The refreshed Jeep Grand Cherokee has gone on-sale in Australia, with the off-road oriented Trailhawk variant joining the line-up.
THE REFRESHED JEEP GRAND Cherokee has arrived in Australia, priced from $47,500+ORC for the entry-level rear-wheel drive only Laredo variant, and $52,500 for the 4×4 variant, through to $59,000+ORC for the diesel 4×4 Laredo. The Limited V6 4×4 lists from $62,500+ORC and the diesel variant from $69,000+ORC. The Trailhawk turbo-diesel V6 lists from $74,000+ORC, the Overland from $80,000+ORC and the high-performance SRT variant with its 6.4-litre V8 from $91,000+ORC.
As the current vehicle line-up, the Grand Cherokee continues to be offered with the choice of four drivetrains: a 4×2 3.6-litre Pentastar V6, a 4×4 3.6-litre Pentastar V6, a 4×4 3.0-litre V6 EcoDiesel and the flagship 6.4-litre Hemi V8.
“The updated Grand Cherokee range is not only more refined on-road and more capable offroad, we’ve bolstered its safety credentials and made it even better value for money,” said Jeep Australia Director, Guillaume Drelon.
“On top of all that, the arrival of the new Trailhawk model, with its heightened offroad abilities, is particularly exciting for Australia, a nation whose core values resonate strongly with Jeep’s love of freedom and adventure.”
It’s worth noting that right now, Jeep’s “more capable offroad” Grand Cherokee is still rated as an MA passenger vehicle, which limits changes that off-road tourers can make to the vehicle and keep it legal. Other brands, including Ford (Everest) and Haval, recently recategorised their vehicles from MA to MC offroad passenger vehicle certification.
The refreshed Grand Cherokee, besides some exterior and interior tweaks, has copped some ‘efficiency’ improvements like a new electric power steering system which incorporates an Eco Mode on the standard-fit eight-speed automatic transmission. The 4×2 variant gets its own eight-speed transmission.
Key visual updates to the exterior include a new grille and head lights, new front bumper and new LED fog lights. There are a new range of 18-20-inch alloys to choose from and six new exterior colours, taking the total to 11. A new-look gear shifter is the key interior difference, with the front windscreen and front door glass replaced by acoustic glass to reduce outside noise filtering into the cabin.
The new player in the local line-up is the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk which will have had local Jeep fans salivating the moment it was announced last year. The Trailhawk runs the same 4×4 system as the rest of the range, but offers improved ground clearance in the air suspension’s top setting of 260mm. It also gets skid plates and red front-mounted tow hooks (we’re checking on their rating and will update this article when we hear back).
Question: Does the fact this refreshed Jeep Grand Cherokee is not rated as an off-road passenger car (MC) take it off your list?
There has been an ongoing problem with OEM towhooks availability for Grand Cherokees made for export markets like Australia. Jeep has incorporated pedestrian safety improvements for EU and Oz cars meaning the front end frame is slightly shorter and the tow hooks don’t fit. Jeep owners in the forums have been asking if we will see tow hooks on the new trailhawk, interesting to see if they actually make it.
And yes, lack of MC compliance would likely see me buy an everest instead.
I’ve got the original 2013 5-speed Trailhawk, it has 13mm more ground clearance than the new one but i’d be confident the new one does not clunk in OF2 even though i only use it when i need it. I do like the new interior and fancy dash on the MY14-> and the MY17 looks even better but… I cant see me coughing up 40k+ change over any time soon for would could be a less capable vehicle, at least in terms of ground clearance. For the Record – Its been a great car but the ‘Next JK’ will get a closer look from me.