2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee five-seater revealed, including PHEV variant

Jeep has officially revealed its new 2022 Grand Cherokee five-seater – detailing what we can expect to come from the model’s first ever plug-in hybrid variant.

The fifth-generation Grand Cherokee’s range has expanded from just four variants to seven – retaining both the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 and 5.7-litre V8, as well as introducing a 2.0-litre turbocharged inline-4 engine for the electrified powertrain option.

The new Grand Cherokee line-up now consists of Laredo, Altitude, Limited, Overland, Trailhawk, Summit and Summit Reserve trims.

Standard on all models is the well-known V6 (which produces 213kW/347Nm), while the Aussie-favoured V8 (which makes 259kW/520Nm) is available on Overland, Trailhawk, Summit and Summit Reserve.

UPDATE, May 12 2022: The new Jeep Grand Cherokee L is now in Australia, and we've driven it. Read and watch our review at the link below.

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The 2.0-litre turbo in the 4xe will be coupled with two electric motors and an eight-speed automatic, and will be available on the Limited, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit and Summit Reserve variants.

The 2022 model brings with it a new exterior and interior design, as well as improved safety, technology and off-roading performance, according to the brand.

“The Jeep Grand Cherokee is our global flagship and will be leading the Jeep brand into a new era of premium refinement, innovative technology, advanced 4x4 capability and electrification," said Christian Meunier, Jeep Brand Chief Executive Officer.

“With a perfect balance of on-road dynamics, 4x4 capability and 4xe performance, the all-new 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee is the most technologically advanced, luxurious and 4x4-capable Grand Cherokee ever.”

Arriving in Jeep dealerships in the US in late 2021, the hybrid variant will follow early next year. Australia can expect it to arrive later in 2022.

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Grand Cherokee 4xe

For the first time, as previously reported by 4x4 Australia, the model will come with 4xe plug-in hybrid technology – with the variant already confirmed for Australia next year.

It’s capable of pumping out 280kW of power and 637Nm of torque overall. Using the same 2-litre, four-cylinder petrol hybrid unit as the current Wrangler 4xe, a 17kWh battery pack is also mounted underneath the vehicle floor and facilitates an electric-only driving range of up to 40km. Combined, a total driving distance of more than 708km will be possible.

The fuel-efficient I-4 engine is part of Stellantis’s Global Medium Engine family. The high-tech, direct-injection engine uses a twin-scroll, low-inertia turbocharger mounted directly to the cylinder head.

Efficiency is enhanced via the use of electric power steering and an electrically driven air-conditioning compressor, removing those loads from the engine.

The conventional alternator is also replaced with a high-voltage, liquid-cooled motor-generator connected to the engine crankshaft pulley via a belt. The unit helps to save fuel, aid the start-stop operation and generate electricity for the battery pack.

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A larger high-voltage motor-generator is mounted in the transmission, replacing the torque converter. Two clutches manage power and torque from the e-motor and engine.

A clutch is mounted between the engine and the motor. When the system operates in electric-only mode this clutch is open so there is no mechanical linkage between the engine and the e-motor.

When the clutch is closed, combined torque from the 2.0-litre engine and the e-motor flow through the automatic transmission. A variable clutch mounted behind the e-motor manages engagement with the transmission to improve drivability and efficiency.

Three driving modes will be available on the hybridised version – hybrid, electric and eSave.

The first blends torque from the electric motor and petrol engine, while the second operates on zero-emission electric power only until the battery reaches the minimum charge or the driver requests more torque. The final option prioritises the engine, saving the battery charge for later use.

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Off-road features

Three separate 4x4 systems – Quadra-Trac I, Quadra-Trac II and Quadra-Drive II – claim to give the new Grand Cherokee unrivalled capability, while the Quadra-Lift air suspension with electronic semi-active damping is a USP in its class, delivering up to 11.3 inches of ground clearance and 24 inches of water fording.

Similarly, the sway-bar disconnect function delivers improved articulation and traction over rocks and rough terrain, and marks the Grand Cherokee out with another exclusive feature in its class in the US.

In terms of towing capacities, a maximum of 3,265kg can be hauled with the available 5.7-litre V8 engine.

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Design

Although we’ve already seen the Grand Cherokee’s exterior earlier this year when the covers were taken off for the first time at Stellantis’s EV Day in July, on Thursday the carmaker detailed the new design inside and out.

The all-new Grand Cherokee’s slim, sculpted exterior delivers more modern and updated premium appearance, with the brand calling it “the most luxurious Grand Cherokee ever”.

A lowered, tapered roof improves the vehicle’s aerodynamic performance and efficiency without sacrificing cargo space and utility, while the lowered beltline and expansive glass allow more light into the cabin and increase outward visibility.

A wider and larger iconic seven-slot grille and new front fascia conceals a long-range radar and other advanced technology features. An elongated, level-set hood and bold headfirst stance “deliver visual strength” and the aerodynamic body style allows for design flexibility.

New active grille shutters, front wheel spats, air curtains, hood aero flick, lowered roof line (10mm decrease) and rear vertical-pillar spoilers improve on-road performance and fuel efficiency.

A gloss black roof is available for the first time on the Overland models and comes standard on Trailhawk, Summit and Summit Reserve.

A widened track (36mm / 1.4-inch increase) is said to provide superior handling and make it nimbler. There are eight wheel options with signature Jeep geometry and up to 21-inch diameter wheels offered for the first time.

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The Jeep Grand Cherokee’s luxurious, next-generation interior too has evolved to include handcrafted materials and more modern amenities.

The front panel features new slim HVAC vents, a realigned centre stack for greater driver accessibility and 10.1-inch digital screens (digital cluster and touchscreen radio), as well as segment-first available 10.25-inch front passenger interactive display and a new high-definition rear-seat entertainment system with FireTV built in.

The all-new Jeep seating architecture features a length-adjustable cushion for the front row passengers. The new 16- way adjustable front seats have power lumbar and memory, while higher specification versions offer new front driver and passenger seat back massage. Heated/vented seats are available in first two rows, with three-level configurable controls.

The centre console layout now has updated switches and more storage space in the front bin, which can hold two wireless devices and a wireless charger.

A full-suite of customisable LED lighting with daytime/nighttime settings is standard on all trim levels for the first time on the Grand Cherokee, while ambient lighting with a five-colour selection is available on Overland, Summit and Summit Reserve models.

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Safety

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee now boasts more than 110 advanced safety and security features, including innovative applications of technologies said to “refine the connection between driver, vehicle and the road”.

Standard safety features across the line-up include:

Additional available safety features include:

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Technology

The new fifth-generation Grand Cherokee has the most available technology features in its history, according to Jeep.

The suite of features available includes:

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Amazon Fire TV is also available for the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee, allowing passengers to stream videos, play games, listen to music, get information and watch downloaded content – all while on the road. This includes:

A new McIntosh audio system is also available and features 19 custom-designed speakers (including a 10-inch subwoofer), 950 watts of power and a 17-channel amplifier. The Jeep brand is currently the only automotive manufacturer in the world to carry a McIntosh sound system.

Under the skin is an all-new, purpose-built unibody architecture – which is based on a platform shared with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio – which improves vehicle performance, safety and reliability, while significantly reducing vehicle weight, noise, vibration and harshness in this fifth generation.

The flexibility of the new platform allows for two different wheelbases and lengths, as well as electrification, and has already been put to the test at extreme locations all over the world, including at the formidable Rubicon Trail in which the 4xe made the gruelling ascent on electric power alone.

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Locally, a camouflaged prototype of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee was also spied testing in Melbourne last month.

Earlier this year, Meunier told sister publication WhichCar the local testing was being used to investigate the Grand Cherokee's suitability for towing – admitting that this capability will be crucial in cracking the Australian market.

The Grand Cherokee's seven-seat long-wheelbase twin, the L, has already been launched in America with a 3200kg towing rating.

The L will launch in Australia around the fourth quarter of this year, lockdown permitting.

Globally, it's sold with a pair of engines including a 5.7-litre Hemi V8 and 3.6-litre V6. Diesel power has been dropped for this generation.

Earlier this year, as part of parent company Stellantis’s EV Day, the company revealed it will offer at least one fully-electric model in each of its SUV segments and 70 per cent of its global sales will be of electrified vehicles by 2025.

But Jeep has confirmed its V8s are not dead yet, despite recently announcing big electric vehicle plans for the future – with the Aussie favourite expected to be gradually phased out.

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Speaking at a roundtable event for the India and Asia Pacific region in July, Meunier gave the V8 a stay of execution from being axed in favour of electric power, saying “it will happen, but not yet”.

“We want to keep producing the V8 for as long as we can, especially while there is a market demand for it, but at the same time electrification gives us the opportunity to get even more performance in a better way.

“I’m convinced we’re going to do well with Grand Cherokee 4xe in Australia, it’s going to be an alternative. It’s going to be a way also for Jeep to differentiate and to show that we’re really advanced on technology,” Jeep CEO Christian Meunier recently told us.

“The capability off-road is outstanding, people are going to love it, I have no doubt.”