Jeep’s biggest four-wheel drive in Australia is now able to haul more at the top of the range.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee L currently has a maximum braked towing capacity of 2268kg in range-topping Summit Reserve guise, jumping to 2813kg in Limited and Night Eagle trims.
Jeep has confirmed the whole range now has the same 2813kg braked towing capacity, in line with the five-seat Grand Cherokee detailed today for Australia.
The brand has confirmed the update is due to a change in how it calculates the seven-seat SUV’s towing capacity, rather than due to any physical changes to the vehicle.
As is the case with the wider Jeep range, the Grand Cherokee L now has its towing capacity calculated using the SAE method. It’s not clear why it wasn’t initially tested using the SAE method.
Although the flagship Summit Reserve can now match its less expensive siblings when it comes to towing capacity, the Grand Cherokee L still lags behind smaller, less expensive diesel seven-seaters such as the Ford Everest (3500kg) and similarly priced German rivals such as the Audi Q7 (3500kg).
All versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee L in Australia are powered by a naturally aspirated 3.6-litre petrol V6 with 210kW of power at 6400rpm and 344Nm of torque at 4000rpm, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The V8 and six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine options offered on the previous Grand Cherokee aren’t available on the GC L, and the plug-in hybrid available on the smaller Grand Cherokee isn’t offered on the L.
Jeep has previously suggested the torque on offer from plug-in hybrid drivetrains makes them a natural alternative to diesel or V8 petrol engines for drivers who tow.
