LIKES
- Great powertrains
- Iconic looks
- Superlative comfort
- Supreme off-road capability
DISLIKES
- Expensive in top trims
- Thirsty V-8 engines
- No hybrids
- Spotty crash-test scores
BUYING TIP
The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee is an icon for its capability and customization.
The venerable Jeep Grand Cherokee takes a victory lap this year. The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee isn’t much changed from last year’s version, and that’s a good thing.
A ground-up rethink is in the cards soon, but we’re hoping the same ideas remain.
What kind of car is the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee? What does it compare to?
The Grand Cherokee is a five-seat crossover SUV. Its main rivals are the Ford Explorer, Honda Passport, Kia Telluride, and Dodge Durango.
Is the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee a good car?
We give the Grand Cherokee a 6.7 TCC Rating thanks to superlative comfort and capability, iconic style and good features. Safety scores and gas mileage are a drag, though.
Like last year, the Grand Cherokee is available in Laredo, Limited, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, SRT, and Trackhawk trims. Laredo versions will start around $35,000 for rear-wheel drive and a V-6; fire-breathing Trackhawks tempt six figures, which is a silly price for silly speed.
The turbodiesel’s a distant memory by now, but the four gas engines more than make up the difference. Every Grand Cherokee without an SRT badge starts life with a 295-horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 that’s refined and smooth. All Grand Cherokees lean on a great 8-speed automatic transmission for shifting detail—it’s more than up to the task. A 5.7-liter V-8 makes 360 hp and tows a little more but it’s there for traditional V-8 power, mostly. Untraditional V-8 power is there, if you’re into that: A 6.4-liter V-8 spins out 475 hp, or a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 runs the table with 707 hp. Four-wheel drive is more common, and standard on performance versions.
Every Grand Cherokee comfortably holds up to five adults with plenty of space in the back for gear. For families looking for three rows: consider the three-row Dodge Durango that’s mechanically related or just wait longer: a three-row Jeep may be in the mail soon.
Crash-test scores are a mixed bag, but standard automatic emergency braking is available on most models or standard.
How much is the Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Base versions start at more than $35,000. Every Jeep gets a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, 18-inch wheels, and cloth upholstery. Top trims upgrade to an 8.4-inch touchscreen, up to 20-inch wheels, performance upgrades, off-road gear, and leather.
Where is the Jeep Grand Cherokee made?
Styling
The Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jane Fonda have aged very well.
Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee a good-looking car?
Some things don’t get old: Hawaiian rolls in our pantry and Jeep Grand Cherokees in our garage.
Its shape and age haven’t gotten stale in a decade; the Jeep we mean. It’s an 8.
Inside, the Grand Cherokee has aged, but Jeep keeps pace with rivals with big touchscreen tech and soft materials.
Performance
Unmatched powertrains and capability define the Grand Cherokee.
Parked at the crossroads of off-road and race day, the Jeep Grand Cherokee covers ground like few crossovers or SUVs can.
There’s not a bad pick among its long list of available engines, and we land at a 7 for its comfortable ride and supreme off-roadability.
How fast is the Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Optional on Limited, Trailhawk, Overland, and Summit versions is a 5.7-liter V-8 that makes 360 hp and standard four-wheel drive. Same as the V-6, it’s paired to a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic, but its best trick is better towing capacity versus the V-6: 7,200 pounds vs. 6,200 pounds, when properly equipped.
The last two V-8s, a 6.4-liter or 6.2-liter supercharged version on SRT and Trackhawk models respectively, take the Grand Cherokee out of the woods and toward the horizon—quickly.
The 6.4-liter V-8 is pulled from the Dodge Charger and Challenger and it makes 475 hp. It slingshots the big Jeep up to 60 mph in less than five seconds thanks to four-wheel-drive traction, and it would be hilariously overpowered if it weren’t for what’s next.
The Grand Cherokee’s 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat V-8 is 707 hp of fury and blasts the 2.5-ton SUV to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. It gets worse gas mileage than you can imagine, something we’re sure buyers willing to shell out nearly $100,000 for a Grand Cherokee couldn’t care less about.
Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee four-wheel drive?
Back here in the real world, every Jeep without an SRT badge offers superior off-road capability.
There are four different four-wheel-drive systems available, each suited for budget or needs.
The base four-wheel-drive system available on Laredo models only, Quadra-Trac I, splits power 50/50 front to rear, but doesn’t offer low-range gears.
Quadra-Trac II does. It’s optional on Laredo and standard on every other version, except SRT models. It includes a low-range gearbox and hill-descent control for trickier grades.
The step-up Quadra-Drive II system is standard on Trailhawk, and Summit models equipped with a V-8, and adds an electronically controlled limited slip differential at the rear for better traction. Quadra-Trac II and Quadra-Drive II include driver-selectable traction modes that include Sand, Mud, Snow, Rock, and Auto modes, depending on the terrain.
An air suspension is included on models equipped with Quadra-Drive II that can raise or lower the Jeep for up to 11.3 inches of ground clearance, or down low for better fuel economy.
The last four-wheel-drive system is included on SRT Grand Cherokees and is geared for best performance, not off-road traction. It’s paired to adaptive dampers to put their prolific power to the ground.
Comfort & Quality
Intentionally, or unintentionally, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the most comfortable SUVs on the road.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee was a home run for Jeep the minute it rolled onto dealers’ lots. Nearly 30 years later, it’s one of Jeep’s best-sellers due to its superlative comfort.
It easily carries five adults in the first two rows with ample cargo space in the rear. Base trims aren’t especially impressive inside, but luxury models go the distance against much pricier rivals. It’s a 9 for comfort.
Driver and front passenger get supportive buckets that get deeper and grippier in performance models.
Behind the second row is 36.3 cubic feet of room for cargo, which expands to 63 cubic feet with the seats folded down.
Laredo models are OK with cloth, but Limited and higher models offer soft leathers, excellent synthetic suede, soft-touch materials, and luxury appointments that are hardly expected from Jeep.
Safety
Mixed crash-test scores let the Grand Cherokee down.
How safe is the Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Mixed safety scores from federal and independent testers wash the 2021 Grand Cherokee’s rating here. Federal testers gave four-wheel-drive versions a five-star overall score but noted four stars for front crash and rollover safety. (Rear-drive versions were scored lower, mostly due to weight and the way final scores are calculated.)
The IIHS isn’t as kind. It rated driver-side small overlap crash protection as “Marginal” and passenger-side protection as “Poor.” It also rated the Grand Cherokee’s headlights as “Acceptable” or “Poor,” but the news isn’t all bad: every other crash test earned a “Good” rating and its optional active safety features earned a “Superior” rating at avoiding forward crashes at 12 and 25 mph.
Features
Every Grand Cherokee is well-equipped, but active safety features are left off the list for many of the SUVs.
Jeep sticks the landing on its Grand Cherokee thanks to plentiful trim levels and a good infotainment system on all models. That’s good for a 7 here, even from the German judge.
How much is a 2021 Grand Cherokee?
Like last year, Jeep offers the Grand Cherokee in Laredo, Limited, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, SRT, and Trackhawk trims. Grand Cherokee Laredo models start at more than $35,000 and fully loaded Trackhawks run the score to six figures. It’s a silly price, and an equally silly SUV.
We’d step up to the Grand Cherokee Limited, which upgrades to an 8.4-inch touchscreen, power liftgate, leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, and more available options including active safety equipment such as automatic emergency braking. Tougher four-wheel-drive systems, 20-inch wheels, a 5.7-liter V-8, and premium audio are all available too, which makes the Limited trim level the Swiss Army Grand Cherokee.
Trailhawk models steer toward off-road hardware and tougher looks; Overland and Summit aim for the finer side of life(styles) with 20-inch wheels and nappa leather.
How much is a fully loaded Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Fuel Economy
Fuel economy ranges from OK to LOL.
Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee good on gas?
The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee’s fuel-economy tale is long, and the ending is fairly predictable.
Four-wheel-drive Grand Cherokees with a V-6 are more popular, and they’re mid-pack among rivals. The EPA rates those versions at 18 mpg city, 25 highway, 21 combined. That’s a 4 on our scale.
The gateway 5.7-liter V-8 is rated at 14/22/17 mpg on mid-grade gasoline. The 6.4-liter V-8 fares worse at 13/19/15 mpg. The 6.2-liter supercharged V-8’s swole muscles swill the pricey stuff: 11/17/13 mpg.
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