The new, three-row 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L looks to be packing only petrol V6 power for Australia, at least for now.
An entry on the Australian Government’s Road Vehicle Certification System shows a four-model line-up for the WL series, comprising Limited, Overland, Summit and Summit Reserve variants.
The Grand Cherokee L, the first three-row Grand Cherokee ever, will arrive in the fourth quarter of 2021.
All models seat seven, though the Summit and Summit Reserve will be available with a six-seat layout.
Each is powered by a naturally-aspirated 3.6-litre V6 engine, producing 210kW of power and mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
That’s 6kW down on the same engine in North American-market models. A torque figure isn’t listed, though in North America it produces 350Nm.
Jeep has confirmed a plug-in hybrid 4xe model will be introduced in the first quarter of 2022, though the turbo-diesel V6 of the current Grand Cherokee is dead.
The RVCS entry makes no mention of the naturally-aspirated 5.7-litre petrol V8 engine available in both the current car and the North American-market Grand Cherokee L.
Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve
The V8 produces 266kW of power and 530Nm of torque.
The Limited will feature 18-inch alloy wheels in 265/60R18 tyres, with the Overland upgrading to 20-inch alloy wheels in 265/50R20 tyres and the Summit Reserve coming with 21-inch alloys in 275/45R21 tyres.
The base Limited has a tare mass of 2190kg, a gross vehicle mass of 2948kg, and a maximum braked towing capacity of 2813kg.
All other models have a tare mass of 2270kg, gross vehicle mass of 3039kg, and a braked towing capacity of 2268kg.
Unbraked towing capacity is 750kg across the board.
The Grand Cherokee L is considerably larger than the current Grand Cherokee, measuring 5202mm long, 1979mm wide, 1813mm tall and riding a 3092mm wheelbase.
The current Grand Cherokee is 4828mm long, 1943mm wide and 1802mm tall in mainstream variants.
There’ll be a ‘regular-length’ version of the new Grand Cherokee, however. It’s set to arrive in the first quarter of 2022 in both petrol and 4xe plug-in hybrid guises.
The new Grand Cherokee L has been tested locally, with Jeep engineers developing a bespoke suspension tune.
Grand Cherokee L Overland
The new WL series has shifted to a new platform, and has been designed to be stiffer, lighter, and subsequently more efficient and safer than before.
Jeep has always pitched the Grand Cherokee as an almost-premium SUV. It’s taken a number of measures to smooth out noise and vibrations, including active engine mounts that soften off at idle for better refinement, but stiffen up at speed to make sure the car feels stiff and the suspension can do its job.
There’s also active noise cancellation, double-sealed body joins and door seals, and acoustic glass to keep the outside, well, on the outside.
Inside, the new Grand Cherokee represents a giant leap forward from the current car. Central to the cabin is an 8.4- or 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system built on Google’s latest Android Automotive bones, and the driver is faced with a customisable 10.25-inch gauge cluster.
With the Ram 1500-derived Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer ruled out for Australia, the Grand Cherokee L will be the largest model in Jeep’s local line-up.
Though it’s 21mm narrower than the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, it measures 187mm longer than the longest 300 Series and rides a 242mm longer wheelbase.
The regular-length Grand Cherokee is more likely to fit in your garage, sliding in at just under five metres with a total length of 4999mm.
While everything from a Ford Everest to a LandCruiser 300 Series to a Volkswagen Touareg offers a diesel, the Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L will be contrarian.
SUVs this large aren’t as popular in Europe, while diesels aren’t as popular in North America.
Pictured: regular-length Grand Cherokee 4xe
“There won’t be a diesel on the Grand Cherokee. And I’m not going to elaborate about diesel and the future of diesel and things like that because I think you know,” Jeep global president Christian Meunier told Australian media earlier this year.
Though the Grand Cherokee’s V6 oiler has been shown the door, the line’s first plug-in hybrid will help fill the void.
“At the end of the day, you know, in terms of capabilities, torque, and everything [the PHEV] is as competent as a V8. And obviously, fuel economy and everything, there is no comparison,” said Mr Meunier.
“Towing is core to Jeep. So we wouldn’t compromise on it. But we’ve tested Wrangler, and Grand Cherokee 4xe. And towing is at least as good as with an ICE engine.”
