The 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the finest SUVs you can find out there at not too high a price. The Jeep offers two-wheel-drive as a standard option, but the customers can opt for AWD and upgrade their ride. Furthermore, the interior of the vehicle is luxurious and admirable, but this off-roader can be used for a soothing drive around the city. In addition, Jeep offers a variety of engines in order for every driver to find what suits him/her.
Some of the cars that can be compared to the Grand Cherokee are Toyota 4Runner and Volkswagen Touareg. While the Japanese SUV promises excellent release value, the German vehicle comes with various useful features and great interior. Be that as it may, this article is devoted to the Grand Cherokee, so let’s see what makes it specific.
Trims and Equipment
The Jeep offers five different trims starting from the base called Laredo. After it, we have Limited, Overland and Summit, whereas the top-shelf model is SRT. All of those come with two-wheel-drive or AWD except for the SRT, which is only available with the AWD.
Grand Cherokee Laredo
The base trim is equipped with automatic headlights, keyless ignition and entry and a Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity. In addition, the car comes with a six-speaker sound system with a 5-inch touchscreen, 17-inch alloy wheels and fog lights. Among other features, we have cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, a USB port and an auxiliary audio jack. A tilt-and-telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel is also included.
You can upgrade the base trim with the optional 23E package. Satellite radio and an eight-way power driver seat are included. Furthermore, you can opt for Security and Convenience Group which adds a cargo cover, heated steering wheel and heated front seats. The passengers would also get a power liftgate, an 115-volt household-style power outlet and remote engine start.
For the AWD model, you can acquire the Off-Road Adventure I Group with some of the features such as skid plates, “Select-Terrain” drive modes, spare tire and much more. If you want to improve your Grand Cherokee even more, we advise you some of the extras such as a sunroof or an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Moreover, you can add 8.4-inch UConnect touchscreen display with HD radio and voice commands, but 8.4-inch Radio group that bundles 18-inch wheels is also available.
2016 Grand Cherokee Limited
The auto-dimming rearview mirror and the 18-inch wheel may be optional with the base trim, but they are standard in the Limited trim, but you would have to pay for the 8.4-inch touchscreen, for example. The 23Epackage is standard, so is the Convenience Group, in which you would also get additional USB charging connectivity, rear parking sensors and a rearview camera. In addition, the car comes with leather upholstery, heated rear seats, driver memory settings and an eight-way power passenger seat.
The optional package in this trim is the Off-Road Adventure II Group where you can find an air suspension system as well as a locking rear differential. You can opt for the 75th Anniversary Luxury Group with a plethora of features. Xenon headlights with automatic high beams, a power adjustable steering wheels and a nine-speaker audio system are only some of them. Also, there is a Luxury Group II pack which adds a panoramic sunroof and the 8.4-inch touchscreen. This pack already has everything from the aforementioned one.
Grand Cherokee Overland
This trim comes with larger 20-inch wheels, a towing package for the AWD, a navigation system and extended leather upholstery. Some of the other features worth mentioning are a wood-rimmed steering wheel, dual chrome exhaust tips and power-folding mirrors. This trim may be more expensive than the others, but you would also get additional body-color exterior trim, an HD radio and an upgraded gauge cluster. The Luxury Group II is a standard.
You can also purchase the Advanced Technology Group which includes forward collision mitigation system with automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring. Furthermore, adaptive cruise control and rear cross-traffic alert are included in this group of features. This group is also available for the Limited trim. On the other hand, High Altitude package is only available for the Overland. Your 20-inch wheels would come in black color, whereas you would also get unique leather upholstery, aluminum pedals and a sport body kit. Furthermore, black exterior details for the more fashionable look are added and the Advanced Technology Group is included as well.
Grand Cherokee Summit
The Summit also has 20-inch wheels, but the difference is that they are polished. It also comes with noise-reducing acoustic glass for windows, real wood cabin trim and front parking sensors. However, this is not everything you get. Illuminated door sills, active noise-canceling technology and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system are included for the music lovers. The Advanced Technology Group comes as a standard feature. If you want to improve your exterior, even more, you can always opt for the Platinum trim.
Grand Cherokee SRT
The features which are included are 20-inch forged wheels with performance tires, selectable performance modes and carbon-fiber cabin details. In addition, you would also receive a unique gauge cluster, Brembo brakes, performance-tuned steering and a limited-slip rear differential. Leather and suede sport seats are standard, but the 19-speaker audio system and panoramic roof are excluded, but they can be added.
Every trim except for the base one can acquire a dual-screen rear entertainment system with Blu-ray capabilities. Moreover, the AWD Overland and Summit have a standard towing package, which can be added to other versions.
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine
The 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee has a 3.6-liter V6 engine under the hood. The engine produces 295 hp and it is the only option for the entry-level car. The upper trims come with an optional 5.7-liter V8 that delivers 360 hp and 390 ft-lb of torque. Furthermore, a turbocharged 3.0-liter diesel V6 good for 240 hp and 420 ft-lb of torque is a second choice. The SRT is the only model that has a 6.4-liter V8 power plant under the hood, rated at 475 hp and 470 ft-lb of torque. Whichever engine you choose, you cannot avoid the eight-speed automatic.
The time the AWD Overland takes to go from 0 to 60 mph is 7.9 seconds, whereas the Summit is only 0.2 seconds faster. Not the greatest result, though. As for the towing capacity, the Jeep with the V6 unit is limited to 6,200 pounds. However, the one with V8 can pull up to 7,400 pounds, which is astonishing. The SRT is rated at 7,200 pounds.
The space in the cabin
As we already mentioned, there is an abundance of features inside the cabin of the Grand Cherokee, which turn this SUV into the car with an amazing luxury interior. Although the 2016 Jeep doesn’t have the third row of seats, there is plenty of space for five people. The passengers in the back can have fun with the Blu-Ray rear entertainment system with HDMI input. If the two adults are sitting in the rear, they would enjoy the ride and feel comfortable, because of the ample room. The cargo capacity is 36.3 cubic feet, but if you fold the rear seats, you would almost double it. With the rear seats folded, the capacity is increased to 68.3 cubic feet.
Safety Features and Ratings
Some of the most important safety features are hill start assist, front side airbags and side curtain airbags. In addition, the Grand Cherokee comes with antilock disc brakes, hill descent control, and stability and traction control. Also, active front head restraints are added to all trims, whereas a rearview camera is standard on every trim excluding the base one. The same goes for the rear parking sensors, but the Summit is the only one with the standard front parking sensors.
Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert are included in the Advanced Technology Group, which is an optional package. Moreover, the package offers a forward collision warning mitigation system with automatic braking. The petrol variant stopped from 60 mph in 133 feet, whereas the diesel had a more remarkable result. Namely, the diesel-powered Jeep needed 121 feet to stop from 60 mph.
As for the crash tests, the AWD Grand Cherokee is remarkable. It received 5/5 stars, but the 2WD model got one star fewer. The IIHS gave the Grand Cherokee “Good” rating, which is the highest. This rating is earned in tests such as side impact, roof-strength crash tests and moderate-overlap frontal-offset. However, “Marginal” rating is given for the small-overlap frontal-offset test, and this is something which can be improved.
2016 Jeep Cherokee – Conclusion
The 2016 Jeep Cherokee has a solid acceleration and the ride is comfortable. The noise is reduced so that you can enjoy and relax with an amazing stereo system. The vehicle also offers stability in the curves and even the entry-level would be a good asset. If you are not satisfied with the base trim, there are various trims that this American automaker offers, so you can pick an SUV according to your own liking. The car is great in the city and for everyday driving, but off-road it is even better. We leave you to choose your favorite and let us know in the comment section.
