The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a big boy now.
Now in its fifth generation, the SUV has grown to offer seven seats for the first time – though a short-wheelbase five-seater is due in Australia imminently.
It’s not just much larger in the wheelbase than the old one, either. At 5204mm long and 1979mm wide, the 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve is closer in size to a BMW X7 than it is to a Hyundai Palisade.
While the Americans have done the ‘bigger is better’ thing for quite some time, the Grand Cherokee L’s size and price have gotten bigger as time goes on, but not the engine.
Australia only gets the 3.6-litre Pentastar naturally-aspirated V6 with the new-gen Grand Cherokee L, which is the only powertrain offered in the long-wheelbase model (a PHEV turbo four is coming for the five-seater).
That’s despite this top-spec variant’s price tag coming in just under $120,000 before on-road costs, which is Audi Q7 and BMW X5 money, mind you, let alone a well-specified Land Rover Discovery or Toyota LandCruiser 300.
Jeep has gone on the record saying it’s pitching its latest products as more premium offerings, which is reflected in its price positioning and more upmarket designs across the board.
Does it deliver? Or is this summit a little too high?
How much does the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve cost?
$119,450 before on-road costs and options – that’s a lot to pay to say “I bought a Jeep”.
That’s a lot of money in anyone’s books, but when Jeep is positioning itself within the same ballpark of the likes of the Audi Q7 55 TFSI S line quattro ($129,500), BMW X5 xDrive30d ($126,900) and Mercedes-Benz GLE300d ($120,500), it’s got a high benchmark to reach.
Other rivals include the Land Rover Discovery P360 R-Dynamic SE ($122,150), Nissan Patrol Ti-L ($95,115) and Toyota LandCruiser 300 VX ($116,681); all of which are a closer match for the Grand Cherokee L’s go-anywhere pitch. All prices exclude on-road costs.
Perhaps more telling is the Volvo XC90, a benchmark with proper seating for seven. If you’re not swayed by the Jeep’s promise of adventure, you can have the Volvo with a trick 340kW/709Nm plug-in hybrid drivetrain with a claimed all-electric driving range of up to 77km for $125,990 plus on-roads.
It’s worth noting you can get into a Grand Cherokee L for less than $100,000 if you can go without a few niceties, with the entry-level Night Eagle priced from $82,750 before on-roads, and the mid-spec Limited available from $88,750.
There’s also a new Overland version that gets the bulk of the Summit Reserve’s spec sheet for $103,250 plus on-roads, and with a couple of option packs can offer similar kit for $10,000 less than the flagship’s base pricing.
2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L price and specs
- Jeep Grand Cherokee L Night Eagle: $82,750
- Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited: $88,750
- Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland: $103,250
- Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve: $119,450
Prices exclude on-road costs
MORE: 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L price and specs
What is the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve like on the inside?
Our tester’s optional Tupelo Palermo leather trim really hits you in the face, but I personally don’t mind it.
Sure, the beige tone is a bit more manila folder than saddle tan, but it’s a nice change from the predominantly black and grey interior themes of the industry these days, and it’s accompanied with light wood trim.
The open-pore wood ‘appliqué’ appears to be more a facing than actual bits of tree trunk, which sort of sets the tone for most of the interior. It certainly presents well on first glance, but poke and prod around and it’s evident the Americans haven’t quite nailed the premium feel as much as the premium look.
Plenty of soft-touch and stitched surfaces are dotted throughout, and the main touch points look and feel good. There’s a solid click to the buttons and controls, and there’s a suppleness to the padded sections where you rest your elbows.
Some trims and panels in our tester didn’t feel so good, however. The padded section along the centre console where the driver’s knee rests was out of alignment compared to the passenger’s side. Jeep also has a habit of fitting brittle stalks behind the wheel.
During our time with the Grand Cherokee L some of the trims and plastics had a habit of flexing over driveways and other sharper road imperfections which wasn’t great, and some of the door trims feel a little cheap.
We’d also suggest if you have kids with their dirty sports shoes and school bags hopping in and out constantly, the light interior may be a nightmare given it’s prone too marks and scuffs. The standard black interior would suit better if you’re worried about constantly wiping the interior of this big rig down.
Speaking of mark-prone surfaces, the gloss black trim adorning pretty much the entirety of the centre console looks nice and shiny when new but will no doubt become a fingerprint magnet.
The 12-way power-adjustable front seats with four-way lumbar and memory presets are nice, and offer a solid range of adjustment for different body shapes. I’m also a big fan of electric steering column adjustment, which surprisingly not a lot of companies offer at this price.
The front pews also offer heating and ventilation, both of which come in handy in Melbourne’s varying weather.
Interior technology has made improvements in this new WL-generation Grand Cherokee, at least on paper.
There’s a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster complemented by a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system running the Stellantis Group’s latest Uconnect 5 interface, which features wireless smartphone mirroring in addition to DAB and native satellite navigation.
Uconnect 5 is a welcome improvement on Jeep infotainment systems of old, with the Android-based software offering good response times, attractive graphics, and ergonomic menus.
It’s a stark contrast to the digital instrument cluster, however, which seems undercooked compared to the displays you’ll find in similarly-priced competitors – Audi Q7, for example. Thankfully, it offers a range of menus and layouts, even if they don’t present quite as well as rivals.
A thumping 19-speaker McIntosh premium audio system with 950-watt amplifier is a Summit Reserve highlight, with clear and deep surround sound that turns the GC L into a rolling night club. Some of the interior trims aren’t too happy being vibrated with the heavy bass. Great for road trips to drown out the outside world.
There’s plenty in the way of connectivity too, with an array of USB-A and USB-C ports, in addition to an AUX input and a 12V socket.
While the gloss black trim can be a bit of a fingerprint magnet, we applaud Jeep for keeping hard buttons and switchgear alive, with rows of HVAC controls and dials laid out underneath the infotainment display.
It’s a shame Jeep charges you extra for a head-up display and wireless charger, which form part of a $5500 Advanced Technology Group package. This pack also brings a cool night-vision camera – it seems a bit gimmicky as an option at this price, even if it comes in handy when navigating poorly-lit country roads at night.
The Advanced Technology Group package also adds a Front Passenger Interactive Display for 2023 – not shown here as our test car was an MY22 build – which offers a Porsche Taycan-like touchscreen ahead of the front passenger to control various infotainment functions.
Storage is a relative strong point for the Grand Cherokee L, with a deep cubby in the centre console large enough to store a phone and wallet – with an optional wireless charger available – as well as nicely sized cupholders between the front seats, a deep cubby under the front centre armrest, and decent door bins with bottle holders.
One upside of the Grand Cherokee L’s sheer size is the amount of space afforded in the second and third rows. This is indeed a full-size family SUV.
There’s acres of space, with a relatively flat floor allowing all three second-row passengers to be seated in comfort. The outer pews are heated, and there’s third and fourth zones of climate control in the Summit Reserve. Luxe.
Other amenities include another two USB-A and USB-C ports, a 230V AC charge port, fold-out map pockets behind the front seats, and a fold-down centre armrest with cup holders.
You can access the power-folding third row via a power-folding second row, which tilts and slides to afford more room and also provide easier access.
Once you’re in the third row, again the Grand Cherokee L’s big body pays dividends.
While it’s not far and away the class leader for third-row accommodation, the Jeep’s rearmost row of seating is up there with the likes of the Hyundai Palisade.
The pair of power-folding chairs have a surprisingly good headroom for a six-foot adult, and with the second row adjusted in a more forward position there’s good knee room and toe room.
It’s just a shame the floor back there is quite high, meaning adults have to sit a bit knees up compared to something like a Palisade, which draws upon its Kia Carnival underpinnings to offer MPV-like levels of rear seat room.
A further two USB-A and two USB-C ports live in the third row. You’re not left wanting in that department.
There’s a claimed 487L behind the third row of seating, which is considerably more than the likes of the Palisade (311L), Kluger (241L), CX-9 (230L) and Discovery (258L). Again, this is down to having sheer size on your side.
Drop the third row and cargo space expands to 1328L, while there’s a total of 2395L with both the second and third rows folded. That should fit most of the Ikea showroom, we think.
All versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee get a full-size steel spare wheel, measuring 265/60 R18.
What’s under the bonnet?
As noted earlier, the sole engine option is Jeep’s venerable 3.6-litre ‘Pentastar’ naturally-aspirated V6 petrol engine – the Hemi V8 is no longer available in Australia, despite still being offered in the US.
With 210kW (6400rpm) and 344Nm (4000rpm), the Grand Cherokee L’s outputs don’t seem all that flash when a number of rivals with turbocharged petrol and diesel powertrains quote nearly twice the amount of torque, and the quoted tare weight is a hefty 2270kg.
Drive is sent to all four wheels via Jeep’s Quadra-Trac II full-time active 4×4 system, which features a 4×4 Low mode and two-speed electronic transfer case. This heavier-duty setup is standard on the Overland and Summit Reserve variants, with the Night Eagle and Limited making do with a standard full-time AWD system with single-speed transfer case.
All versions of the Grand Cherokee L are fitted with an eight-speed automatic transmission with steering-mounted paddle shifters.
While the 3.6-litre V6 dates back over a decade, Jeep has homologated the Grand Cherokee L to Euro 6 emissions standards, with combined fuel economy quoted at 10.6L per 100km – 0.7L/100km more than the five-seater.
Further, CO2 emissions are rated at 243g/km for the LWB Grand Cherokee, and the fuel tank measures a hefty 87L – with a highway claim of 8.7L/100km, you could reasonably expect 1000km per fill on the freeway. Idle stop/start technology features to stop it guzzling away at the lights.
Jeep quotes a max tow capacity of 2813kg with a towball download of 281kg, a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of 2744kg and a Gross Combined Mass (GCM) of 5557kg.
How does the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve drive?
If you’re a believer of ‘bigger is better’, you’re going to love the feel of the Grand Cherokee L.
From the moment you fire up the V6 and get rolling, you feel elevated and secure in this rolling leather-lined fortress.
There’s a smoothness to naturally-aspirated petrol sixes that’s quite charming here, though the Pentastar motor’s outputs aren’t enough to make this big ol’ Jeep feel super effortless and luxurious given the price.
It revs out with a brassy tone, and the eight-speed auto shifts quickly intuitively, but outright performance is only ever going to be average or thereabouts.
Compared to something like even the base Audi Q7 45 TDI (from $110,000) with its 170kW/500Nm V6 diesel, the Grand Cherokee feels like it has to constantly row through gears and rev out given peak torque doesn’t come on until 4000rpm – and this was just with me on board.
I was pleasantly surprised with the dynamic package, as the Grand Cherokee L rides and handles with reasonable polish.
The fluid and accurate steering helps this SUV hide its size in town and on winding roads, while the hunkered-down stance and good levels of grip give you a feeling of security and stability regardless of the conditions.
Having standard air suspension with various modes helps to iron out the litany of lumps and bumps you’ll encounter in daily driving, especially when riding on 21-inch alloy wheels. It can still err on the firmer side over sharper hits, but it puts in a solid effort nonetheless.
I’d be interested to try the new Overland version with air suspension and the optional 18-inch alloys as part of the optional Off-Road Group package ($2750) – it should feel like a magic carpet given how good it was here.
All told, this is a very resolved steer given the vehicle’s physical heft.
Cabin insulation from road and wind noise is likewise pretty good for the mainstream segment, if not quite on par with premium competitors.
As for assistance tech, the Summit Reserve is the only Grand Cherokee L variant to score the company’s Active Driving Assist System, which is Jeep’s name for its semi-autonomous highway mode. It lights the dash up with a green glow, and will accelerate, brake and steer for you – it did a pretty impressive job during our time with the car.
Everything else, from the blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, as well as the surround-view cameras and traffic sign recognition, all work as you’d expect. I will say, however, the anti-glare film over the driver’s instrument cluster is, quite susceptible to glare – harsh sunlight basically blanks out your vision of whatever is on screen.
We didn’t take the Grand Cherokee L off-road in this test, but you can see how the Summit Reserve fared against the Nissan Patrol in William Stopford’s comparison here.
What do you get?
Grand Cherokee L Night Eagle highlights:
- 20-inch gloss black-finish alloy wheels
- Gloss black exterior accents
- Auto LED headlights (reflector-type)
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
- 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- Satellite navigation
- DAB digital radio
- 4 x USB outlets – first-row
- 4 x USB outlets – second-row
- 4 x USB outlets – third-row
- 6-speaker sound system
- Black suede, TechnoLeather upholstery
- Leather-wrapped, heated steering wheel
- Tilt, telescopic steering column adjustment
- Tri-zone climate control
- 8-way power front seats
- Heated front seats
- Power tailgate
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Keyless entry and start
- Power-folding exterior mirrors
- Privacy glass
- Wireless phone charger
Grand Cherokee L Limited adds:
- 20-inch machined, painted alloy wheels
- Automatic high-beam
- Chrome exterior accents
- Black TechnoLeather upholstery
- Driver’s seat memory function
- Heated second-row outboard seats
- Ventilated front seats
- Power tilt and telescopic steering column adjustment
- Digital rear-view mirror
- 9-speaker sound system, 506W amplifier
- Active noise control
- Ambient lighting
- Reversing camera washer
Grand Cherokee L Overland adds:
- Loses digital rear view mirror
- Loses wireless phone charger
- 20-inch full polished alloy wheels
- Dual bright-finish exhaust outlets
- LED front cornering lights
- Door handle approach lights
- Proximity approach lights
- Colour-adjustable ambient lighting
- Painted wheel arch flares
- Panoramic sunroof
- Quadra-Lift air suspension
- Quadra-Trac II four-wheel drive system
- Black Nappa leather upholstery
- Bright sill plates
- Hands-free power tailgate
- Interior rear-facing camera
Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve adds:
- 21-inch alloy wheels
- Platinum Chrome exterior accents
- Black or Tupelo (tan) Palermo quilted leather upholstery
- ‘Deluxe’ headliner
- Wood interior trim
- Wood, leather-wrapped steering wheel
- 12-way power driver’s seat
- 12-way power passenger seat with memory
- Driver, front passenger massaging function
- Ventilated second-row outboard seats
- Illuminated sill plates
- 4-zone climate control
- 19-speaker McIntosh sound system, 950W amplifier
- Semi-automatic parking assist
Options
Vision Group: $4250 (Limited)
- Panoramic sunroof
- Interior rear-facing camera
- Head-up display
Luxury Technology Group: $4500 (Overland)
- Nappa leather upholstery
- Ventilated second-row outboard seats
- Power seatback massage for front seats
- Second-row window shades
- Digital rear-view mirror
- 4-zone climate control
- 12-way power-adjustable front seats
- Wireless phone charger
Off-Road Group: $2750 (Overland)
- 230mm rear axle
- Electronic limited-slip differential
- 265/60R18 Goodyear all-terrain tyres
- 18-inch polished/painted alloy wheels
- Front suspension, transfer case, fuel tank skid plate shields
Advanced Technology Group: $5500 (Summit Reserve)
- Head-up display
- Wireless phone charger
- Night vision
- Front passenger interactive display
Colours
Standard
Premium: $1750
- Velvet Red Pearl
- Silver Zynith Metallic
- Baltic Grey Metallic
- Diamond Black Solid
- Rocky Mountain Pearl
- Midnight Sky Metallic
Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve safe?
The Jeep Grand Cherokee L hasn’t been tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, and is therefore unrated. The five-seat Grand Cherokee, however, scored five stars in Euro NCAP testing.
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Grand Cherokee (5-seat)
Standard safety features include:
- 8 airbags incl. front knee x 2
- Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
- Pedestrian, Cyclist detection
- Intersection turn assist
- Reverse AEB (low speed)
- Adaptive cruise control incl. stop/go
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Driver fatigue monitoring
- Forward collision warning
- Parking sensors front, rear
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Reversing camera
- Traffic sign recognition
Grand Cherokee L Limited adds:
- Surround-view camera system
Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve adds:
- Active Driving Assist System
- Level 2 semi-auto highway assist
- Adaptive cruise + lane centring
- Park & Unpark Assist
- Parallel, perpendicular
- incl. side parking sensors
How much does the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve cost to run?
The Jeep line-up is covered by a five-year, 100,000-kilometre warranty.
While the five-year coverage is an improvement on Jeep’s previous warranty program, the relatively short 100,000km distance cap is well off the usual unlimited mileage offered by most rival brands.
You do get lifetime roadside assist provided you service within the company’s dealer network.
As for scheduled maintenance, servicing is required every 12 months or 12,000km – whichever comes first. Jeep caps the first five visits at $399 a pop, equating to $1995 over five years or 60,000km. Not too bad.
Real-world fuel consumption according to the Grand Cherokee L’s trip computer was in the 11s and 12s per 100km, not far off the brand’s 10.6L/100km combined claim. Keep in mind this included mixed driving with a week’s worth of city commuting, but not bad for a petrol-powered bus.
It’s worth noting the bulk of the Grand Cherokee L’s rivals offer either more power with similar economy via turbocharged petrol alternatives, or more frugal diesel motors with more torque.
Here’s to hoping Stellantis’s new 3.0-litre ‘Hurricane’ twin-turbo straight six makes its way into the GC L soon.
CarExpert’s Take on the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve
The Grand Cherokee L has a lot of good traits, but the price is a sticking point – especially in this spec.
For $120,000, the Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve isn’t quite good enough to be a proper alternative to the likes of the Audi Q7, Land Rover Discovery and Volvo XC90.
It has a spec sheet as long as your arm, space for days, and a well sorted drive experience for big families wanting something a little special; but the powertrain and some of the finer details don’t really cut it for this kind of money.
The 3.6-litre V6 cannot match the performance of turbo-diesel, let along turbocharged petrol competitors for similar money, and the build quality and technology gripes again aren’t excusable given the money on the line.
Perhaps the Jeep’s saving grace is its go-anywhere pitch as a luxury off-roader that has room for the entire family, and as colleague Will found in his comparison with the Nissan Patrol, it’ll go further than most family SUVs.
There’s a charm to this Grand Cherokee L, with big truck vibes that will no doubt appeal to a specific fraction of the market. If you’re one of these people, I’d suggest saving some cash and getting the Limited and scraping under the $100,000 barrier.
Otherwise, give me a Discovery, or XC90 if you want something luxurious with proper seating for seven.
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