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Christopher Jackson | 3/19/2008 | Jeep
It's not immediately obvious, but the Jeep Grand Cherokee is basically an American response to Land Rover's capable luxury sport-utes. The Grand Cherokee has always been subtly different from other midsize SUVs, because it's a Jeep.
That's more than just a nameplate; unlike most of the other luxurious sport-utes it competes with, the Grand Cherokee is designed to be a fully capable off-roader. It's comfortable on the freeway and packed to the gills with all of the luxury toys, but the Grand Cherokee can leave the pavement and crawl up a boulder-strewn mountainside with the greatest of ease.
For 2007, that ease gets even greater, thanks to the introduction of a diesel-powered Grand Cherokee. Following in the steps of the torquey and efficient Liberty CRD, the 2007 Grand Cherokee CRD features a powerful 3.0 liter common-rail diesel engine whose stump-pulling torque and amazingly quiet operation should have Jeep fans heading eagerly for the wilderness.
It's easy to overlook the Grand Cherokee, as its basic look hasn't changed much since its introduction in 1992. This is a low-roofed, short-overhanged sport-ute, with a familiar seven-slot grille flanked by quad headlamps. In 2005 it was freshened, with a more squared-off look that's also actually contoured to keep off-roading debris from damaging the body sides. To keep thing sophisticated, the Grand Cherokee's details are unusually fine, from the chrome and satin-finish trim on the doors (depending on model) to the slightly tweaked taillight details. The name may be humble, but the Grand Cherokee will look just as happy on Rodeo Drive as any Land Rover. Rich colors and subtle brightwork help to separate this SUV's look from the everyday. The CRD is distinguished only by a badge on the tailgate.
Inside, the 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD is still of the old, truck-based school of SUV thought, with less elbow room than you'd expect. The seating position is strange and slightly uncomfortable, as if the floor is too high and the ceiling too low. For that, the Grand Cherokee is plush, with a quiet cabin at freeway speeds, nice chrome detailing in all of the right places and a wide range of luxury options. A Grand Cherokee without a leather interior, automatic wipers, adjustable pedals, a sunroof and Sirius satellite radio will be an uncommon sight indeed. A navigation system, rear-seat DVD and ParkSense rear back-up camera are available, and the optional side-curtain airbags with a rollover sensor are new. In spite of all the technology, the Grand Cherokee is easier to get to know than the Land Rover LR3, which seems to speak its own high-tech language.
What sets the Grand Cherokee CRD apart from the rest of the luxury SUV herd, of course, is the Mercedes-built 3.0 liter six-cylinder diesel powerplant under the hood. The Grand Cherokee has been known in recent years for its HEMI V8 engine, but the CRD is a different animal entirely, with a modest 215 horsepower but 376-ft-lb torque. The first thing you'll notice about the CRD is that it's quiet. A typical heavy-duty diesel pickup forty feet away will drown out the CRD's engine note easily. Thanks to excellent fuel economy for an engine this size, the Grand Cherokee CRD has an over-400-mile range. It's powerful, too, offering acceleration and towing capacity similar to a V8 powered sport-ute. The Grand Cherokee CRD will tow up to 7400 pounds; around town, it's hardly working. A five-speed automatic transmission keeps the revs low, right where they want to be.
As with most of Jeep's lineup, a choice of four- or all-wheel drive systems is offered. Top of the line is the Quadra-Drive II system, which uses three electronic limited-slip differentials and a full-time active transfer case to seamlessly limit wheel slippage without any driver input.
Unlike the crude off-roaders of the past, the 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD's suspension consists of a short- and long-arm independent front setup and a five-link rear. Lateral stability has been improved, and Jeep says that off-road performance is not sacrificed. Electronic Stability Program (ESP) stability control is standard. On the road, the Grand Cherokee feels soft, but less prone to waddling than competitors from Ford or GM. Even a Land Rover is arguably more tippy at speed. The ESP ensures that the Grand Cherokee always feels stable under heavy braking, even on uncertain surfaces.
The Grand Cherokee is the very living model of a modern premium off-roader, to coin a phrase. The new CRD model's diesel powerplant adds a level of refinement, fuel economy and performance that will please all but those who just can't live without the roar of a V8. Capability doesn't come cheap, however. Like the Jeep Liberty CRD before it, the diesel-burning Grand Cherokee commands a significant premium over its gas-powered counterparts with a base price of $37,645. Equipped with optional equipment like handsome pearlcoat paint, skid plates, a navigation system and rear back-up camera, my tester topped the price range at $45,560. The 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD matches Land Rover for luxury, off-road ability and street cred, but don't make the mistake of thinking that it's a less expensive alternative.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited CRD
Length: 188.0 in.
Width: 84.3 in.
Height: 68.9 in.
Wheelbase: 109.5 in.
Curb weight: 4526 lb.
Cargo space: 34,5 cu.ft. (seats up); 67.4 cu.ft. (seats folded)
Towing capacity: 7400 lb.
Base price: $37,645
Price as tested: $45,560
Engine: 3.0 liter common-rail turbodiesel V6
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Horsepower: 215 @ 3800
Torque: 376 @ 1600-2800
Fuel capacity: 22.0 gal.
Est. mileage: 19/23
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