Hollister Hills SVRA (State Vehicular Recreation Area) in the Gabilan Mountains is a playground for the Californian off-roading fraternity. These 3,000 acres of rugged terrain are where Jeep has brought us to put the 2011 Grand Cherokee through its paces.
My guide car is the Wrangler — short wheel-base, off-road tyres, a substantial axle lift kit, diff lockers, mechanical low range gearbox and a roll cage. I'm in a new but stock 352bhp V8 Grand Cherokee with road tyres. And as the dusty, narrow, rutted 40-degree-inclined track comes into view, I know which vehicle I'd rather be driving.
It occurs to me that the uphill drive is a perfectly apt metaphor for the Jeep brand at present as part of the Chrysler Group. Having suffered Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year and undergone some disastrous Group dealings over the past decade, Jeep — now under the guidance of Italian car maker Fiat — has to surmount the huge perceptional mountain that suggests they are a lost cause. The Grand Cherokee must be a success for them. And if the experience at Hollister Hills is any measure, then it ought to be a success — at least, it deserves to.
Two-way street
For a start, the vital essence that is ‘Jeep' is still there; the new Grand Cherokee is as capable as ever, and is now as capable on the road as it is off it, which was frequently a complaint about previous models. They were too sparse and rugged for everyday highway commuting and the interiors lacked quality either in the materials used or fit and finish.
It's as if Fiat has wiped the slate clean and been able to harness the enthusiasm for the brand that Jeep CEO, Mike Manley says has always been on the production line of the Detroit plant.
Now new checks and measures ensure high quality control and minimal tolerances, and the difference is amazing.
Take the interior design: soft touch leather and fabrics abound with durable cushioned surfaces where they need to be and scuff-proof materials in case you decide to use the Grand Cherokee like a real Jeep should be.
The driving position is extensively variable with electronic adjustment and despite the thick rear C-pillar which gives the Grand Cherokee extremely high roof-crush resistance, visibility is pretty good all-round. The steering wheel is a balance between classic rugged Jeep styling and sophisticated upmarket SUV. In fact, that sums up perfectly the concept of this vehicle.
Exterior styling too is greatly improved. Gone are the ‘bargain bin' Daimler twin headlights and rather insipid face, to be replaced by sleek bi-xenon trapezoid units framing the iconic seven-bar grille. In profile, the fourth-gen Grand Cherokee retains the dynamic hexagonal wheel arches surrounding the 18in rims (or 20in on the Overland variant) but has much more muscular haunches and etched creases along the shoulder and waistline. (I can't wait to see the SRT8 version, although Jeep is being very cagey about it).
But it's the versatility of this vehicle that really impresses. To start with, it comes as standard with the Quadra-Drive II all-time four-wheel drive with integrated traction control and electronically limited slip diff. Add to this Quadra-Trac II two-speed transfer case which offers low range gearing as well as off-road traction management (able to send 100 per cent of the V8's 520Nm of torque to either axle for maximum mobility).
Also, on the Overland variant you get Quadra-Lift air suspension which can raise or lower the Grand Cherokee a total of 105mm for either easy access at its lowest ‘Park Mode' setting or through four intermediary settings to its highest ‘Off-road 2' level.
If you're not an experienced off-roader all this may sound a little complex, but fear not, as Jeep has simplified the control of these systems into the Select-Terrain control which is a five-position rotating knob on the centre console. Similar to Land Rover's Terrain Response, you simply position the knob on Sport, Snow, Auto, Sand/Mud or Rock and the system automatically changes the suspension height, traction control and throttle response to give you the best possible control. Four accompanying switches activate the four-wheel drive low gearing, hill descent and manual suspension height adjust.
No mountain too tall
Sitting at the base of the twisting, undulating and steep dust path at Hollister Hills, having this technology to help me to the summit is reassuring. But seeing how even the Wrangler is tested doesn't fill me with confidence. With Sand/Mud mode, 4WD-Low and maximum suspension clearance selected, I set off navigating the Grand Cherokee slowly but confidently — and sometimes on only two wheels — upward, feathering throttle and brake, the steering constantly giving me plenty of feedback. The all-round independent suspension still offers ample articulation and thanks to a raised rear diff, underfloor clearance is comparable to a fixed rear axle.
And then I crest the summit without ever feeling that the VVT V8 has been even mildly stressed. It's the same descending the 40-degree decline using Hill Descent. With the vehicle's systems controlling everything but the steering, the Grand Cherokee leisurely edges its way over rocks, loose sand, through deep tracts and over hefty logs to the base of the hill.
On the road, the comfort levels are even more apparent as Jeep seems to have found the sweet spot between impressive all-terrain vehicle and competent utilitarian family mover. Driving the 286bhp V6 version through mountainous Californian woodland roads, the new Grand Cherokee feels superbly confident. With a longer wheelbase than previous models, shorter overhangs and a body that is 146 per cent stiffer than its predecessor, it is stable, well poised, surprisingly happy to turn in under pressure without unsettling understeer, rolls neatly over camber changes and yet doesn't lollop with directional shifts.
Besides the contribution of the mechanics to comfort levels, the interior and standard equipment, even in the basic Laredo, are palatial compared to previous models and several competitors. A brief list includes eight-way adjustable driver seat with memory and adjustable lumbar support; an additional 113mm of rear legroom; acoustic side glass; front and rear side curtain airbags and front seat-mounted side airbags; active head restraints; interior LED lighting; keyless entry and go; rain-sensitive wipers; rechargeable LED flashlight; powered liftgate and 782 litres of rear storage.
verdict
Mechanically, aesthetically and dynamically better than the old car, all the 2011 Grand Cherokee needs to do now is stand on the showroom floor with an attractive sticker. Jeep is promising to position the Grand Cherokee at a very competitive price point when it arrives in the region later this year — from about $30,000 (Dh110,000) to just over $40,000 (Dh150,000), if the US projections are any comparison. For the sake of the future of a great US marque, here's hoping that the Grand Cherokee has the pulling power to get the company over possibly its most difficult mountain.
Specs & rating
Model 2011 Grand Cherokee
Engine 5.7-litre V8
Transmission Five-speed auto AWD
Max power 360bhp @ 5,150rpm
Max torque 520Nm @ 4,250rpm
Plus Huge improvement over the old one, in every way
Minus Still not the leading on-road SUV
