Even with the incredible success and growth of the Jeep brand in recent years, their lineup still had some vehicles which were quite old when compared to their competition.
The Grand Cherokee was one of those vehicles, having been on the market since 2011. Despite plenty of updates and improvements over the years, the WK2 was ready for replacement, and today Jeep revealed the long awaited, next gen 2021 Grand Cherokee.
More specifically, Jeep debuted the Grand Cherokee L, a new extended wheelbase version with three rows of seating that will be joined by other versions later this year.
Built on an all new platform, the 2021 Grand Cherokee has an exterior look thats immediately recognizable as a Grand Cherokee but with some significant upgrades over the outgoing version.
Drivetrain Options
For now Jeep has announced two different engine options for the new Grand Cherokee—both of which are familiar, a 290hp 3.6L naturally aspirated Pentastar V6 and a 357hp 5.7L Hemi V8.
You can also expect new 4x4 capability, with an available two-speed transfer case, eLSD rear end, air lift suspension and adaptive dampers—all controlled by a five-mode terrain management system.
Radical Interior Makeover
The interior of the new Grand Cherokee gets a radical makeover, with a presence that doesn’t look too far off from the recently unveiled Grand Wagoneer. And of course there will be an array of upholstery choices and technology available.
And while the larger Grand Cherokee L was revealed first, a standard wheelbase two-row model will join it later this year along with a Grand Cherokee 4xe model with hybrid power.
While Jeep’s recent success is due to its ever-growing range of 4x4s, SUVs and Crossovers the Grand Cherokee has long been one of the brand’s most important models, blending off-road capability with space, luxury and good on road manners.
From what we can tell, the next generation model looks poised to continue that tradition in a big way.
Here’s hoping a new version of the SRT Trackhawk is in the works as well.