Jeep, a brand synonymous with outdoor adventure, has enjoyed great success with its SUV champion, the Grand Cherokee, for 30 years.
Jeep launched an entirely new model today, the Grand Cherokee L. And the big news is the addition of third-row seating.
Don’t be fooled. This unassuming update, along with Jeep’s other modifications and improvements, gives rise to an SUV that might reign supreme among those who tackle adventure with a family in tow.
I attended a press event last week to test this larger, more luxurious Grand Cherokee. As an avid outdoor adventurer, performance on dirt is critical for me, sometimes to just make it home (I live on a wildlife refuge, down a rocky dirt road).
But SUVs seem only to get bigger, posher, heavier and, as a result, less trail-capable. So, I headed to the event with a heavy dose of skepticism.
But after an off-road test drive at the Chelsea Proving Grounds, I understood that underneath all the upper-crust amenities, the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L is still indeed a Jeep. And to me, it’s the perfect weekend warrior vehicle for the weekday professional with kids.
2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L: What Makes It Great
1) Over-the-Top Interior Amenities, Comfort
From the woodgrain accents to its contrasting stitching on premium leather, ventilated seats, and the best stock sound system I’ve ever heard, the higher trim levels of the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L leave even the most pampered motorist wanting for nothing.
2) Full-Size Third-Row Seating
Some third rows seem like an afterthought and only accommodate children — not so in the latest version of the Grand Cherokee. The third row easily housed a 6’4” member of the design staff, with room to spare overhead.
Jeep engineers scrutinized and leveraged every source of internal volume for the rear half of the vehicle, and it shows. Your kid and adult crews will be equally pleased.
3) Still a Jeep
The off-road loop at the Chelsea Proving Grounds was deemed “the hardest course to date for media.” I doubted that the large, heavy, pimped-out 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L could climb over the entry to the rock garden on stock all-season tires — at full pressure, no less.
But, to my surprise, I quickly and confidently clambered over this centerpiece obstacle, and more, all while being engulfed in class-leading luxury.
Conclusion
If you’re in full business dress from Monday to Friday, but caked in mud on weekends, the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L is for you.
Go ahead and throw in some fancy theater and dinner engagements as well. And, by all means, valet park this beast — even if it is covered in dirt.
Looking for more? Here you go.
