing

Note: Prices are ex-showroom (Delhi)

Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Spec Sheet