Thread: Is a Jeep Grand Cherokee really better than a D4?

I had a Grand Cherokee Laredo a few vehicles ago and it was smooth riding and had nice seats but it could only be described as poor in all other respects. I will not bore you with the dealer returns that I had on the vehicle but some of the issues should have stopped the vehicle from being allowed on Australian roads. One serious issue was that suspension caster and camber were set up to drive on the wrong side of the road! Car wanted to pull to the left on a straight road. (This was a standard problem and not an isolated issue) Jeep took a long time to fix that one as the live axle had these angles set (welded) during manufacture. A special aftermarket eccentric ball joint mount was the final fix. At least it looks like the suspension is now independant!
I hope that they have improved but I wouldn't risk another one after my experiences.
Regards
Barryp

I think they are good value and that's about it !!

You can't really compare this type of car to the D4, well you can but it will loose every time, with no bias of course

I looked at the Jeep in both Laredo and the Overland guises just a few months ago - and then promptly spent $20k more buying a D4 HSE.

The Jeeps just felt tacky - way too much plastic. Then there was the cabin noise, tyre noise...

We felt the Disco drove much more smoothly and was highly recommended as a tow vehicle.

Still, give Jeep their credit, this model of GC seems to be their best yet, the Fiat diesel is winning a lot of praise and you get a lot of equipment for your cash.

Not that I'm saying this Rag has much credibility, but didn't Overlander do a comparo last year on the last version of this car and it was seen to be very much a pretender. Lots of LR esk stuff but lacked the actual performance....as in Air Suspension didn't actually move when extended etc....?

The air suspension doesn't have the same range as the LR. Fully extended the Jeep GC reaches 271mm V LR's 310mm. This in turn effects the approach angles 34 degrees v 36.2 degrees. For soft beach sand the high ride is useful.

Just read this from the article..
"Last year's testing didn't include a formal off-road section, but a recent drive through the Rocky Mountains in the US highlighted that for all its plushness and new-found luxury feel, the Grand Cherokee is still a hardcore off-roader at heart."

Great testing regime!!

Originally Posted by DiscoDavey

The air suspension doesn't have the same range as the LR. Fully extended the Jeep GC reaches 271mm V LR's 310mm. This in turn effects the approach angles 34 degrees v 36.2 degrees. For soft beach sand the high ride is useful.

Just read this from the article..
"Last year's testing didn't include a formal off-road section, but a recent drive through the Rocky Mountains in the US highlighted that for all its plushness and new-found luxury feel, the Grand Cherokee is still a hardcore off-roader at heart."

Great testing regime!!

The article I read, which was actually BS...cause the drivers had no freakin idea about the tech or systems in the cars they tested...WTF, how do u actually test the car if u have no idea about it's features?....did actually make the point that the TC in the Jeep was not quite there and the suspension when extended didn't flex at all. Not the height, just the fact that it felt like driving on bricks. That sort of thing.

Yeah there's a lot more to good air suspension than just jacking the car up - namely ride and articulation. If anyone's seen youtube footage of Touaregs 'offroading' you'll still be giggling at the way they teeter through traverses like princesses on stilts holding up their skirts...
I wonder about motoring journos these days. Even in a review I read recently on the army issue G-wagens, where the guy claimed to have the same BFG ATs on his home car, he seemed remarkably impressed by some pretty standard training ground maneuvers... I'd want to see the Jeep properly put through its paces for myself...

Originally Posted by TerryO

I will admit I went and drove a Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited yesterday after checking out the flash Overland model.

The Limited doesn't drive quite as nice as air suspended D3/4 but the Limited didn't have the air suspension option like the Overland does, so it's not a fair comparison.

The diesel engine is great with plenty of power, a bit noisy though but very smooth, the five speed auto is ok.

Now the Overland, compare that to even a HSE D4 in standard equipment levels and it makes the Landy look like a basic shopping trolley.

They are about the size of a RRS inside including boot space and like a RRS they are only five seats, but to be honest we don't need a seven seater.

The options the Overland comes with is amazing, you would have to order specially a HSE that would cost around $120k with similar options I would guess and it comes standard with an e-diff. The air suspension lifts 2.5 inches in off road mode and doesn't lower until 80 kph. it has heated and cooled seats, full sun roof, it has a flash pretty much D3 Logic 7 level Harmon Kardon stereo (not D4 Logic 7 level), Nappa leather trim, reverse camera and Gps, auto open and close tail gate, auto speed sensing cruise control and it also tows 3.5 ton and that is just a few of the standard features. Seriously also the finish in the Overland is very very good.

Another good thing the spare is carried inside the vehicle, so while it limits rear draws it does mean no rear wheel carrier is required and there is room for a rim with a much bigger tyre fitted. The Overland comes with 20's standard but the standard 18" Laredo rims fit if you need a reasonable selection of off road tyres. I was told they believe a long range tank will become available in the not to distant future and there is a massive amount of room under it for one.

One of the main let downs for me was you need a WDH if you tow over 2.25 ton. You can now get a bull bar (alloy) and I don't believe there is a snorkel, nor could one be fitted easily. There is no room under the bonnet for a dual battery but supposedly there is kit you can buy. The carrying capacity is not great, somewhere around 600 kgs I think, not 100% on that.

I watched the video and the swerve test was pretty bad but maybe for a start they need better tyres than the standard very low profile Kumho's they come with???

As a soft off roader that could go most places but is mainly for dirt roads and towing large vans I reckon they have it pretty much nailed. Why? Because a diesel Overland with all the bells and whistles standard costs about $78k drive away RRP.

How can Jeep sell these here for that price when a Similar spec D4 would cost way north of $100k?

If it was 100% a decision made by Gloria my wife then we would have come home with a diesel Overland yesterday end of story and at that amazing price and all the top notch gear it comes with tandard and the way it drives it is hard to argue against it I must admit. So an obvious word of advice to any others out there, do not take your wife with you to look at one of these things as it might prove to be a game changer.

cheers,
Terry

Tell about the WDH it needs Terry

If you get a flat, you have to pull everything out of the back to change it, no load space, no decent aftermarket accessories.

I'd love a 4 door Wrangler Rubicon though, if only they brought the diesel into Australia