Alex, I am thanking you again after two years. I'm surprised that there are not more comments. I bought a new 2016 Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 diesel, with quadra-lift, quadra-drive and quadra-trac a little over a year ago. This video may have pushed me over the edge (helped me make my decision). A year in, I'm absolutely in love with this thing! My 2012 Mustang/Shelby GT500 (also bought new) now has to compete for my affection. I'm am consistently able to knock down more than 30 mpg highway. 32 is common. I once drove from Palm Springs to Thousand Oaks and back averaging nearly 34 mpg. I find purchasing DEF at a truck stop is generally only about $3 a gallon . . . so in 10,000 miles or so, you only have to add about $25 to your fuel costs. Until VERY recently, I have always been able to find diesel fuel cheaper than regular gas here in Southern California (although it looks like the pricing dynamics are changing). Still, it's nice to have a vehicle that you KNOW will easily make 700 miles on a tank of fuel . . . I think I could make 800, driving carefully. But economy is not the reason to buy the diesel. The little diesel's amazing torque certainly is. For towing, and especially for crawling over rough stuff, it is unbeatable. Noisy or smelly?! Not at all. I currently have five vehicles covering a wide range of uses. I usually drive the Jeep.
Thanks for giving real world highway MPG. This is one thing I always look for because I want a long range cruiser. Usually diesels (Audi, BMW, etc.) significantly outperform EPA estimates during pure highway driving. I see this Grand Cherokee is no exception 😁
Great information...to correct one of your little sections. The quadra-trac 4WD system is the same system used by quadra-drive, same transfer case, quadra-drive just adds a limited slip rear differential. in older Grand Cherokees quadra-drive was true quadra-drive with front and rear limited slip differentials but in the newer models they deleted the front limited slip but retained the same quadra-drive name. The initial added cost of buying anything with a diesel is enough to keep me from buying anything with a diesel, add in the additional maintenance costs, and DEF, it would take a few hundred thousand miles to break even on the cost difference I think. If I were towing/hauling every day it would be a diesel vehicle, but for what I do I cannot justify the additional costs for the diesel unfortunately.
@@jason328d6 Yes. It's had two recalls, both free of course, for emissions tweaking. But it's an amazing engine. I have a Titan with the 5.6 liter V8, and the little 3.0 diesel V6 makes more torque! I think, though, if I ever get rid of the GC, I will get a new Wrangler WITH THE DIESEL ENGINE. :o)
Denys A thanks I hear of some emissions issues on early models and a bottom end engine issue on the newer ones. My bmw diesel has a lifetime emissions warranty so I don’t worry about those. But in the Jeep I worry it will be an issue later with dpf, EGr. etc Thanks for the feed back.
Alex has some of the most comprehensive reviews on vehicles. I really appreciated the cost analysis of the gasoline vs diesel engines, that was brilliant. I really want to see him review the 2016 Nissan Maxima. Another excellent review!
As always awesome review. By the way, in 2015 model they reduced the air suspension height. I think it is to reduce the bottoming out. it is also i think a software upgrade that changes the behavior of the air suspension. i have a 2014 overland and the offroad II was pretty high off the ground, however, i received a recall which involved a software update and after i got my vehicle back i noticed the offroad ii isn't as high as it used to be. I compared the owners manual of 2014 to 2015. Here is what i found: 2015 • Off-Road 1 (OR1) (Raises the vehicle approximately 1.1 in (28 mm) • Off-Road 2 (OR2) (Raises the vehicle approximately 2.2 in (55 mm) 2014 • Off-Road 1 (OR1) (Raises the vehicle approximately 1.28 in (32.5 mm) • Off-Road 2 (OR2) (Raises the vehicle approximately 2.6 in (65 mm) so what ever they updated in my car, changed it to behave the same as the 2015 model.
Hi Alex. Thanks for all your great reviews. Yours are the only i trust to be unbiased. As you certainly know not all cars made to be sporty so while test driving the car on the road, please explain more in detail how quiet the cars are, say more about noise isolation and compare them with their competitors. I hate Motor Trend reviews for the same reason. They look at a Smart the same way that they look at a Porsche 911. To them, the only thing that matters is handling and driving experience. Nooooo, some cars are meant to be quiet and give other passengers a comfortable ride. Thanks to you anyway for your comprehensive reviews.
The differences between gasoline and diesel figures here in Australia for the Summet is about 40 bucks per tank full. That's doing approximately 1000km. The difference is heck alot more the your figures. Maybe it's down to Oil prices. But here, it's worth the extra cost, as it will pay it self off sooner. That my 2 cents on the matter 😇
Alex- Thank you so much for this extremely thorough review! We are going to several Jeep dealerships tomorrow to check out the Summit Diesel and your video was extremely helpful, as we are trying to gather as much information as possible before we go. Right now we have a 2013 Range Rover Evoque Prestige, a 2015 Audi S5, and a 1998 VW Jetta TDI. We drag race with the S5 (and post videos to our UA-cam channel!) and are looking for a somewhat luxurious, but not overly huge vehicle that is capable of towing it to and from shows and races to replace the Evoque, which I honestly can't wait to get rid of. After watching this video I'm even more confident that the Summit Diesel would be a perfect fit for us. Thank you, again!
This a very informative video. Extremely well made and gives an excellent impression what this vehicle is all about. Great help for decision making! Thank you.
Hi, Alex: No-nonsense, non-gimmicky, and a quite helpful review -- just like the others. Please do the Ford Transit Connect Wagon (the 7-seater). Thank you.
The best review , was thinking to rent this jeep for my Europe trip with my family but now after this review well definitely go for it ..Thanks for the fantastic review
Cost of fueling is one thing, but there's also other costs here. Diesel repair and maintenance can be insanely expensive. If a high pressure fuel pump goes out, how much are your saving now? What about emissions servicing and repairs? None of that is cheap.
I own a 2002 Grand Cherokee WJ Laredo base model with the 4.0L I6 and 4WD, and love it, as it's comfortable, gets pretty good MPG, and is fun-to-drive. My parents and I have always owned Jeeps, and we've owned all generations except this one (ZJ, WJ, and WK), as well as a Cherokee XJ, and we're getting a new WK2 soon to replace our 2005 WK which has almost 200k miles on it now, and we've owned that one since new... obviously we won't get the fully loaded model, but probably a Limited or Altitude. I love the GC, and I did test drive the 2011 WK2 when it first came out and loved it! (:
Hi Alex. What is your opinion on the reliability of the ZF 8 speed transmission & would anything prevent you from buying a Grand Cherokee for the long term? Thank you
Best Video I´d ever seen about a GC. I bought this car two days ago in Germany. 2015 GC Summit 18.500 Miles/30.000 km for 29.500 USD/34.500 € Maybe it is interessting for somebody :-)
Hi Zapp, thank you very much for the information , I would like to buy in the future a Summit. May I ask you ‘what is your experience whit the Summit? Greetings from Hungary, Làszlò .
Love this, but I always thought the big savings with diesels is they last 250,000 and with fewer problems. My experience with Diesel engines vs. gas engines in boats proves this, with fewer movable (and flammable) parts.
Great review! I liked the comparisons with other manufactures at the end, but I would have really enjoyed a comparison in resale value too. I see what a great value the Jeep is up front, but how does it stand up to the others when traded or sold?
Alex - no one does more through car reviews on UA-cam than you. Thank you so much. I will have to disagree with you on the comfort of the front seats. I test drove a Grand Cherokee Limited a couple of months ago. I really wanted to like the truck because of its good looks, utility and heritage. However, the front seats were so hard I had to cross the Grand Cherokee off my list. I was shocked how hard the seat bottoms were! Earlier I had read a comparo of diesel SUVs on Car and Driver were they likened the Grand Cherokee seats as feeling like granite. After my test drive I completely agree. I know that seat comfort can be a very personal thing, but I am use to hard, but supportive BMW 3 series seats. I cant can't believe Jeep got the seats so wrong.
This is why it is always important to sit in the seats as long as possible before buying. What my body finds comfortable isn't for everyone. I agree the seat bottom cushions are stiff, but for me that was OK because the back was very supportive. You may want to check out the XC60, it has some of the best seats in the industry.
It's never been a crossover, ever. Just because it has a unibody, doesn't mean a thing. It's an SUV. It can actually go off-road and tow. Crossovers are merely tall cars.
19:00 min mark, Alex you forgot the Wrangler Rubicon BFG Mud-Terrain T/As! Extreme off road review coming up? :D How about the new Mustang Shelby GT350R with that sick suspension? Thanks for all the awesome high detailed reviews Alex, it is please to hear people who know so much more about the cars.
This was an excellent review I was truly amazed at how thorough you were. I've check other reviews and have not seen anything like this before. Keep up the good work. Awesome job.
Can you publish a video on how the quadra drive awd drive works. also can you compare it with shawd of acura and also the bmw all wheel drive. It could be a very technical video but I think it will be a good one. This video could help to identify which awd system is better
***** It is hard to say exactly since Jeep's ratings are typically below average, however SUVs like this tend to have more to go wrong and since Chevrolet, Toyota and other brands also sell more reliable cars, that skews the whole brand reliability upwards. Jeep is more reliable than Land Rover in general, but likely less reliable than Lexus or Toyota vehicles. The Jeep will likely score better than many European options and similar to American brands.
***** Not really. First - you can't have a reliable opinion about new models because they're new. With other cars it's still not very likely that reviewers would even try to gather some credible informations (official statistics, opinions from owners forum etc.) instead of using stereotypes. That's whan 'Alex on Autos" just did in a comment above. European brands were working hard on their reliability and it slowly shows. For example VW simplified current gen Touareg and it's pretty reliable now while the current Grand Cherokee is more advanced than ever but it affects reliability, there are lot of opinions from all across the globe from the JGC owners that they have loads of issues (mostly electric/electronic) with their new cars.
What's interesting is that I guess different car companies built diesel cars in the United States. Then corporate America had to put a stop to that because the cars are so good to where people don't want to give them up 😂. A diesel truck is cool and useful, but a diesel engine and a regular car is absolutely amazing! I would imagine that many people who have gotten into accidents with their diesel Jeeps or for whatever reason had to part with them really miss the car.
Great Review ! I think this is a very nice vehicle for all it's capabilities .I wish it had a better Fuel economy ,but based on it's off road and towing i appreciate all it has to offer. Overall nice vehicle . My question to you Alex would you own it ? Thanks Alex
I actually would because I prefer to tow with a midsize suv. I have a Saab 9-7x Aero right now and the diesel would be a practical replacement. I think being totally practical however the V6 would suffice.
In another review, Alex said he would definitely buy a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, if he had the money, over a BMW X5M and a Porsche Cayenne. Quote, "Chyrsler does batsh*t crazy really really well!"
Awesome, informative review! Thanks! I'm in the fence about the ecodiesel vs. the 5.7L... Both fuels cost about the same here in NM currently. I'd like the faster pickup of the V8, but the economy of the diesel. How about throwing the Audi Q7 into the mix?? Thoughts? Thanks!
Jason 328D yeah man, it’s 6 years old now and I guess we can say we were lucky, with no diesel issues at all. Around 4 years ago there was a problem with the catalytic converter, but it hasn’t been in the dealer since then, only for the recall last year. After 75,000 miles I can honestly say its been a reliable car for us, my wife can’t wait to trade it on for the new GC when it comes out
Crusaderhun yep kid in college, others rarely ride together....lol. Sure beats the 12-16 of the v8. My bmw is 39/44 all day long. Damn sequoia bringing down the average. Lol
I've driven the stock Wrangler Rubicon and the Rubicon X and I would still replace the tires for more serious off roading including any kind of muddy terrain. The BFGoodrich KM2 is not a bad tire, but for more serious off roading you'd want flotation tires with a mud shedding block pattern. The trouble is, that kind of tire is terrible on road (I know, I have some on my Jeep)
Hi Alex, great review. I'm thinking of purchasing the summit for my wife, could you tell me about the parking sensors? i currently have a BMW and the parking sensor image displays on the centre screen. is this the same or is it just an audible bleep
I don't understand the point of leather stitched dashboard, and hard plastic under cover. Your legs will most likely bump into those hard surfaces, while the top of the dash... who touches that on a regular basis? Give the knee and leg contact points plush and soft surfaces, leather or not, and save money on the places that nobody cares for. In fact, that top part of dash should be rugged due to constant exposure to sunlight, shouldn't it be hard plastic? It seems "luxury" nowadays is not practical at all.
The leather has a UV resistant coating which when combined with the UV blocking windshield should allow the leather a decent shelf life. Of course we won't know for about 8 years when these leather dash models start turning 10, but the indications are good so far. It is primarily looks, not feel. The stitch work looks very good and for some reason it also looks better than the pleather stitched dashes that I have seen. It could be material choices, I'm not sure. The leather tends to be less glare inducing.
Igor K You can either have all leather, or you can have leather where it matters. Having leather above and not underneath where legs hit the surfaces is stupid, plain and simple. Also, having leather isn't new, but better ergonomics and practicality is. In many ways, sticking on leather at the wrong places and selling it as luxury is an old scam for money. You seem to think you are hip and new in accepting that; I think you're just idiotic.
Igor K Nobody cares where legs hit? That's just ignorant. Also, looks are just vanity, not luxury. Luxury means great comfort, and there's nothing comfortable in legs hitting hard surfaces. I think you may have a problem with the English language if you are arguing about terms like hip and luxury, as opposed to the actual point being discussed.
Igor K Then you are abnormal. Everyone I know cares if their limbs hit hard surfaces or not. Also, BMW is the least luxurious luxury brand, so your example is pretty bad. Even a 2016 Mazda 6 has leather padding for the areas where leg would hit the middle console. Again, if you define luxury as "fake comfort, real cost" then you're just vain, not "in tune with the times" or fashionable.
Well im in California too, and Diesel is cheaper then gas... diesel is cheaper then gas everywhere in usa....... unless you buy at the stations that like to rob you of your money, Name brand dont mean anything, when they get the gas from the same places lol. i save 50cents per gallon. But this vehicle bores me, i miss my wrangler, lol, ill be going back pretty soon.
what was your mileage? you talked about getting 20 in the v6 but how many miles did you put on the jeep. I'll wager that is why we wanted you to review it.
The MDX is more luxury themed as a base vehicle so I would say that the plastics quality is more uniformly high, that said you can't get real wood trim, alcantara headlinder or leather dash and doors on the MDX. Top end trims of the Grand Cherokee will feel a little more luxurious, but the MDXs interior is a bit more harmonious. The MDX of course has the 3rd row seats as well. The Jeep doesn't handle as well ad teh MDX, but that has less to do with the SH-AWD system on the Acura as the curb weight on the Jeep, it is quite heavy. That said the Jeep had a better balanced feel, more available power, 2 more speeds on the transmission and I would say is a better value overall. I would probably compare the Grand Cherokee Limited V6 to the MDX. The Overland and Summit models are a notch above with a very reasonable price tag.
Hi Alex - great review as usual, thanks - I am thinking of getting a GC but I am concerned about the impact the R20s (standard on the upper trims) may have on the ride quality of the vehicle (harshness when when hitting potholes etc..) - I don't do much off-roading, I just want a comfortable cruiser that can easily handle winter storms in the sierras and occasionally the better forest service roads. Does an X3 make more sense? Many thanks
The X3 would be firmer. The fortunate thing about the GCs with the 20 inch wheels is that they also have the air suspension which smooths out the ride. In addition the tires are still 50 series tires so that's actually more rubber than you find on many of the European crossovers.
Heeyy Alex! Is the review of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata going to be out soon? I am curious about the ECO model's DCT. Is the shift noticeable? I can't wait, ahhhh!
Xiao Ming Tang Looks like Hyundai can get me one on 12/30. You can follow along on facebook.com/alexonautos that week, or wait for the complete review to be done somewhere around 1/10/15
Alex, there are rumors floating around about a probable Pentastar upgrade later in 2015, is that really happening? Do you think a JGC or a Durango with a Direct Injection Turbo V6 would be a better deal than the current normally aspirated V6? Let us know your thoughts.
The rumours persist but all evidence indicates that we won't see them in 2015. There was originally a hope that the new minivans would get direct injection variants but that is looking less likely now. The turbos appear to be further delayed but Europe may get a 3.0L DI version before we get it in the USA. The rumour mill says chrysler is waiting until the ultra low sulphur gasoline gets phased in.
Hey Alex, could you review a Grand Cherokee Overland with the indigo blue/brown interior. Looking to get the ecodiesel version of the GC. Do you feel the overland truly is worth the money as well?
Poet I'll see what I can do, it may not be possible since this review is not that old. Personally I'd get the summit and skip the diesel. The Overland and summit are great trims, but doing the math on the diesel, it will never end up saving you money.
Alex on Autos I'm a diesel guy so I will stick with the diesel but I really just want to see the overland with the blue indigo interior no matter what engine you review.
Wrong on the leather dashboard comment. All Range Rovers have leather on the mid-dash and Autobiography models have full leather dash as well as fill door covers, console sides and of course the full headliner
As I explained in the video, the Jeep and the Range Rovers are really not in the same category. A comparably equipped Range Rover is nearly twice the price of the Grand Cherokee. The comment referred to the mid-level luxury competition like the X3, Q5, XC60, GLK, RDX, RX 350, NX 200t, ML, MKZ, SRX, etc.
sic22l They may be smaller, but market research and manufacturer research indicates that the GLK, X3 and Q5 are key cross shops for top end Grand Cherokee trims.
Yes. Jeep changes the tire sizes a decent amount. Laredo models get more off road oriented 245/70R17 tires, 70 series tires mean you have better protection for your rims on rocks, etc but you sacrifice handling. Limited models get 265/60R18 tires which are wider and lower profile. This improves handling and the 60 series tires still give moderate rim protection. The Summit gets 265/50R20 tires which are more on-road focused. 50-series tires give limited rim protection in off-road situations.
Alex, I am thanking you again after two years. I'm surprised that there are not more comments. I bought a new 2016 Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 diesel, with quadra-lift, quadra-drive and quadra-trac a little over a year ago. This video may have pushed me over the edge (helped me make my decision). A year in, I'm absolutely in love with this thing! My 2012 Mustang/Shelby GT500 (also bought new) now has to compete for my affection. I'm am consistently able to knock down more than 30 mpg
highway. 32 is common. I once drove from Palm Springs to Thousand Oaks and back averaging nearly 34 mpg. I find purchasing DEF at a truck stop is generally only about $3 a gallon . . . so in 10,000 miles or so, you only have to add about $25 to your fuel costs. Until VERY recently, I have always been able to find diesel fuel cheaper than regular gas here in Southern California (although it looks like the pricing dynamics are changing). Still, it's nice to have a vehicle that you KNOW will easily make 700 miles on a tank of fuel . . . I think I could make 800, driving carefully. But economy is not the reason to buy the diesel. The little diesel's amazing torque certainly is. For towing, and especially for crawling over rough stuff, it is unbeatable. Noisy or smelly?! Not at all. I currently have five vehicles covering a wide range of uses. I usually drive the Jeep.
Thanks for giving real world highway MPG. This is one thing I always look for because I want a long range cruiser. Usually diesels (Audi, BMW, etc.) significantly outperform EPA estimates during pure highway driving. I see this Grand Cherokee is no exception 😁
Great information...to correct one of your little sections. The quadra-trac 4WD system is the same system used by quadra-drive, same transfer case, quadra-drive just adds a limited slip rear differential. in older Grand Cherokees quadra-drive was true quadra-drive with front and rear limited slip differentials but in the newer models they deleted the front limited slip but retained the same quadra-drive name.
The initial added cost of buying anything with a diesel is enough to keep me from buying anything with a diesel, add in the additional maintenance costs, and DEF, it would take a few hundred thousand miles to break even on the cost difference I think. If I were towing/hauling every day it would be a diesel vehicle, but for what I do I cannot justify the additional costs for the diesel unfortunately.
Denys A Any updates? Still love the Jeep diesel?
@@jason328d6 Yes. It's had two recalls, both free of course, for emissions tweaking. But it's an amazing engine. I have a Titan with the 5.6 liter V8, and the little 3.0 diesel V6 makes more torque! I think, though, if I ever get rid of the GC, I will get a new Wrangler WITH THE DIESEL ENGINE. :o)
Denys A thanks I hear of some emissions issues on early models and a bottom end engine issue on the newer ones. My bmw diesel has a lifetime emissions warranty so I don’t worry about those. But in the Jeep I worry it will be an issue later with dpf, EGr. etc Thanks for the feed back.
Alex, outstanding! Finally, somebody who knows what a vehicle review should be like. This was very informative.
+Denys A
Agree, this guy deserves his own car review TV show.
So true unlike that wow guy
i like the cat at the beginning
This is literally the best review on this particular vehicle.
This is by far the most thorough review about this SUV
Alex has some of the most comprehensive reviews on vehicles. I really appreciated the cost analysis of the gasoline vs diesel engines, that was brilliant.
I really want to see him review the 2016 Nissan Maxima.
Another excellent review!
As always awesome review. By the way, in 2015 model they reduced the air suspension height. I think it is to reduce the bottoming out. it is also i think a software upgrade that changes the behavior of the air suspension. i have a 2014 overland and the offroad II was pretty high off the ground, however, i received a recall which involved a software update and after i got my vehicle back i noticed the offroad ii isn't as high as it used to be. I compared the owners manual of 2014 to 2015. Here is what i found:
2015
• Off-Road 1 (OR1) (Raises the vehicle approximately 1.1 in (28 mm)
• Off-Road 2 (OR2) (Raises the vehicle approximately 2.2 in (55 mm)
2014
• Off-Road 1 (OR1) (Raises the vehicle approximately 1.28 in (32.5 mm)
• Off-Road 2 (OR2) (Raises the vehicle approximately 2.6 in (65 mm)
so what ever they updated in my car, changed it to behave the same as the 2015 model.
wow, super useful and interessting info, thanks a lot! 🙂
This is the most informative review I have ever heard. 5 stars to you Alex.
Would you have a similar review on the Taureg please?
Best review that I've seen on the Diesel Grand Cherokee. Answered all my questions.
Great review, thank you, Alex.
0:45 CAT: "This thing has GREAT ground clearance too!"
Hi Alex. Thanks for all your great reviews. Yours are the only i trust to be unbiased. As you certainly know not all cars made to be sporty so while test driving the car on the road, please explain more in detail how quiet the cars are, say more about noise isolation and compare them with their competitors. I hate Motor Trend reviews for the same reason. They look at a Smart the same way that they look at a Porsche 911. To them, the only thing that matters is handling and driving experience. Nooooo, some cars are meant to be quiet and give other passengers a comfortable ride. Thanks to you anyway for your comprehensive reviews.
No cats were harmed during the shot of this video...
The differences between gasoline and diesel figures here in Australia for the Summet is about 40 bucks per tank full. That's doing approximately 1000km. The difference is heck alot more the your figures. Maybe it's down to Oil prices. But here, it's worth the extra cost, as it will pay it self off sooner. That my 2 cents on the matter 😇
SUCH a cute kitty :-) Alex- keep up the GREAT work. By far, the BEST auto channel on You Tube!
Alex- Thank you so much for this extremely thorough review! We are going to several Jeep dealerships tomorrow to check out the Summit Diesel and your video was extremely helpful, as we are trying to gather as much information as possible before we go. Right now we have a 2013 Range Rover Evoque Prestige, a 2015 Audi S5, and a 1998 VW Jetta TDI. We drag race with the S5 (and post videos to our UA-cam channel!) and are looking for a somewhat luxurious, but not overly huge vehicle that is capable of towing it to and from shows and races to replace the Evoque, which I honestly can't wait to get rid of. After watching this video I'm even more confident that the Summit Diesel would be a perfect fit for us. Thank you, again!
Lia&Sal Daily did you buy the Jeep? And if so what’s your use review?
This a very informative video. Extremely well made and gives an excellent impression what this vehicle is all about. Great help for decision making! Thank you.
Cat approved. More cats in your reviews please. Nice touch.
Hi, Alex: No-nonsense, non-gimmicky, and a quite helpful review -- just like the others. Please do the Ford Transit Connect Wagon (the 7-seater). Thank you.
Alex, your rock!!!!!!! great review, your review convince me of getting my wife an Overland..
- Looking forward to your reviews.
The best car review I have ever seen . Thank you !!
Excellent review.....very thorough and easy to understand. I appreciate the extra info on the diesel.
The best review , was thinking to rent this jeep for my Europe trip with my family but now after this review well definitely go for it ..Thanks for the fantastic review
Very informative and plenty of knowledge especially when comparing brands and cars
It's HILLARIOUS at 9:55 when he pushes the power tailgate button while his head is outside.
I love how the cat at the beginning went under the jeep!😋😆
Cost of fueling is one thing, but there's also other costs here. Diesel repair and maintenance can be insanely expensive. If a high pressure fuel pump goes out, how much are your saving now? What about emissions servicing and repairs? None of that is cheap.
Great review. Thanks Alex. Have done a review on the Ford explorer yet? I'd be interested to your review on that.
The kitte-kat is a nice touch. More please.
Alex thank you for such a detailed review.
I'm a big fan of you, you always have the best reviews ever.
I own a 2002 Grand Cherokee WJ Laredo base model with the 4.0L I6 and 4WD, and love it, as it's comfortable, gets pretty good MPG, and is fun-to-drive. My parents and I have always owned Jeeps, and we've owned all generations except this one (ZJ, WJ, and WK), as well as a Cherokee XJ, and we're getting a new WK2 soon to replace our 2005 WK which has almost 200k miles on it now, and we've owned that one since new... obviously we won't get the fully loaded model, but probably a Limited or Altitude. I love the GC, and I did test drive the 2011 WK2 when it first came out and loved it! (:
Great cost break down Alex! We need more of that in automotive videos.
Hi Alex. What is your opinion on the reliability of the ZF 8 speed transmission & would anything prevent you from buying a Grand Cherokee for the long term? Thank you
Best Video I´d ever seen about a GC. I bought this car two days ago in Germany. 2015 GC Summit 18.500 Miles/30.000 km for 29.500 USD/34.500 € Maybe it is interessting for somebody :-)
Hi Zapp, thank you very much for the information , I would like to buy in the future a Summit. May I ask you ‘what is your experience whit the Summit? Greetings from Hungary, Làszlò
.
Love this, but I always thought the big savings with diesels is they last 250,000 and with fewer problems. My experience with Diesel engines vs. gas engines in boats proves this, with fewer movable (and flammable) parts.
Very thorough and helpful especially with inserting comments on other similar vehicles. Thanks-
Very impressed by your video. You are in the right business!
Amazing review! I've been looking for one that would review the rear seats by actually sitting back there. Thanks!
Thanks again Alex, great review and deep dive into Diesel!
Excellent review. Thank you! I think a 2017 model will be my next vehicle.
Alex do you use your cat for exclusive car reviews, just like the way you do exclusive trunk comfort test? If it purrs 9-10 out of 10?
She is very inquisitive and impossible to deter so I just gave up trying.
Alex on Autos
:) she does not look protesting though.
Great review! I liked the comparisons with other manufactures at the end, but I would have really enjoyed a comparison in resale value too. I see what a great value the Jeep is up front, but how does it stand up to the others when traded or sold?
Alex - no one does more through car reviews on UA-cam than you. Thank you so much.
I will have to disagree with you on the comfort of the front seats. I test drove a Grand Cherokee Limited a couple of months ago. I really wanted to like the truck because of its good looks, utility and heritage. However, the front seats were so hard I had to cross the Grand Cherokee off my list. I was shocked how hard the seat bottoms were! Earlier I had read a comparo of diesel SUVs on Car and Driver were they likened the Grand Cherokee seats as feeling like granite. After my test drive I completely agree. I know that seat comfort can be a very personal thing, but I am use to hard, but supportive BMW 3 series seats. I cant can't believe Jeep got the seats so wrong.
This is why it is always important to sit in the seats as long as possible before buying. What my body finds comfortable isn't for everyone. I agree the seat bottom cushions are stiff, but for me that was OK because the back was very supportive. You may want to check out the XC60, it has some of the best seats in the industry.
Agree. Volvo makes the best seats in the business.
Excellent review, thanks Alex!
Fantastic presentation as usual. Thanks Alex.
It's never been a crossover, ever. Just because it has a unibody, doesn't mean a thing. It's an SUV. It can actually go off-road and tow. Crossovers are merely tall cars.
Excellent presentation!
I love your videos!
So descriptive and easy to understand. :)
Wow...........Great content and info on this jeep..Thanks for posting!
The torque does make for a very nice driving vehicle. The diesel seems well matched to the Grand Cherokee.
19:00 min mark, Alex you forgot the Wrangler Rubicon BFG Mud-Terrain T/As!
Extreme off road review coming up? :D
How about the new Mustang Shelby GT350R with that sick suspension?
Thanks for all the awesome high detailed reviews Alex, it is please to hear people who know so much more about the cars.
It
Is
Simply
Silliness
To place
This
In
A
Forest
defaults to:
scoccer field, driveway to the "big house" parking lots, chain eateries, malls
So this vehicle only takes diesel fuel correct?
This was an excellent review I was truly amazed at how thorough you were. I've check other reviews and have not seen anything like this before. Keep up the good work. Awesome job.
Can you publish a video on how the quadra drive awd drive works. also can you compare it with shawd of acura and also the bmw all wheel drive. It could be a very technical video but I think it will be a good one. This video could help to identify which awd system is better
Alex, do you have any data about reliability of jeep cars? nice review as always. Thanks
***** It is hard to say exactly since Jeep's ratings are typically below average, however SUVs like this tend to have more to go wrong and since Chevrolet, Toyota and other brands also sell more reliable cars, that skews the whole brand reliability upwards. Jeep is more reliable than Land Rover in general, but likely less reliable than Lexus or Toyota vehicles. The Jeep will likely score better than many European options and similar to American brands.
Alex on Autos Got it. Could be a nice idea to include reliability comments in your reviews as well. Thank you
***** Not really. First - you can't have a reliable opinion about new models because they're new. With other cars it's still not very likely that reviewers would even try to gather some credible informations (official statistics, opinions from owners forum etc.) instead of using stereotypes. That's whan 'Alex on Autos" just did in a comment above. European brands were working hard on their reliability and it slowly shows. For example VW simplified current gen Touareg and it's pretty reliable now while the current Grand Cherokee is more advanced than ever but it affects reliability, there are lot of opinions from all across the globe from the JGC owners that they have loads of issues (mostly electric/electronic) with their new cars.
Great review! When can we get a review of the 2016 Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel?
What's interesting is that I guess different car companies built diesel cars in the United States. Then corporate America had to put a stop to that because the cars are so good to where people don't want to give them up 😂. A diesel truck is cool and useful, but a diesel engine and a regular car is absolutely amazing! I would imagine that many people who have gotten into accidents with their diesel Jeeps or for whatever reason had to part with them really miss the car.
I don't see no lane departure warning or lane assist button any were?
Love the 8 speed auto
Great Review ! I think this is a very nice vehicle for all it's capabilities .I wish it had a better Fuel economy ,but based on it's off road and towing i appreciate all it has to offer. Overall nice vehicle . My question to you Alex would you own it ?
Thanks
Alex
I actually would because I prefer to tow with a midsize suv. I have a Saab 9-7x Aero right now and the diesel would be a practical replacement. I think being totally practical however the V6 would suffice.
In another review, Alex said he would definitely buy a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, if he had the money, over a BMW X5M and a Porsche Cayenne. Quote, "Chyrsler does batsh*t crazy really really well!"
Amazing video. Thanks
Awesome, informative review! Thanks! I'm in the fence about the ecodiesel vs. the 5.7L... Both fuels cost about the same here in NM currently. I'd like the faster pickup of the V8, but the economy of the diesel. How about throwing the Audi Q7 into the mix?? Thoughts? Thanks!
That's what I call a great review! Great job Alex. Btw i couldn't be happier with my diesel GC.
Crusaderhun still happy with your Jeep?
Jason 328D yeah man, it’s 6 years old now and I guess we can say we were lucky, with no diesel issues at all. Around 4 years ago there was a problem with the catalytic converter, but it hasn’t been in the dealer since then, only for the recall last year. After 75,000 miles I can honestly say its been a reliable car for us, my wife can’t wait to trade it on for the new GC when it comes out
Crusaderhun thanks good to hear. Thinking of dumping wife’s sequoia (13mpg) for a used diesel GC. Almost an even swap for a used 15-16 GCD.
Jason 328D that sounds like a good trade especially if the smaller size works. We get 27-30mpg on highway and 20-23 in city.
Crusaderhun yep kid in college, others rarely ride together....lol. Sure beats the 12-16 of the v8. My bmw is 39/44 all day long. Damn sequoia bringing down the average. Lol
Wrangler Rubicon has off road tires.
Otherwise very good review, Alex.
I've driven the stock Wrangler Rubicon and the Rubicon X and I would still replace the tires for more serious off roading including any kind of muddy terrain. The BFGoodrich KM2 is not a bad tire, but for more serious off roading you'd want flotation tires with a mud shedding block pattern. The trouble is, that kind of tire is terrible on road (I know, I have some on my Jeep)
Hi Alex, great review. I'm thinking of purchasing the summit for my wife, could you tell me about the parking sensors? i currently have a BMW and the parking sensor image displays on the centre screen. is this the same or is it just an audible bleep
I don't understand the point of leather stitched dashboard, and hard plastic under cover. Your legs will most likely bump into those hard surfaces, while the top of the dash... who touches that on a regular basis? Give the knee and leg contact points plush and soft surfaces, leather or not, and save money on the places that nobody cares for. In fact, that top part of dash should be rugged due to constant exposure to sunlight, shouldn't it be hard plastic? It seems "luxury" nowadays is not practical at all.
The leather has a UV resistant coating which when combined with the UV blocking windshield should allow the leather a decent shelf life. Of course we won't know for about 8 years when these leather dash models start turning 10, but the indications are good so far. It is primarily looks, not feel. The stitch work looks very good and for some reason it also looks better than the pleather stitched dashes that I have seen. It could be material choices, I'm not sure. The leather tends to be less glare inducing.
Igor K High class means hard undercover? The future is impractical vanity? What does wanting real luxury have to do with age? Are you on drugs?
Igor K You can either have all leather, or you can have leather where it matters. Having leather above and not underneath where legs hit the surfaces is stupid, plain and simple. Also, having leather isn't new, but better ergonomics and practicality is. In many ways, sticking on leather at the wrong places and selling it as luxury is an old scam for money. You seem to think you are hip and new in accepting that; I think you're just idiotic.
Igor K Nobody cares where legs hit? That's just ignorant. Also, looks are just vanity, not luxury. Luxury means great comfort, and there's nothing comfortable in legs hitting hard surfaces. I think you may have a problem with the English language if you are arguing about terms like hip and luxury, as opposed to the actual point being discussed.
Igor K Then you are abnormal. Everyone I know cares if their limbs hit hard surfaces or not. Also, BMW is the least luxurious luxury brand, so your example is pretty bad. Even a 2016 Mazda 6 has leather padding for the areas where leg would hit the middle console. Again, if you define luxury as "fake comfort, real cost" then you're just vain, not "in tune with the times" or fashionable.
Well im in California too, and Diesel is cheaper then gas... diesel is cheaper then gas everywhere in usa....... unless you buy at the stations that like to rob you of your money, Name brand dont mean anything, when they get the gas from the same places lol. i save 50cents per gallon. But this vehicle bores me, i miss my wrangler, lol, ill be going back pretty soon.
I wonder if the cat at 00:44 is still alive as we are in march 2023 and this video was shot in 2014 🙂
What about the overall reliability of a diesel engine vs gas engine🤷🏻♂️
I supposed Jeep Cherokee`s mpg should be better than RAM`s ecodiesel mpg knowing that the latter is smaller & lighter hence more aerodynamics.
Does it have electronic power steering or hydraulic power steering? Just wondering.
wow really great review
Nice job sir.
what was your mileage? you talked about getting 20 in the v6 but how many miles did you put on the jeep. I'll wager that is why we wanted you to review it.
As it said in the end credits, 609 miles total
Alex, does this car have power folding mirrors ? It does right? But I saw someone unfolding it manually in another video... Confused
+es3502012 yes it does
+Alex on Autos thanks Alex! Your videos are great, keep it up
Awesome Review!!!! Thank you!
Review grand cherokee limited please .
Outstanding review....best I have seen on this vehicle...,well done Alex!! Purchased a 2014 Overland with all the toys and love the vehicle!
Do you still have it? If not did you like it for the time you had it? I just bought one
Hey Alex, great review. How would you compare it to the Acura MDX (off-road capability aside)
The MDX is more luxury themed as a base vehicle so I would say that the plastics quality is more uniformly high, that said you can't get real wood trim, alcantara headlinder or leather dash and doors on the MDX. Top end trims of the Grand Cherokee will feel a little more luxurious, but the MDXs interior is a bit more harmonious. The MDX of course has the 3rd row seats as well. The Jeep doesn't handle as well ad teh MDX, but that has less to do with the SH-AWD system on the Acura as the curb weight on the Jeep, it is quite heavy. That said the Jeep had a better balanced feel, more available power, 2 more speeds on the transmission and I would say is a better value overall. I would probably compare the Grand Cherokee Limited V6 to the MDX. The Overland and Summit models are a notch above with a very reasonable price tag.
great review!
Hi Alex - great review as usual, thanks - I am thinking of getting a GC but I am concerned about the impact the R20s (standard on the upper trims) may have on the ride quality of the vehicle (harshness when when hitting potholes etc..) - I don't do much off-roading, I just want a comfortable cruiser that can easily handle winter storms in the sierras and occasionally the better forest service roads. Does an X3 make more sense? Many thanks
The X3 would be firmer. The fortunate thing about the GCs with the 20 inch wheels is that they also have the air suspension which smooths out the ride. In addition the tires are still 50 series tires so that's actually more rubber than you find on many of the European crossovers.
Heeyy Alex! Is the review of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata going to be out soon? I am curious about the ECO model's DCT. Is the shift noticeable? I can't wait, ahhhh!
Hopefully in Januiary.
Alex on Autos thanks for the reply! I won't buy it without you reviewing them!
Xiao Ming Tang
Looks like Hyundai can get me one on 12/30. You can follow along on facebook.com/alexonautos that week, or wait for the complete review to be done somewhere around 1/10/15
Great review!!!
Alex, there are rumors floating around about a probable Pentastar upgrade later in 2015, is that really happening? Do you think a JGC or a Durango with a Direct Injection Turbo V6 would be a better deal than the current normally aspirated V6? Let us know your thoughts.
The rumours persist but all evidence indicates that we won't see them in 2015. There was originally a hope that the new minivans would get direct injection variants but that is looking less likely now. The turbos appear to be further delayed but Europe may get a 3.0L DI version before we get it in the USA. The rumour mill says chrysler is waiting until the ultra low sulphur gasoline gets phased in.
i just want to hear what it sounds like
Hey Alex, could you review a Grand Cherokee Overland with the indigo blue/brown interior. Looking to get the ecodiesel version of the GC. Do you feel the overland truly is worth the money as well?
Poet I'll see what I can do, it may not be possible since this review is not that old. Personally I'd get the summit and skip the diesel. The Overland and summit are great trims, but doing the math on the diesel, it will never end up saving you money.
Alex on Autos I'm a diesel guy so I will stick with the diesel but I really just want to see the overland with the blue indigo interior no matter what engine you review.
Excellent,congrats
I love it and want it!
How do you refill the DEF?
i would like this car
Hello Kitteh!
Wrong on the leather dashboard comment.
All Range Rovers have leather on the mid-dash and Autobiography models have full leather dash as well as fill door covers, console sides and of course the full headliner
As I explained in the video, the Jeep and the Range Rovers are really not in the same category. A comparably equipped Range Rover is nearly twice the price of the Grand Cherokee. The comment referred to the mid-level luxury competition like the X3, Q5, XC60, GLK, RDX, RX 350, NX 200t, ML, MKZ, SRX, etc.
Alex on Autos X3, Q5, GLK or Lexus NX are not Grand Cherokee's competitors. They're one step lower, smaller cars.
sic22l They may be smaller, but market research and manufacturer research indicates that the GLK, X3 and Q5 are key cross shops for top end Grand Cherokee trims.
Alex on Autos Top end trims? Is Grand Cherokee so cheap in the US?
sic22l
The Grand Cherokee starts at $29,995
"Oh, look: a cat!" :)
No Eagles? Bummer 😆
Alex can you do a review on the Volkswagen Touareg tdi?
Peter Linares has
I like that shirt
the cat brought me here
different trim level handles differently? what about my 2015 jeep grand cherokee altitude?
Yes. Jeep changes the tire sizes a decent amount. Laredo models get more off road oriented 245/70R17 tires, 70 series tires mean you have better protection for your rims on rocks, etc but you sacrifice handling. Limited models get 265/60R18 tires which are wider and lower profile. This improves handling and the 60 series tires still give moderate rim protection. The Summit gets 265/50R20 tires which are more on-road focused. 50-series tires give limited rim protection in off-road situations.
thx alex...
then i guess altitude handles just like summit because they both have 20" rims...
A) Did you run over that cat B) the acceleration is diesel vs. standard is all in the gear ratio, not the engine.