The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L was recently showcased with 4×4 capability, luxury and advanced technologies, and as a 7-seater SUV.
The newest iteration of 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L is designed and engineered to deliver an unmatched combination of even more legendary 4×4 capability, superior on-road refinement, premium styling and craftsmanship inside and out, as well as a host of advanced safety and technology features. The result is the all-new 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, for the first time ever with seating for six or seven.
Design
The proportion of the all-new 2021 Grand Cherokee L was inspired by the original Wagoneer, Jeep’s first full-size luxury SUV. Grand Cherokee L’s lean profile features a longer bonnet and cab, which shifts the vehicle rearward to give a sense of motion with a ready to react response. A forward-tipped grille further enhances the length of the bonnet and gives a respectful nod to Wagoneer’s iconic design. A lowered, tapered roof improves aerodynamic performance and efficiency without sacrificing its cargo spaciousness and utility.
- All-new slim LED headlights are the primary focal point and accentuate the technical character of the vehicle.
- The signature seven-slot grille has been updated to be wider with larger individual openings and is outlined in elegant trim that underscores its advanced lighting and emphasises the width of the vehicle.
- Below the grille, the new front fascia is proportionally larger than previous generations, designed for function while keeping the competitive approach angle for which the Grand Cherokee is known.
- Lowered beltline and expansive glass allow for a more spacious cabin and increased visibility
- The roofline appears to float courtesy of a new window moulding design that begins at the base of the side mirror and travels continuously to the rear quarter window and to the base of the back light.
- Body cladding and bright work have been kept to a minimum to align with the vehicle’s modern tailored aesthetic
- The wheel flares are pulled tautly around the tyres
- The tyres are flush with the body side to showcase signature trapezoidal wheel arches and, for the first time on a Grand Cherokee, 21-inch wheels come standard with the Summit Reserve Package.
- Sleek, high-set LED rear lights
- A new rear fascia and LED fog
- Vertical-pillar spoilers added to the tailgate help reduce on-road drag.
- A rear-view camera with washer has been tucked neatly into the tailgate spoiler, which also features a new LED centre high-mounted stop lamp
- Full suite of LED lighting is standard on all Jeep Grand Cherokee trim levels
- Ultra slim headlamps with unique signature lighting set into Gloss Black bezels, along with slim horizontal fog lamps
- Approach-lit door handles and puddle lighting projected from the rear-view mirror, which are standard on the Overland and Summit models.
Interior
When it came to the interior design of 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, the team’s objective was to create one of the most exquisite and technically advanced interiors in the industry.
- A sculpted, horizontal applique runs the entire length of the front panel
- Structural metal trim stretches the length of the panel and sweeps upward to offset new slim HVAC vents
- A 10.1-inch display for the new Uconnect 5 system
- 10.25-inch frameless digital gauge cluster
- New multifunction steering wheel with paddle shifters
- Glossy Piano Black finish Console
- Drive control centre with a backlit, metal rotary shifter that delivers haptic feedback
- Gear lever is flanked by the ride height and Selec-Terrain switches
- Wireless charger that can charge two devices simultaneously
- Length-adjustable cushion for the front row in
- First-row seats with power 16-way adjustable position with memory and lumbar
- Seat back massage
- Heated seats in the first two rows
- Ventilated front-row seats
- Rear cabin features soft armrests colour-keyed to the leather seats, additional storage and cup holders, plus a class-leading 12 USB Type A and Type C ports for wireless devices.
- Customisable interior LED lighting
- True ambient lighting with a five-colour selection
- Four-zone automatic temperature control
- Second and third-row vents, now wider and slimmer, are placed in the pillars
- Premium package (Premium hand-wrapped, quilted Palermo leather, ventilated front and second-row seats, memory and massage front seats and choice of a new Tupelo interior color)
- Summit Reserve Package is genuine open-pore Waxed Walnut wood and premium, wrapped, suede-like fabric on the A-pillars and headliner
- McIntosh audio sound system
- 17-channel amplifier with a maximum output of 950 watts and 19 speakers, including a 10-inch subwoofer, to envelope vehicle occupants in high-definition sound
- Overland and Summit models include the CommandView dual-pane sunroof with a power sunshade
Engine
The all-new 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L offers buyers a choice of two powerful, fuel-efficient and refined engines with proven performance for any driving situation.
- Standard is the all-aluminium 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine, with 290hp and 348Nm of torque. It has 60-degree angle between the Pentastar V6’s cylinder banks and includes two-step variable valve lift and variable-valve timing (VVT). Fuel-saving engine start-stop (ESS) technology is standard on the Pentastar V6.
- Buyers who want more power can opt for the award-winning 5.7-litre V8, with 357hp and 528Nm torque delivered over a broad power band and has a class-leading towing capacity of up to 3,265kg. It gets Fuel Saver Technology (cylinder deactivation).
- Each engine mates to the durable, robust TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission
- On-the-fly shift-map changing enables the transmission to quickly adjust its shift strategy.
- New for the 2021 Grand Cherokee L 4×4 is front axle disconnect. If the vehicle senses that road conditions do not require all-wheel drive, the front axle disconnect automatically and places the Grand Cherokee L in two-wheel drive
4×4 Capability
Legendary off-road capability begins courtesy of three 4×4 systems – Quadra-Trac I, Quadra-Trac II and Quadra-Drive II with rear electronic limited slip-differential (eLSD). All three systems are equipped with an active transfer case to improve traction by moving torque to work with the wheel with the most grip.
Quadra-Trac I is a single-speed active transfer case that uses input from multiple sensors in the vehicle to pre-emptively adjust torque distribution and will continue to reactively make corrections if tyre slip occurs. When wheel slippage is detected, as much as 100 percent of available torque is instantly routed to the axle with the most traction.
With the Quadra-Trac II’s two-speed active transfer case, as much as 100 percent of available torque is instantly routed to the axle with the most traction. Active 4-Low torque control with 2.72:1 gear ratio improves off-road manoeuvrability and delivers uncompromised performance.
Quadra-Drive II, with a two-speed active transfer case and rear eLSD, delivers industry-leading tractive capability. The system instantly detects tyre slip and smoothly reacts distributing engine torque to tyres with traction. In some cases, the vehicle will anticipate low traction and pre-emptively adjust in order to limit or eliminate tyre slip. Quadra-Drive II is available on the Overland 4×4 model when equipped with the Off-Road Group and is standard on Summit models.
Quadra-Lift
The class-exclusive Jeep Quadra-Lift air suspension, now with electronic adaptive damping, delivers class-leading ground clearance and water fording. The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L’s Quadra-Lift system operates automatically, or may be controlled manually with console controls, and features five height settings for optimum ride performance:
- Normal Ride Height (NRH): 212mm of clearance offers improved fuel economy, as well as improved aerodynamics during on-road driving
- Off-road 1: Lifts the vehicle an additional 40mm from NRH for added height in clearing obstacles
- Off-road 2: Delivers legendary Jeep off-road capability and provides an additional 60mm (nine percent more range than previous generation) from NRH for increased, best-in-class ground clearance of 276.8mm and up to 609mm of water fording depth (improvement of 101mm over previous generation)
- Park Mode: Lowers 46mm from NRH for easy ingress/egress, which levels down the vehicle twice as fast over the previous generation. NRH and Park Mode are driver selectable, giving the driver full control over vehicle ride height. Air suspension improvements include a dual tank design to enable more controlled and quicker functionality
- Aero Mode: Lowers the vehicle 21mm from NRH. Aero Mode is controlled by vehicle speed and adjusts for optimal performance and fuel economy. The vehicle will also lower to Aero Mode when in Sport Mode
- Quadra-Lift adds up to 106mm of lift span supported by four-corner air springs that provide an air cushioned, premium ride. The crawl ratio on the Grand Cherokee L is 44:1.
- With the available Quadra-Lift air suspension, the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L features a 30.1 degree approach angle, a 23.6 degree departure angle and 22.6 degree breakover angle.
Selec-Terrain
The 2021 Grand Cherokee L’s class-leading Selec–Terrain traction management system lets customers choose the on and off-road setting for optimum 4×4 performance. This feature electronically coordinates up to six different powertrains, 4×4 torque split, braking and handling, steering and suspension systems, including throttle control, transmission shift, transfer case and traction control, stability control, anti-lock braking system (ABS) and steering feel.
The Selec-Terrain system offers five available terrain modes (Auto, Sport, Rock, Snow, Mud/Sand) to provide optimised calibrations for any given driving scenario.
Safety
The Jeep Grand Cherokee L arrives with a class-leading suite of features that deliver on the promise of driving confidence, for which the Jeep brand is renowned.
Active Driving Assist is FCA’s name for Level 2 (L2) automated driving capability and the technology affirms the company’s march toward an autonomous future. The Grand Cherokee L is available with Active Driving Assist for hands-on-wheel and eyes-on-road automated driving, using lane-centering with adaptive cruise control. The system uses multiple sensors, including radars and cameras to dictate appropriate roads for the technology. Active Driving Assist is available on Overland and is standard on Summit models.
Hands-free Active Driving Assist is FCA’s name for hands-free L2 assisted driving and will be available in late 2021 for 2022 model-year Grand Cherokee L Overland and Summit models. It offers hands-free driving at all speeds and lane centering on approved roadways for even greater driving convenience. The system also will predictively slow the vehicle down in tight curves and automatically resume control after the driver overrides and verifies that he or she is paying attention to the road.
Night Vision Camera, available on Overland and Summit models, uses thermographic technology to augment the reach of the Grand Cherokee L’s headlights. Infrared sensors search for the heat signatures of pedestrians and animals in the road ahead, at distances up to 200m. When located, an alert with their positions relative to the vehicle are outlined in the instrument cluster directly in front of the driver.
Ergonomics are a key benefit of the available, full-colour Head-up Display (HUD).
Intersection Collision Assist helps detect vehicles approaching from the driver’s left and right when nearing a crossroad. Four radar sensors and one camera determine if a collision appears imminent, prompting the system to provide audible and visual alerts. If the driver does not respond, the system automatically activates the vehicle’s brakes. The feature is standard on Summit models.
Drowsy Driver Detection tracks vehicle movement, such as lane deviation, and interaction, such as steering-wheel input over time, for driving behaviour consistent with that of a drowsy driver. When certain thresholds are reached, the system responds with audio and/or visual cautions for the driver to pull over. The feature comes standard on Summit models.
The Digital Rear-view Camera system, optional on Limited models and above, replaces the conventional rear-view mirror with a 9.2-inch-wide Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) that shows real-time video from a rear-facing camera. Unlike a conventional rear-view mirror, the new digital camera system offers a view that is unobstructed by the D-pillars or rear seats. When not in use as a display, the screen reverts back to a reflective mirror.
Traffic Sign Recognition, standard on Summit models, uses a forward-facing camera to identify speed limit and related traffic signs, such as those denoting school and construction zones.
Among the standard safety features across the Jeep Grand Cherokee L lineup are:
- Full-Speed Collision Warning with Active Braking and Pedestrian/Cyclist Detection
- Rear Cross Path detection
- Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go
- Active Lane Management
- LaneSense Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist
- Advanced Brake Assist
- Blind-spot Monitoring
- ParkView rear back-up camera
- ParkSense rear park assist sensors with stop
- Switch-activated electric park brake
- Tyre-pressure monitoring
Other Advance Features
Rear-seat monitoring camera
The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L includes an optional rear-seat monitoring camera system, which projects a best-in-class, high-definition image and delivers several segment-exclusive features, including a clear view of second-row, rear-facing child seat occupants, a split-view display and a unique “zoom-to-seat” function.
Rear-seat camera views are accessible through the 10.1-inch Uconnect touchscreen and allow the driver to quickly view the entire cabin, as well as easily zoom in on each seat location. Memory setting functions keep the zoomed image focused on the most recent position viewed, aiding in ease of use and limiting driver distraction.
Fully digital rear-view mirror
The digital rear-view mirror displays video in real time from a rear-facing camera, offering an image that is unobstructed by the D-pillars or rear seats. It also reverts back to a traditional reflective mirror. The digital rear-view mirror is available on Limited, Overland and Summit models and provides an unobstructed rear view that enhances safety.
Head Up Display (HUD)
Additionally, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L is the first production Jeep vehicle to offer a Head Up Display (HUD). Available on Overland and above, the full-colour display is configurable up to 10-inches and features three predefined configurations and a custom mode with a choice of four reconfigurable layouts.
10.25-inch frameless digital gauge
Also new for Jeep Grand Cherokee L is a standard 10.25-inch frameless digital gauge and cluster with nearly two dozen different menus from which the user can select, including driver-assist technologies, such as adaptive cruise control, Active Driving Assist, Night Vision, Drowsy Driver Detection and Traffic Sign Recognition (if equipped). Additional settings include media being played, caller identification, digital speed readout, drive modes or tyre pressure. Also offered is a full-screen, turn-by-turn navigation map and off-road pitch-and-roll display. The full-colour cluster features five reconfigurable tiles for at-a-glance data or quick and easy access to the most used information. Drivers may choose between analogue or digital instrumentation. All cluster settings can be saved to a user profile as part of Grand Cherokee L’s full vehicle customisation and automatically recalled for each driver. On-screen graphics are delivered in real-time, animated 3D.
Uconnect 5 system
The Uconnect 5 system offers more connected services and features for unmatched ease of use. The suite of system highlights includes:
- 8.4-inch or 10.1-inch digital touchscreen
- Five user profiles plus a valet mode – customisable music preferences, apps, seat position, mirror angles and climate comfort levels
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Fully customisable home screen for quick access to frequently used features and one-touch operation
- Simultaneous connectivity for two Bluetooth-enabled phones
- Alexa “Home to Car” functionality to include in-vehicle Alexa virtual assistant with natural voice capability and “Car to Home” features
- All-new Uconnect mobile app
- SiriusXM 360L platform and new Personalised Stations Powered by Pandora
- TomTom navigation with predictive search, natural speak and live traffic updates
- Maps OTA updates at the push of a button for Uconnect NAV system
- 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot to connect up to eight wireless devices
Jeep Grand Cherokee L arrives in Jeep dealerships in the US in the second quarter of 2021; all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee two-row and 4xe electrified version scheduled to debut later in 2021.