Jeep Grand Cherokee
How it looks when you see on the street: Th Jeep Grand Cherokee — introduced in 1992 — gives us uber 90s nostalgia. Back then, the Grand Cherokee recast Jeep as a luxury SUV manufacturer and popularized the idea that capable cars could be used for everyday schlepping as a rugged status symbol, when midsize SUVs were a niche category. The Grand Cherokee, in fairness, from the get-go was well suited toward wintery weather and had safety tech such as passenger air bags, which were a newer concept. My parents had one of the first Grand Cherokees on the streets in Detroit, and it earned respect everywhere we went. It popularized the idea of riding up high as a sense of security that now tops so many shopper’s lists. GC is now in its fifth generation, and it’s stayed true to its origin story, though it’s traded in a boxy body for a more curved form, and added a ton more of thought utility. We drove the two-row Limited model on the East Coast. It’s one of nine Grand Cherokee trim configurations. The 2026 models are trickling in that receive the mid-cycle refresh and we will be comparing and contrasting.
How it makes you feel when you get in: The inside of a Grand Cherokee is a nice place to be. The cabin is cozy and the tech is straight forward and simple to use. How nice it’s outfitted comes down to the package selection. The Limited model had a 10.1 inch screen. Most models are swathed in leather. Features like massaging seats, a 4-zone climate control, and the 19-speaker McIntosh sound system in more upscale packages add to its inviting qualities as options.
How it drives: You can go anywhere in the Grand Cherokee and thats its appeal. For us that meant mucking it up on dusty ball fields in spring weather, and then tooling through the city streets where steering was smooth in tight quadrants. The addition of an air suspension option makes the GC ride downright cushy. It has three engine options a V6, a V8, and a new plug-in hybrid system Jeep calls the 4xe that we are looking forward to driving. We tested out the 3.6 liter V6 that earned 22 miles per gallon.
Space for people and things: It’s comfy for a four-person family — and what one would ask of a midsize SUV though inch for inch, its contenders have more spacious cargo space.
How much does it cost: Our most recent test vehicle was the Grand Cherokee Limited which was priced at $56,655 and included the Luxury Tech Group.