Wherever a drive may take you, Grand Cherokee exhibits a heavy, solid and truck-like ride that imparts a sense of confidence. If you like a big SUV for a feeling of planted-ness and vault-like safety, this delivers. It can be a bit harsh and choppy in some situations, a result of a 'trail-ready' as opposed to a 'soccer-mom' suspension setup. After all, this is one of a very few machines in its class that will traverse deep mud and rocky grades all day long with a smile on its face. It's also the only machine in its class available with a diesel engine.

If you've got a power-toy that rides a trailer, you will definitely want to crunch some numbers on this one.

The Mercedes-Benz built 3.0 litre turbocharged V6 delivers the same torque and towing capacity as the HEMI V8, alongside remarkably smooth, quiet and odourless operation. I noted it to be quieter and more refined than the HEMI as well. It's also quicker off the line, in a light-to-light race.

The diesel can tow the same 7,200 lbs around behind it, but generates fuel consumption on par with a much smaller and less powerful machine. There's no gas-guzzler tax on the diesel engine either.

All of this hardware rides atop Jeeps Quadra-Drive II 4x4 system- which proved a welcome companion in one of the worst snowstorms of the year. By default, power is sent around invisibly beneath the floor, though drivers can select a four-low range with locking differentials for serious off-road work.

Mileage? You bet. How's about a 12.8 litre per 100 km combined average in wintertime testing? That's notably less than anything else with this kind of towing capacity. In fact, these consumption figures are in the same ballpark as a smaller V6 powered SUV, like a Ford Escape or Mitsubishi Outlander. To compare, my average in something comparably sized, like a Ford Edge for instance, averaged 15 to 16 L / 100km during the same testing.

In a nutshell, the diesel engine gives owners big V8 torque with small V6 fuel bills. Prepare to hear a lot of "DUDE! You filled your Jeep with DIESEL!" from gas station attendants. Pretend you didn't mean to, for amusement's sake.

But seriously, if you've got a boat, jet-skis, snow-machines or other power-toys that ride a trailer, and you're in need of a new family hauler, you'll definitely want to crunch some numbers on this one. You're unlikely to find anything this capable or powerful that's this economical too.


Photo Credit : Justin Pritchard