Large 4WD SUV of the Year: Jeep Grand Cherokee

The mighty Grand Cherokee has been much lauded, applauded and awarded in is ‘L’ seven-seat form. When we named the ‘7’ our large SUV of the year, we noted its spacious, luxurious interior, the way it insulated road harshness and noise and the advanced V6 engine. Oh, and its height-adjustable suspension. Though it was Remuera-flash in appearance, it was absolutely a 4WD ready to go do 4WD things. The five-seater is all of that, and more. It answers our only question about the ‘7’: how often would a ‘7’ owner be using those extra seats? Carrying five adults and ear in supreme comfort on and off road is the ‘5’s forte. A wee bonus: it’s a margin cheaper that the ‘7’ without shedding spec or capability.

All Grand Cherokees are powered by Jeep’s 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine producing 210kW and 344Nm, driving all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s a sublimely smooth and efficient power plant, perfectly matched to the Grand’s size and capability.