First released in 1974, the Jeep Cherokee is a mid-sized American SUV that’s gone through several generations and in recent years has represented Jeep’s best-selling model by a substantial margin. Hoping to maintain the model’s dominance in the market, Jeep has now unveiled the fifth generation of the Grand Cherokee, treating the SUV to its first major model overhaul since 2011.
Now known as the Grand Cherokee L — for “Long” or “Longer” — the 2021 model features a longer wheelbase and a new third row of seats. The interior also gets customizable RGB interior lighting, 16-way power-adjustable massaging driver and passenger seats, heated and ventilated second-row seats, and an ultra-premium McIntosh audio system. Powering the L-spec is the same 290hp 3.6L Pentastar 24v DOHC V6, though there’s the option to upgrade to a 16v OHV 357hp 5.7L V8. Jeep is also selling upgrade packages such as the Summit or Overland kit, featuring five different off-road drive modes, Jeep’s Quadra-Drive II four-wheel-drive system with a limited-slip differential, and bolstered five-way adjustable air suspension setup with nearly 11” of ground clearance. Expected to cost around $40,000, the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L is scheduled for a launch in the Spring of 2021.
