Used Jeeps Near You: Test Drive of a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Indianapolis

Since 1992, more than five million Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs have been sold. Of these, almost one and a half million accounted for the car of the first generation. The secret of the success was in the revolutionary innovations: an UniFrame load-bearing body instead of a frame and a differential all-wheel drive that allows you to drive on asphalt in 4×4 modes instead of a connected front axle. In addition, this American manufacturer questioned the recognized utility of such cars, intelligibly explaining to the whole world that an SUV can also be a luxury one.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is an excellent alternative to the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. This SUV looks like a reasonable compromise for those who do not need a frame but want to feel confident when the roads are far from perfect.

Read more about the Jeep brand and success story .

The interior has a minimum of soft plastic, a maximum of buttons, and almost no sensors and branded panels. The screen on the Jeep instrument panel looks outdated, but the information is perfectly readable, and the monitor itself is not overloaded with additional signs.

The fourth-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee entered the market in 2010. The model is built on the 2005 Mercedes-Benz ML W164 chassis, and technically it is even older. So it is reasonable to opt for a used model instead of a new one.

A unique feature of this SUV is its AWD system. It has three options at once:

• Quadra-Drive II is an option with an electronic rear axle differential lock.
• Quadra-Trac comes without locks and reduction for powerful city versions.
• Quadra-Trac II has an electronically controlled center clutch and reduction gear.

The fourth generation of the American SUV has been produced since 2010 and is equipped with the following engines:

• Diesel 3.0 V6 Grand Cherokee 3.0 with the power of 241 hp and 550Nm of torque;
• Petrol 3.6 Pentastar produces 286 hp. The cylinder block and cylinder head are aluminum here. In the first production versions of internal combustion engines, rockers and camshaft cams wear out quickly, and oil channels are also prone to contamination. The weak points are a pump with a thermostat, phase regulators, and an oil pump.
• Petrol 3.0 Pentastar. This is the same V-6 that the Grand Cherokee has been equipped with since 2013. Resource – 180 thousand km. Weak points include phase shifters, oil coolers, and camshaft cams. The latter are extremely sensitive to the quality and viscosity of the oil.
• Petrol 5.7 HEMI with a capacity of 352 liters. Resource – 200 thousand miles. Reliability is at its best, but the EGR valve may be stuck, and the exhaust manifold mounting studs may be deformed.
• Petrol 6.4 HEMI installed on SRT8. The motor features include a system that, to save money, turns off half of the cylinders and a VCT phase regulator. The resource of the Grand Cherokee SRT8 engine is around 155 thousand miles.

Find out the difference between inline and V-type engines.

The modern Grand Cherokee family includes versions: Laredo ($40,720), Altitude ($45,430), Limited ($47,040), Trailhawk ($54,630), Overland ($56,635), Summit ($60,695), and Summit Reserve ($67,175).

The standard equipment of all modifications includes an aluminum 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine. The Overland, Trailhawk, Summit, and Summit Reserve versions feature the award-winning 5.7-liter V8 engine.

An all-new 4xe powerplant with a 2.0-liter inline-four turbo petrol engine, two electric motors, and an eight-speed automatic transmission is available on Limited, Overland, Trailhawk, Summit, and Summit Reserve trim models.

As for the trims of previous years, the equipment can vary greatly, so it is better to visit Indy Auto Man and consult a sales assistant when buying a used Jeep in Indianapolis.

Price disclaimer: all prices are true for the new SUVs to the date of publication. For actual information, visit the manufacturer’s website, or check the used car prices near you .

The Grand Cherokee has a permanent all-wheel Quadra-Drive II with an electronically controlled rear lock, but the most distinguishing thing is the air suspension, which in the off-road modes raises the body as much as 10 inches.

There is no longer a frame in this SUV – the manufacturer abandoned it in favor of handling more than ten years ago. But don’t expect the precise responses to sharp steering turns and confident straight-line driving at high speeds. The Grand Cherokee seems to keep its ancestry in mind, swaying American-style and responding to action with some laziness. Of course, you have to get used to the control of the Grand Cherokee, but already on the second or third day, it will not seem rolly and outdated.

Visit Indy Auto Man for a test drive and get your Jeep driving experience today!