2013 Detroit Auto Show: Jeep Grand Cherokee Gets Revamp
Jeep gives Grand Cherokee massive facelift, Compass new transmission
By Imthishan Giado
It’s only been two years since the magnificent WK2 Grand Cherokee appeared on the scene, but under the new house rules, it’s already time for a facelift for the car that’s almost singlehandedly brought Jeep back from the brink. Usually, a facelift consists of some additional colours, perhaps an extra electronic gadget or two…but for 2014, Jeep has gone all out to revamp an already good automobile.
On the exterior side of things, Jeep has elevated the front fascia, drawing attention to the more pronounced fog lamps. As a result, the iconic seven-slot grille is shorter than before. You’ll also notice that many of the badges have an ‘SRT’ inspired feel, while new wheel options are available in 17″,18″ and 19″ sizes.
Out back, the taillights now sport LEDs instead of traditional bulbs.
Big changes for the interior – there’s a new, more svelte three-spoke steering wheel fitted with standard paddle shifters, while the transmission lever shifts to Chrysler’s corporate 747-style lever. Gone are the traditional twin analogue dials and in their place a pair of half crescents flanking a seven-inch full colour display. The centre console now features the UConnect 8.4″ touch system, quite possibly the best in the business.
Powertrain-wise, there’s one big addition that’s unlikely to affect our region at all, and several small ons that will. For the first one, Jeep showed off the Grand Cherokee with its new 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine, capable of 240bhp and a beefy 420lb/ft of torque. Jeep claims that this new unit is capable of mindbending economy for an SUV – a range of nearly 1174km on a single tank.
But let’s not bother with that admittedly quite impressive engine because there is almost zero chance that it’ll come to our region. The small change is the one that will have far bigger impact – Jeep (and the entire Chrysler family) is moving to eight-speed transmissions across the board that promise to significantly improve fuel economy across the board for the existing Pentastar V6 and Hemi 5.7-litre V8 engines. In case that’s not enough, there’s also a new Eco mode which is active by default, choosing the best shift points to keep the engine its optimum economical power band as well as switching off entire cylinder banks if necessary.
The range-topping SRT model (shown above on the left) also receives the eight-speed auto, which not only improves economy on the big 6.4-litre Hemi but also makes it slightly faster, lopping off a second in the 50mph-70mph sprint. The SRT8 now has an exclusive steering wheel, updated launch control software, new sepia-toned leather and suede headliner, and exclusive smoked headlamps.
Let’s not forget that there are other Jeeps out there. The baby Compass gets a six-speed auto replacing the CVT of the older model, for better fuel economy and performance.
It too has an updated front and rear fascia to bring it into the line with the rest of the range, while the interior sports a range of soft-touch surfaces.
