Background: Jeep's four-door, mid-size, Grand Cherokee receives a complete makeover for the 1999 model year. One of three models sold under DaimlerChrysler's sport-utility-specific Jeep brand (Wrangler and Cherokee round out the list), Grand Cherokee represents to most posh and mechanically advanced of the trio. When it debuted in 1992, Grand Cherokee raised the bar in sport utility luxury. Since then, the booming sport utility segment has scene a plethora of luxury-appointed sport utilities and sport utility hybrids. Jeep expended a hefty $2.65 billion to retweak the 1999 Grand Cherokee, which debuted late last summer in showrooms. Jeep assembled Grand Cherokee at its Jefferson North facility Detroit, Mich. which opened in 1992. Recent plant investments and a three-shift-a-day rotation increases annual production capacity from 170,000 to approximately 350,000 units. Worldwide, Grand Cherokee is sold in more than 100 markets. How important is Grand Cherokee to the bottom line? DaimlerChrysler collects more than $10,000 in profit from each Grand Cherokee sold.
Trim levels: Grand Cherokee comes in two trim levels: Laredo and up-level Limited. Shopper get to choose between two-wheel or four-wheel drive in either edition. Models with two-wheel drive systems incorporate rear-wheel drive.
New for 1999: The five-seat Grand Cherokee, substantially refreshed inside and out, now features smoother, rounded exterior corners, a new rear suspension, enhanced steering and braking systems, an all new "Quadra-Drive" all-wheel driver and new V-8 engine. Jeep engineers stretched Grand Cherokee by three inches while maintaining the same wheelbase (distance between front and rear axis) from the previous generation. It's also wider and higher than before. But the biggest change consumers may notice is towards the back. The 16-inch spare tire, which lived in the cargo bed, robbing valuable storage room, now rests out of sight, under the load floor.
Safety features: Grand Cherokee features numerous safety advances including: dual reduced-force front air bags; four wheel anti-lock disc brakes; child safety rear door locks; side guard door beams and keyless remote entry with key fob. The engine immobilizer security system, standard in Limited, comes optional with Laredo.
Standard equipment: Four-speed automatic transmission; rear window defroster; cruise control; power locks and windows; power side-view mirrors; roof rack; tilt steering column; rear windshield wiper, intermittent front windshield wipers and power steering come standard.
Options: Moonroofs are optional in both editions. A compact disc player, 10-way power front seats, fog lamps, heated outside mirrors and ceiling mounted, programmable digital information center are standard in up-level Limited, but optional in Laredo.
Engine: The standard powertrain is Jeep's familiar in-line, 4.0-liter, six-cylinder generating 195-horsepower. Optional in both versions is Jeep's reworked 4.7-liter, 235-horsepower V-8 now 54 pounds lighter and generating better gas mileage compared with its predecessor. Grand Cherokee shoppers can select from two-wheel drive, or three different four-wheel drive systems. Standard on four-wheel drive Laredos is Select-Trac, with a floor-mounted transfer case allowing drivers to manually maneuver between two-wheel and four-wheel drive. Standard in four-wheel drive Limited and V-8 editions is Quadra-Trac II, which operates full time in four-wheel high unless shifted into four-wheel drive low for heavy mud or snow from a floor-mounted transfer case. And finally, Jeep's all-new, optional Quadra-Drive combines the best of Quadra-Trac II with Vari-lock, which automatically transfers engine torque to the wheel or wheels with the most traction.
Price: A two-wheel drive Laredo checks in with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $25,800; the lowest-priced Grand Cherokee. A four-wheel drive Laredo costs $27,770. The two Limiteds include prices of $31,565 for the two-wheel drive version and $33,995 for the four-wheel drive edition. Jeep supplied the Daily Herald with a sliver, Limited Grand Cherokee with the V-8 engine, Quadra-Drive and moonroof. Bottom line, including a $525 destination charge, added up to $35,095
Interior: The dashboard and instrument panel have new looks for 1999. Both front and rear windshield wipers activate from a right-hand side steering column stalk while headlights activate from the turn signal stalk. The instrument panel includes six analog gauges with the speedometer and tachometer displays a bit smaller than in some competitors. The glove box could be a tad larger, too. The dashboard includes two power outlets for today's portable office and phones. Above is the stereo/compact disc player while the ventilation system, with three large, easy-to-grab dials, situates below. A digital clock shares space with the radio frequency display. One nice Grand Cherokee Limited feature, available in many other Chrysler products, are secondary radio preset buttons on the steering wheel's underside. Stations can be easily changed without ever taking eyes off the road while freeing up the steering wheel's face for cruise control functions. Included between front bucket seats are a hand-operated parking brake, flip-top storage bin with change holder and two, permanently molded dual cup holders.Occupants now enjoy more front headroom (0.8 inches) and more rear headroom (0.4 inches) than before.
Seating comfort: Engineers reduced step-in height by about one inch, making maneuvering in and out a touch easier. Riders continue sitting higher up than in conventional sedans or coupes and with a good command of the road thanks to seats positioned an inch higher. Blind spots are minimized. Cloth seating is standard in Laredo while leather upholstery adorns up-level Limited. Rear seats sport a 60/40 split featuring seats that first fold up and forward after which backrests fold down. Dual cup holders retract out of a floor console for the convenience of up to three back seat riders. Jack and other tire-changing tools stow under the back seat.
Exterior: Jeep's familiar, yet prominent exterior, one of the most sporty and recognizable in today's mid-size sports utes, receives softer nuances in 1999. The whip radio antenna protrudes up from the front right fender while the circular, non-locking fuel door is positioned on the left rear fender. Grand Cherokee sports just one keyhole cylinder on the driver's door. The other three doors and hatchback area, sans of chrome circle cylinders, lock and unlock from the standard remote keyless entry via the push-button key fob. Black strap-like handles adorn all four doors while black remains the color of choice for the two square, side view mirrors which conveniently fold in if brushed against large or immovable objects. Grand Cherokee's front grille incorporates Jeep's trademark vertical bars and updated jewel-shaped halogen headlamps. The front windshield, with its sharper back slant, and arced roof line add to a rounder appearance. In back, Jeep provides a couple of ways to the hatchback area. The rear door, hinged at the top, swings up from the bumper. The window top window area of the hatchback door also swings up independently for quicker access to the back. Tri-hued taillamps add a colorful tone. And more rooms available in the hatchback since the spare tire now stows under the flat floor, below vehicle instead of resting against the hatch interior's left side. In fact, Jeep claims eight golf bags can now squeeze in the hatch area. Engineers seem at home measuring cargo capacity with golf bags as yard sticks. Technically speaking, the cargo area includes 39 cubic feet of space with the rear seats up and 72.3 cubic feet with the back seats down. While both Laredo and Limited trim levels include 16-inch all-season tires (replacing 15-inch varieties) with aluminum wheels, top-of-the line Limiteds include performance versions.
Target market: Grand Cherokee buyers average between 42 and 44 years of age with an annual household income between $80,000 and $115,000. Fifty-five percent of shoppers are male.
Dimensions: Wheelbase: 105.9 inches Overall length: 181.5 inches Overall width: 72.3 inches Overall height: 69.4 inches Ground clearance 9.1 inches Curb weight: 4,132 pounds
Fuel economy: Sport utilities boast off-road capabilities, but decent gas mileage is another story. Our 4.7-liter V-8 delivers 15 miles per gallon city and 19 m.p.g. highway; not spectacular but on par with industry rivals and slightly better than last year. The tank holds 20.5 gallons of unleaded fuel.
Final thoughts: Comparatively speaking, Grand Cherokee tilts towards the expensive side against competitors. For example, a Ford Explorer, the best-selling sport utility in the United States, starts at $23,430 for a two-wheel drive V-6 version where a compatible equipped Grand Cherokee starts at $26,325. However, DailmerChrysler kept 1999 prices in line with 1998 prices, even with the trunkload of model changeover improvements. Our Grand Cherokee's full-time, all-wheel drive, effective on snow and ice, gulps, not sips fuel. And Jeep's own findings estimate only 15 percent of purchasers take these road-gripping vehicles off road. Suburbanites should consider if this feature fits their driving needs as effectively as shift-on-demand four wheel drive. Grand Cherokee benefited during the past three months from favorable reviews and industry honors. Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road Magazine named it 4x4 of the year. At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit earlier this month, a team of 48 journalists voted Grand Cherokee Truck of the Year, nosing out newcomers including Chevrolet's Silverado full-size pickup. |