2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee The Most Advanced Jeep

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee – is probably best dubbed as an experience in “Jeep Lite.” Meanwhile, a car equipped with new engines, the long-anticipated 3.6-liter V6 Pentastar, our Grand Cherokee was missing something rather important. Based on the M-Class Mercedes-Benz architecture, a fourth-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK2 to those who know) is by far the most advanced Jeep mainstay ever hit the market.

Options and models run gamut, from 4 × 2 base Laredo model with 3.6 liter V6 (like our tester) to 4 × 4, 5.7-liter V8-powered Overlands with high-adjustable air suspension, advanced multi-mode traction control and luxuries such as Range Rover.

The Grand Cherokee was introduced to much fanfare as a substitute for Jeep Cherokee 1993 to respectable, but soon established itself as a victim is able to stand off against the premium luxury SUV. Time was not kind to the Grand Cherokee in 2005 the third generation of its model year, however, who suffered from major cost cutting very diluted his appeal upscale.

Jeep says, but things are back on track for 2011. A now-defunct relationship with DaimlerChrysler of Germany gave access to a range of platforms and technologies in exchange for, well, almost everything in Auburn Hills. Namely, cash reserves, but it would not surprise us if the Germans looted all the furniture, clocks and hot water heaters in Michigan wide headquarters of Chrysler.

Off-road capable SUV with the rapid fall of the market, but our tester 4 × 2 is probably better suited for crossover rival, anyway. If you want to go the way - means that you have selected 4 × 4 Grand Cherokee - Cross store Toyota 4Runner, Nissan Xterra and Land Rover, LR4.

But if you're a pavement pounder interested in a high seating position and decent cargo space, put the Grand Cherokee Laredo like our tester against the Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Edge, Kia Sorento and Toyota Highlander.

4 × 2 we offer the Grand Cherokee Laredo is mild, but still tilt the scales at around £ 4470. That fat does not help curb heavy acceleration, although we found a new V6 will be more capable of moving the Grand Cherokee around.

Rating 290 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 260 lb-ft. torque at 4800 rpm, we know this engine has more power to give. The newly-announced 2011 Dodge Challenger's Pentastar V6 boasts 305 horsepower, for example.

Past the highway requires kickdown from the Mercedes-sourced five-speed automatic (okay, even in the era of six-speed), but in-town driving is rare to accelerate above 3000 rpm.

V6 is smooth and quiet, almost no vibration transmission into the cabin and offers a somewhat high-rpm snarl. If there is, we miss muttered from the Hemi V8 is optional.

But we certainly did not miss when it comes to visit thirsty V8 petrol pump. Our tester returned a solid 23.5 mpg on the highway trek 250 kilometers and never dropped below 18 mpg in urban slogging. That hair above the EPA estimates 16 mpg city and 23 highway mpg.

But where we were very impressed with the steering wheel is the Grand Cherokee. Grand Cherokee had previously been entertaining on the sidewalk, especially thanks to the relative proportion of trim, but the 2011 adds responsive, smooth steering with the package. Surprisingly, the Grand Cherokee provides more feedback and response is faster than its kissing cousin, the M-Class. It was an absolute blast to throw through the byways of our favorite curvy two-lane, even with soft-riding tires. A sports car does not, but the line between off-roaders and pavement pounder getting blurrier.