Jeep has announced some welcome changes to their Grand Cherokee SUV with enhancements that they say improves the drive, a modest tech upgrade, as well as giving the interior a higher level of comfort and refinement.
2016 marks the 75th anniversary of Jeep, which was founded in 1941, and spawned some special editions that the SUV maker brought to this year’s Geneva Motor Show. In addition to the sportier SRT-line of Grand Cherokees, the SRT Night limited-edition will also be launched in more market including within Europe. There will also be another limited version known as the 75th Anniversary edition.
However, for the more widely available versions of the Grand Cherokee, Jeep will now include Start/Stop as well as electric steering as standard to achieve a 14g/km reduction in carbon emissions over the 2015 model. Additionally, fuel economy has also been improved with the diesels achieving a combined 5.8-litres/100km.
A total of 3 new exterior colours will also be available: Velved Red, Redline, and Ivory Tri-Coat.
Jeep says that the interior has experience has been improved with acoustic glass reducing outside noise entering the cabin. There are new selectable drive modes along with the electric power steering system (Sport, Comfort, Normal), a new “more substantial premium” gear lever replaces the controversial oft-confusing Monostable knob. Also, there’s a revised centre stack to better integrate the Sport and Star/Stop functions.
The Grand Cherokee 75th Anniversary edition comes to the Grand Cherokee just as it does for the rest of the models in the Jeep line-up. It’s based on the 2016 Grand Cherokee and is powered by the 186kW 3.0-litre V6 MultiJet engine which is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, sending drive to all-four wheels through the Quadra-Trac II 4x4 system.
That’s all standard Grand Cherokee fare, but the differentiating cues include bronze detailing and 75th anniversary exterior badging that match with the 20-inch bronze alloy wheels, a revised front end, new LED fog lamps, Quadra-lift air suspension, panoramic sunroof, and unique black 75th Anniversary seats with tangerine stitching.
The Grand Cherokee 75th Anniversary also comes with Jeep’s Safety Technology Pack which includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, cross path detection, and blind spot monitoring.
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