Jeep Grand Cherokee

The current Grand Cherokee launched in 2011 and got a noticeable refresh for 2014. Today, from the base Laredo to the luxurious Summit, the Grand Cherokee is available in seven trims. Non-performance versions are offered with rear- or four-wheel drive. They use a 3.6-liter V-6 or a 5.7-liter V-8 engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The high-performance 475-horsepower Grand Cherokee SRT (once called the SRT8) features a 6.4-liter V-8, Brembo brakes and Launch control for drag-racing runs. New for 2018 is the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, which Jeep says is the quickest SUV in the world. It’s powered by a monstrous 707-hp, supercharged V-8 that’s good for 11.6-second quarter-mile times and can go from zero to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, Jeep says.

Larger than its predecessor, the third-generation Grand Cherokee debuted as a 2005 model. It brought updated looks, a restyled cabin, a choice of three engines and three 4WD systems. A new suspension and the updated 4WD systems allowed for more aggressive off-road driving and smoother on-road cruising. Navigation and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system were optional. In 2006, a high-performance SRT8 version became available with sinister looks, wide tires on chrome wheels and a 6.1-liter V-8 that made 420 hp. A 3.0-liter diesel V-6 and a flex-fuel V-8 joined the list of powertrain options for a few years in 2007.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee entered its second generation on the eve of the new millennium with a complete redesign. Though it featured a sleeker exterior, the base six-cylinder engine carried over, though with slightly more power, at 195 hp. Newly available was a 235-hp, 4.7-liter V-8 engine. Options for four-wheel-drive Grand Cherokees included automatic-locking hubs, a limited-slip differential and an electronic transfer case. A five-speed automatic transmission became available in 2001, and side curtain airbags became optional in 2002. In 2004, the last year for this generation, the Grand Cherokee received a mild styling update, and a built-in navigation system was offered.

As the SUV craze took hold in the 1990s, Jeep needed a model to compete with the fast-selling Ford Explorer. The result was the Grand Cherokee. Offered with a choice of rear- or four-wheel drive, the Grand Cherokee had a standard 190-hp, 4.0-liter inline-six-cylinder engine that worked with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. The top-of-the-line trim for 1993 was called the Grand Wagoneer, and it featured a 235-hp, 5.2-liter V-8 and woodgrain exterior paneling. Jeep put the “sport” in sport utility vehicle toward the end of the generation, briefly building a Grand Cherokee Limited with a giant 5.9-liter V-8 under the hood.