Test Drive: 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The 2018 Grand Cherokee trims feature an updated Uconnect infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The base 5.0-inch display has been ditched for a higher-resolution 7.0-inch unit. Laredo models are enhanced with new cloth seats and 17-inch wheels, the Summit model can be optioned with a new Premium Metal package that adds real metal accents throughout the cabin, and the Overland model can now be had with a brown interior. Grand Cherokees equipped with the optional Alpine audio system will now also feature active noise cancellation.

Two gasoline engines and a diesel are offered, and all three drive the rear or all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic. In any guise, the Grand Cherokee offers a class-leading infotainment system, and the higher trim levels can be equipped with a host of active safety technologies including automated emergency braking. Follow Spotlife Asia for the latest news and updates.

An interior full of high-tech features, easy-to-use controls, and comfortable seating make the Grand Cherokee an agreeable companion. Its material quality and panel fit and finish need some polish, but the cabin looks and feels durable and stylish. Two new trims for 2018 join the dizzying number already on offer; the Sterling Edition slots in between the Limited and the Trailhawk trims in price and is meant to celebrate the Grand Cherokee’s 25th anniversary. The High Altitude trim—revived from years past—bridges the gap between the Overland and Summit models and is more than just an appearance package, as it adds a suite of active safety technologies and a panoramic sunroof.

It’s a fantastic value at $40,085, which is a scant $295 more than the 2017 model. The updated 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen with navigation is still standard on Altitude models for 2018, and the Altitude offers other standard niceties that the lower-spec Laredo and Laredo E don’t.

Jeep has taken a great infotainment system and made it even better for 2018. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard across the Grand Cherokee lineup, and all models benefit from updated displays with a higher resolution. The optional onboard Wi-Fi is now powered by a faster, 4G LTE data connection.

As the longest, tallest, and widest rig in this comparison, the Grand Cherokee should seem like a bear to park and maneuver in tight spaces, but it isn’t. Its far corners are easy to place, and the views out of the large windshield and front windows seem to help shrink the big Jeep. The standard backup camera and optional parallel/perpendicular parking aid help, too.

Grand Cherokees equipped with all-wheel drive earn five stars from NHTSA, while rear-wheel-drive versions earn four stars. It performed adequately in IIHS’s testing, as well, earning a score of Good in every category except the difficult small-overlap crash test. As a result, it missed out on the Top Safety Pick honor. Jeep offers a host of active safety features for an additional layer of protection in the Grand Cherokee. The Jeep Active Safety package is optional on Limited, Trailhawk, and Overland models. It includes adaptive cruise control with full speed range, automated emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, and parallel- and perpendicular-parking assist. Buyers of the top-dog Summit receive all of this as standard equipment. Also Read: Test Drive – 2018 BMW M5