Jeep Grand Cherokee Named 4X4 of the Year!The all-new 2011 Jeep® Grand Cherokee?the premium icon of the Jeep brand?was
named ?Four Wheeler of the Year? by the editors of Four Wheeler magazine, a
leading off-road enthusiast publication.
?The Grand Cherokee continues Jeep?s tradition of building four-wheel drives
that excel in harsh backcountry traditions,? Four Wheeler Editor Douglas
McColloch said. ?The 5.7-liter V-8 offers ample horsepower throughout the power
band; its tightly tuned unibody chassis and four-wheel independent suspension
give it a sporty on-road ride; and the Jeep?s new Selec-Terrain™ off-road
driving mode and class-leading hill-descent systems virtually eliminate
guesswork when crawling through uneven and off-camber terrain. It?s the most
street-tuned, pavement-friendly version of this vehicle ever built ? Overall,
it?s a highly deserving ?Four Wheeler of the Year? winner for 2011.?
To qualify for the competition, entries had to be entirely new or have
substantial mechanical revisions from a previous model year. Testing was
conducted over more than a thousand miles on a variety of terrain, including
pavement, gravel, dirt, sand, rocks and mud, at elevations ranging from sea
level to more than 9,000 feet.
?Capturing this prominent award from the respected editors at Four Wheeler
magazine is a true honor and significant milestone for the Jeep brand and the
all-new 2011 Grand Cherokee,? Mike Manley, President and CEO?Jeep Brand, said.
?The Four Wheeler award competition is a thorough, demanding test of a vehicle?s
performance and capability. This recognition reinforces the fact that the
new-generation Grand Cherokee boasts a combination that no one can match: a new
level of legendary, best-in-class capability, along with a premium on-road
driving experience and a host of new innovative features.?
The Jeep Grand Cherokee Four Wheeler of the Year award comes less than a
year after the magazine?s editors named the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon as the Best
4×4 vehicle of the 2000-2009 decade.
The ?Four Wheeler of the Year? is the latest in a list of awards the all-new
Grand Cherokee has recently captured. Other accolades include:
Internet Truck of the Year
Urban Truck of the Year
Consumers Digest Best Buy
Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Award for Off-Road
Ability
Texas Auto Writers Association SUV of Texas
Texas Auto Writers
Association Full-size SUV of Texas
Ruedas ESPN Best SUV
Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick
Accolades from reviews of the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Tuesday, June 22 - Sample of Articles
Chrysler's New Grand Cherokee Will Bridge Luxury-Capability Gap (IHS Global Insight)
"A dramatically upgraded interior is provided, with soft-touch plastics, leather, or real wood trim, 4 inches more of rear legroom, double-laminated glass on all models, and much greater sound insulation all around. The result is an extraordinarily refined truck that no longer handles like an off-road vehicle but can be tossed with surprising alacrity on twisty roads."
"The new truck is so heavily revised that it is difficult to identify a direct competitor for it-it has off-road capabilities seen only in vehicles from luxury brands like Land Rover, but costs a fraction of a Land Rover's sticker price."
Monday, June 21 - Sample of Articles
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee: Up market and off-road (CNET)
"While maintaining its reputation for off-road prowess with the Grand Cherokee, Jeep also wants to make it competitive in the luxury SUV segment, putting it up against the Lexus RX 350. That is a tall order, but from our initial look at the cabin, Jeep is off to a good start."
"What we found more interesting were some of the driver assistance technologies as we drove the Grand Cherokee down the freeway. This is decidedly a new era for Jeep."
"Where many SUVs can feel like dumb crates with unpredictable handling, Jeep kept the Grand Cherokee tight, with good damping response when hitting the inevitable bumps in the road."
"The most amazing challenge of the day was a steep, 100-yard descent on a loose dirt road. Watching others in our party take this descent convinced us that the Grand Cherokee has few equals in the luxury SUV segment for off-road prowess."
Contents Under Pressure: Jeep's Big New Thing Won't Disappoint the Faithful (Motor Trend)
"Jeep faithful can breathe a sigh of relief."
"While we can't vouch for the Rubicon, Chrysler took us to Moab, Utah, where "sport" in this sport/utility is the way it traverses thin paths of slippery rock and deep sand at speeds perhaps as high as 12 mph. Our Hemi-powered Overland with Uconnect Internet access and panoramic sunroof did everything doorless Wranglers could do, and most everything Gary Fishers could do on this offroad paradise."
"With the air suspension raised 2.6 inches, the Grand Cherokee's moderately high and wide stance and precise steering makes rock crawling at Moab easy for a sub-expert off-road driver."
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/suvs/1008_2011_jeep_grand_cherokee_drive/index.html#ooid=RrcWlmMTpSnrDMaJoU6U6piv0ZjUG8cI 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, an AW Flash Drive (Autoweek)
"The newest generation of Jeep's iconic Grand Cherokee can still rock-crawl with the best of them but looks a whole lot nicer doing it, both inside and out."
"It looks great in the city, more attractive than the BMW X5 and the Porsche Cayenne, for instance, while the inside swaddles you in soft-touch leather and the roof slides back to open the biggest sunroof we can think of on the market today."
"On-road it is a pleasure, with the multilink suspension (independent rear!) handling twisty mountain roads with ease, though not quite as masterfully as the X5 or the Cayenne. The difference is that this one can go off road, too."
First Drive: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee (Automobile Magazine)
"Inside, the Grand Cherokee surprised us with exceptional quietness."
"Building on the precedent set by the 2009 Dodge Ram, the well-executed cabin should be a key factor in reestablishing Jeep's claim that this is a premium SUV."
"The familiar Grand Cherokee look is retained via the same proportions, basic shapes, and seven-slot grille as the outgoing model. But with more athletic sculpting and softer edges, the new Grand Cherokee is better dressed to mingle with the soft-roader crossovers in the suburbs."
Sunday, June 20 - Sample of Articles
First Drive: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee redefines the Tipping Point (Autoblog)
"If the GC's insides are any indication, journalists will need a new horse to flog if these kind of appointments disseminate throughout the Pentastar's offerings."
"Jeep says this is the most capable off-road vehicle it's ever produced, and in the midst of a steep upward ascent followed by a treacherous trek down, we're keen to agree."
"The GC's Benz architecture makes for a seriously pleasing ride on the open road, and with a triple-sealing strategy to separate engine and wind noise from the cabin, NVH levels are vastly improved. We're talking Lexus quiet."
"No matter your destination or proclivities, there's a Grand Cherokee to suit your needs on road, and the competition doesn't even come close to matching its abilities off road. If this is the shape of things to come from Chrysler, there might just be a little life yet in the halls of Auburn Hills."
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee - First Drive Review (Car and Driver)
"The latest Ram and Ram Heavy Duty pickups are good indicators of what Chrysler is still capable of-they're very good. Hooray for Chrysler, then, that the 2011 Grand Cherokee is good, too."
"We easily conquered super-steep rock faces, craggy stair climbs, and sandy washouts-all with ventilated seats whirring under our butts."
"On-road, where a large part of GCs will spend the entirety of their lives, our test vehicles were as well behaved as they were climbing Moab's stoic rock formations."
"The interior now befits an entry-luxury SUV that Jeep says will carry out such varied duties as driving the trail to delivering tuxedoed folks to the symphony."
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/10q2/2011_jeep_grand_cherokee_-first_drive_review/gallery 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee (Cars.com)
"The new Grand Cherokee manages to provide on-road driving refinement that can go toe-to-toe with the best that the crossover segment has to offer - and it does so without sacrificing its considerable off-road capabilities."
"It's a no-excuses SUV if there ever was one and, in effect, takes on Land Rover at its own game. Let your brain wrap itself around that concept for a moment, and it becomes clear how much the Grand Cherokee has evolved."
"The 2011 Grand Cherokee pulls off the challenging feat of possessing a clear design connection with its predecessor while looking completely new and modern. It's clearly a Grand Cherokee, but it has a sleekness that its predecessor lacked."
Jeep aims to make Grand Cherokee one of a kind (Detroit News)
"Jeep has added loads of new features to improve the Grand Cherokee's ride on and off the road. Furthermore, instead of pushing the truck side of the Grand Cherokee, the new model focuses on the luxury offerings. First and foremost, the Grand Cherokee denotes quality craftsmanship throughout."
Saturday, June 19 - Sample of Articles
Behind the Wheel: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee (Automotive Traveler)
"With the weight of an entire corporation riding on its success, can the fourth-generation 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee deliver? In a word, YES!"
"With three 4X4 systems available, the new Grand Cherokee offers unsurpassed off-road capability (especially when Quadra-Drive II is combined with its Quadra-Lift air-suspension system). At the same time, with its four-wheel independent suspension system, the Grand Cherokee's on-road comfort rivals car-based crossovers."
"The new Grand Cherokee interior is a first-class effort. Not only is it class competitive, it now ranks near the top, rivaling leaders like the Volkswagen Touareg."
"If the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is any indication, an important first step has been taken. From our limited vantage point, it appears they've turned the first corner. The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee clearly addresses the criticisms leveled at its predecessor, especially where exterior styling and interior refinement are concerned."
Saturday, June 19 - Sample of Articles
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 V6 First Drive (Edmunds Inside Line)
"As you might expect, the combination of a rigid body and independent suspension gives the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee a far smoother ride with much more body control. On a long trek through Northern California across narrow mountain roads and high-speed freeways, the Grand Cherokee proved impressive. A quicker steering ratio and a supple front suspension helps this SUV carve confidently through the corners."
"We drove a couple Grand Cherokees with the coil-spring suspension that Jeep expects more than 75 percent of buyers to choose, and it proved very good. But once you experience the Quadra-Lift air suspension, you'll never be content with coil springs again."
http://www.insideline.com/jeep/grand-cherokee/2011/2011-jeep-grand-cherokee-limited-4x4-v6-first-drive.html Friday, June 18 - Sample of Articles
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee - Driving Impressions, Hugely Improved and prices reduced (Road and Track)
"Completely new save for its optional carryover V-8 engine, the 2011 Grand Cherokee has traveled leagues in refinement while not losing its vaunted off-road capability. But don't worry, you'll get used to rock crawling in luxury almost immediately."
"Past the major leap in design, fit, materials and features, perhaps Jeep's most amazing accomplishment is that it's delivered the new Grand Cherokee for less money than its distinctly dated predecessor."
EURO-STYLE: Jeep holds its ground / Fiat improves Grand Cherokee's looks, performance (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
"The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee represents a quantum leap for Chrysler's ageless off-road brand. The wholesale revisions, updates and numerous high-tech additions give this fourth-generation wagon more passenger comfort and carrying capacity, not to mention improved off-road prowess."
"The fresh-face styling is reminiscent of previous Grand Cherokees, but thoroughly reworked with cleaner lines, stylish body creases and a less upright windshield."
"Most significantly, the distance between the front and rear wheels grows by 5.3 inches. That means wider and taller front and rear door openings plus considerably more reclining rear-seat knee and leg space, areas that have required Jeep's undivided attention since the first 1993 GC hit the trail."