2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland review

Whereas the larger seven-seat Grand Cherokee L has a couple of months' head start in Australia, Jeep has now added a new variant to the range: a five-seat Grand Cherokee that is closer in size to the previous generation and missing that third row of seats at the back.

This smaller WL Grand Cherokee is shorter by around 300mm of overall length and 128mm of wheelbase, but is also priced around $5000 cheaper than the larger Grand Cherokee L models.

We've got the top-spec 2023 Grand Cherokee Overland on test finished off with some big-ticket options to boot. Let's see how it stacks up.

Jeep Australia currently offers the five-seat Grand Cherokee in three different specification guises. Night Eagle ($77,950 plus on-road costs) and Limited ($83,950 plus on-road costs) come with a single-speed all-wheel-drive system (no low-range) and coil springs, while the most expensive Overland – which starts at $98,450 plus on-road costs – gets a low-range transfer case and height-adjustable air suspension.

Naturally, that big jump in price comes with more bells and whistles. There are black nappa leather seats inside, with heating and ventilation up front, and a dual-pane panoramic sunroof. There are also 20-inch alloy wheels, a head-up display, upgraded nine-speaker sound system, interior ambient lighting and a hands-free tailgate.

It's worth noting we've got a big jump in price over the previous-generation Grand Cherokee as well. Whereas the old WK Grand Cherokee Night Eagle started off at around $60,000 before on-road costs, we are kicking off at a much higher mark these days. Jeep tells us this comes from a higher set of standard equipment across the range, as well as much improved levels of refinement and comfort.

Take one peek inside this new Grand Cherokee and you can see what they mean. This new model looks and feels significantly more modern and upmarket.

Although, it's also worth pointing out that the old Grand Cherokee used to come with a low-range transfer case and proper four-wheel-drive system in its cheapest variants. These days, it doesn't.

At this end of the spectrum, the price difference remains stark. Discounting the performance-oriented V8 SRT and Trackhawk models for a moment, the old Grand Cherokee could be had in high-spec Summit or S-Overland for somewhere around $85,000 plus on-road costs, when equipped with a 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6. This petrol-powered Overland model adds more than 10 grand to that.

We've got the two big-ticket option packs ticked on this tester as well. There's $4500 worth of interior technology and features included, along with a $2750 off-road pack to take the before on-road costs well into six-figure territory.

Your eyes might be burning from the price, but stepping inside this Grand Cherokee and taking in the interior does help to ease the pain. It's a seismic move forward from the previous-generation Grand Cherokee, and something that can hold its head up high against competitive offerings from other premium brands.

The design overall is no doubt pleasing, with a big slab of textured wood running across the dashboard and along the doors. This is contrasted by dark leathers and shiny black plastics, complete with plenty of exposed stitching and smaller details.

Storage and power hide under a lidded compartment up front, and the inclusion of ambient lighting certainly ratchets up the premium feeling at night time. Power outlets include twin USB-A and USB-C points, as well as a 12V outlet and wireless charging pad. No shortage, then.

There is no shortage of piano-black plastics inside as well, which might not be to everybody's taste. Like a black-painted car, this only looks good when clean and doesn't take long to look grubby. The quality of the plastics and hinges sometimes doesn't feel like they are keeping up their end of the bargain at this price point, either.

Little buttons on the back of the steering wheel – something regularly seen on Jeeps and can be easily missed or forgotten – are handy for adjusting your music when on the move. There are tiny paddle shifters on the steering wheel as well – about one-third of the size of a normal paddle – but they work well enough when you want to start choosing gears yourself.

There is room for bottles in the doors, and the central flocked storage bin is generous in size.

The second row of the Grand Cherokee is plenty spacious as well, with air vents and power outlets, and a similar outlay of wood, leather and plastic.

Its 1067L of boot space to the rear seats is quite big (although Jeep measures to the roof, not the window line as with most rivals), and what buyers will be expecting for a vehicle of this size. This area includes a 12V power outlet, four tie-down points, and a full-size spare wheel hiding under the floor.

Infotainment centres around a 10.1-inch system, which is running Jeep's latest incarnation of its Uconnect operating system. It's a good one as well, with an intuitive interface and fast boot times.

There is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, both of which are offered with a wireless capability, and we didn't experience any latency or instability in our own Android usage. There's also digital radio and native navigation, as well as plenty of additional tricks and sub-menus to explore.

The 2023 model-year Jeep Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L also include access to Uconnect Services. Via a paired smartphone, Uconnect Services allows users to remotely lock and unlock their vehicle, send navigation destinations to the car, and check vehicle status for things like fuel level, tyre pressure, along with alerts for attempted break-ins.

At the time of writing, the new Jeep Grand Cherokee didn't have any kind of rating with the local crash authority ANCAP. So technically it's unrated for the Australian market.

ANCAP's European equivalent, Euro NCAP, does list a five-star result for the Grand Cherokee, but these results apply to left-hand-drive models with a 2.0-litre turbocharged plug-in hybrid powertrain we don't yet get in Australia, and the only choice for those in Europe.

Using those crash-test results as a guideline only, adults occupants scored 84 per cent and child occupants scored 89 per cent in Euro NCAP testing. It's currently unclear whether these Euro ANCAP scores will be translated across into local ANCAP scores at any time.

Autonomous emergency braking on the new Grand Cherokee includes junction, pedestrian and cyclist detection, as well as collision assistance. There is also traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, active lane management, drowsy driver detection and tyre pressure monitoring.

The lane-departure warning being part of the active lane management is odd – beeping steadily like a flatlining patient, sometimes for long periods of time. However, it doesn't seem to be consistent in its rulings and decisions.

The 360-degree camera system is a good one offering high levels of clarity and visibility for manoeuvring in tight situations.

Servicing is capped at $399 per visit for the first five years, which will cover you for 60,000km worth of driving in that period of time. That runs to just shy of $2000 for the first five years, which is decent.

Owing to the high asking price, insurance costs for a Grand Cherokee five-seat Overland total $2734 for one year. This is based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

A petrol-powered V6 – the only available engine for this Grand Cherokee line-up at launch – won't be able to compete directly with diesel-powered vehicles in the economy stakes. We saw numbers averaging around 13 litres per 100km with more town driving in our mix, which started to slide down to 12L/100km when some extra highway driving was included.

Jeep claims 9.9L/100km on the combined cycle and 13.3L/100km on the urban cycle as a guide on the difference.

If you're familiar with the old Jeep Grand Cherokee, this new model is going to feel quite different to drive. And there's a good reason for that: this new American model does away with the previous-generation's Daimler-sourced platform, and has since picked up new bones from within the brand's parent company that give the new Grand Cherokee a surprising Italian connection.

Group owner Stellantis unitised Alfa Romeo's Giorgio platform – which is used for the Giulia and Stelvio, as well as the Maserati Grecale SUV – as the basis of the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

It might sound like a square peg going into a round hole, but these sporty Italian bones – widely regarded as being a great base for driving dynamics but stymied by not being future-proofed against electrification – bring big benefits to the seven-slot American brand. It's a more composed, comfortable and refined driving experience than the old model could have ever dreamed of, and allows the Grand Cherokee to hold stead in some regards with the polished competition.

Hell, it seems to hold its own somewhat through corners. For such a storied off-road brand, it's a huge step change.

However, there is a trade-off here. The Giorgio platform has a strong on-road focus, and increasing competency in these areas have drawn away from others.

And without the option of a turbocharged diesel engine under the bonnet, this Grand Cherokee no longer offers a 3500kg braked towing capacity. The previous-generation model had a similar braked towing capacity when fitted with the 3.6-litre petrol V6, but this new generation is the first time Jeep has offered the Grand Cherokee without optional turbo-diesel or V8 power.

The Grand Cherokee's 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine with 210kW/344Nm is adequate, but also feels relatively underdone in a vehicle at this price point. Peak torque at 4000rpm is simply too late for a vehicle of this size and weight, even if the 100kg drop in heft from the seven-seat L model does seem to make a difference.

The eight-speed automatic gearbox is the star here, and is calibrated smartly to help cover up the dearth of torque low in the rev range. It does a good job of getting the revs up quickly and smoothly without feeling like a rampaging mess.

There is a touchy throttle, which can feel a bit sharp and sudden if you don't tune your own foot to the response levels. The transmission is fast to downshift because it needs to be. The Grand Cherokee gets along well initially, but further pressing of the throttle yields only more high-revving downshifts rather than any kind of in-gear acceleration.

Against something like a four-cylinder LandCruiser Prado, this isn't so bad. But think about things like a Nissan Patrol, Land Rover Defender, Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series or even a Ford Everest, and you're missing some ponies in this Jeep. And Clydesdales, for that matter.

And while we didn't get the chance to take this particular model off-road this time, we can draw upon some past experiences in the long-wheelbase L model to paint part of the picture.

Jeep engineers have done an impressive job of injecting some good off-road ability into this platform while remaining polished on-road. However, the Grand Cherokee is lining up against some capable and polished competitors from the usual suspects: Toyota, Land Rover and Nissan.

Air suspension allows the Jeep to lift the belly high off the ground, and up to 276mm of ground clearance is possible in the highest position. This comes with 30.1- and 28.4-degree approach and departure angles, which are impressive numbers.

The Nissan Patrol offers similar levels of clearance without any adjustable air suspension, while the LandCruiser 300 Series offers less overall. The Land Rover Defender when fitted with adjustable air suspension betters the Jeep in every respect.

Jeep's off-road traction-control system is well tuned, which is good news because the vehicle is lacking in mechanical traction aids (locking differentials) and any meaningful level of articulation.

When armed with low-range, decent off-road tyres and the increased levels of clearance, the Grand Cherokee has a modicum of off-road ability, but it doesn't have the same 'does it easily' sense that others enjoy. This is mostly due to the stiff suspension, which feels quite unforgiving in its most extended setting. Wheel lifts are a common occurrence, and the Grand Cherokee doesn't feel as stable as others through ruts and in steep country.

In a nutshell: the Grand Cherokee is still good off-road, but it feels to have fallen behind the pace of its historical competitors. At least the 18-inch wheel and tyre combination fitted as part of the Off-Road Group options package – which replaces the 20-inch wheels – is much better suited to off-road driving overall.

Compared to the heyday of the Grand Cherokee of the 2010s – which was no doubt helped along by a strong Australian dollar against the greenback of the time – this new model is certainly a more premium and refined offering, which now has the option of a five- or seven-seat layout.

There's a bang-for-buck argument to be had here, with a good level of modern specification on offer (in comparison to other big four-wheel drives or large luxury SUVs). And it's hard not to be impressed with the flashy interior presentation.

However, a quick perusal of sales figures indicates that the Grand Cherokee is yet to make a big impression on the large SUV segment. The only vehicle it seems to be outselling is the mostly forgotten and seemingly misplaced Land Rover Discovery.

For me, this is mostly down to the price and value of the vehicle relative to others at similar price points.

While it's a good and improved vehicle in many respects, the prices being asked by Jeep Australia pin it directly against some stiff competition. At this price point, most other four-wheel-drive vehicles offer a more powerful V8 or torquey turbo diesel, which inevitably leaves this 3.6-litre petrol V6 feeling underdone. Most of these options offer similar levels of refinement and a similar calibre of interior, but also feel more at home off-road while having a better scope for towing capacity.

If Jeep were to fit a more muscular petrol V8 to the Grand Cherokee, or some kind of turbocharged modern power plant under the bonnet (without jacking up the price any further), then this Grand Cherokee would no doubt be a much more compelling offering.