Redesigned Grand Cherokee comes in a hybrid flavor

John Cole, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
·5 min read

Nov. 5—The quest for hybrid fuel economy once entailed certain, shall we say ... limitations regarding the size and performance potentials of available vehicles.

But a technology segment once dominated by small and pokey four-doors (hello, Prius and company) has become increasingly populated by a host of sports cars, pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles that offer a combination of their traditional attributes while reducing the number of visits to your local gas station.

This week's tester, a 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4Xe, is the latest arrival to the gas-electric hybrid party. Based on the new and completely redesigned version of Jeep's flagship sport-ute, it delivers a smooth and comfortable ride, off-road capability that is the brand's stock in trade, as well as a plug-in rechargeable battery, electric motors and a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four gas engine that combine to huff up a V8-like 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. The cherry on top is an EPA-estimated 53 MPGe (mpg equivalent) in combined driving.

The redesigned Grand Cherokee joins its big brother, the three-row Grand Cherokee L, which debuted as a 2021 model. As such, what applied to that particular model also holds for the smaller, two-row 2022 iteration. There are five trim levels — Laredo, Limited, Trailhawk, Overland and Summit. Depending on the trim selected, there are three powertrains available. A 3.6-liter V6 making 293 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque is standard across the range. The hybrid, or 4Xe, system is optional on all trims but the base Laredo, and an optional 5.7-liter V8 making 357 horses and 390 lb-ft of torque is limited to Trailhawk, Overland and Summit-trimmed models.

An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard on all Grand Cherokees. V6-powered samples are fitted with a standard rear-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive offered as an option. Hybrid and V8-equipped models get the all-wheel-drive setup as standard kit.

Base MSRP starts at $38,325 for a V6-powered, no-frills, RWD model in Laredo trim, and climbs to $58,300 for a well-dressed, AWD Summit model powered by the base V6. Each trim layers on ever-higher levels of technology, offroading capability (the tricked-out Trailhawk trim is the go-to choice for flannel-shirted backwoods enthusiasts), bigger wheels, plusher upholstery, bigger alloy wheels and so forth.

Our Overland-trimmed 4Xe tester's $67,880 base asking price soared to an eye-watering $77,525 thanks to a long list of options. Standard equipment included Nappa leather seating surfaces, the company's Qudra-Trac II 4WD and Selec-Terrain systems, an array of safety and collision-avoidance sensors, hands-free powered rear liftgate, digital instrument cluster, an adjustable-height air suspension system allowing for up to 11.3 inches of ground clearance, and lots more.

Options included the $2,155 Customer Preferred Package (upgraded leather upholstery, power-adjustable driver's and front-passenger seats with back-massage and memory, wireless phone-charging pad, manual second-row window shades and more), the $2,235 Advanced Pro Tech Group III Package (active driving assist, enhanced safety-sensing systems, heads-up display, satellite-navigation display in the instrument cluster and more), the $1,095 Off-Road Group (18-inch polished and painted alloy wheels, all-terrain tires, electronic limited-slip rear differential and enhanced undercarriage protection) and $1,095 for the UConnect 10.1-inch infotainment interface and a 19-speaker/950-watt McIntosh audio system.

Add in a couple of three-figure charges for the paint job and a black-painted roof along with $1,795 for delivery, and there you have it.

Our tester proved to be an agreeable means of travel over the course of an overnight run to Pittsburgh. The redesign has yielded a Grand Cherokee that retains the attributes that made earlier generations popular with buyers. The angular and chiseled exterior reflects the design aesthetic applied to the new Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. The roomy and well-organized cabin offers adult-sized accommodations both up front and in the 60/40 split-folding second-row bench. The ample 37.7-cubic-foot cargo area expands to 70.8 cubes with the rear seatbacks stowed.

Instrumentation and gauges are easy to locate and operate, as is the large infotainment interface. The rotary shifter knob falls easily into hand, and is flanked by a pair of toggle switches controlling driving-condition settings and the adjustable air suspension system.

The hybrid powertrain delivered more than enough acceleration to deal with passing maneuvers and merges during our run through the Pennsylvania Wilds, and delivered a slightly better-than-advertised gas-only 23.4 mpg. With a fully charged battery, the EPA estimates the 4Xe will return 56 MPGe. That charge, though, delivers just 24 miles of usable electric-only motivation, and requires 3.4 hours hooked to a 240-volt outlet to fully juice up. (We plugged our tester into a 120-volt outlet and discovered the recharge time runs to nearly 16 hours.)

The Grand Cherokee delivers a quiet and comfortable ride, although we noticed that the turbo-four engine sounds harsh under hard acceleration (hardly unique for hybrid-drive vehicles). Handling is precise and predictable, but the regenerative braking system felt too abrupt at times, which, again, is a common characteristic among gas-electric vehicles.

JOHN COLE reviews automobiles for The Times-Tribune. When he's not driving cars he's driving the pen behind Times-Tribune editorial cartoons. Contact him at johncoletoons@gmail.com.