GRAND IS GRAND

SEVEN-SLOT FLAGSHIP GOES LONG FOR THE CATCH

- DAN GARDNER

THERE was a time - about a decade ago when Jeep's Grand Cherokee was Australia's favourite large SUV and the seven-slot grille would regularly muscle Toyota's Kluger and the Ford Territory out of the picture with seemingly unstoppable sales. A short time after in 2014, the company enjoyed its best year to date with more than 30,000 Australians buying into the brand. But the new-car market is a savagely fickle place to play and things started to go downhill. The sales, it appeared, were stoppable after all.

Today, Jeep is resolute in its mission to return to the glory days and it's turning the tide with fresh metal including the Compass in 2018, a new Wrangler and its Gladiator cousin, and now this. Ahead of the more familiar five-seat Grand Cherokee that'll touch down late in the year, the new longer version denoted by its L boot badge has arrived and it signifies a 'revolution not evolution' for the brand, according to Jeep Asia Pacific vice president Billy Hayes.

Why such confidence? Well for a start, with about 200mm added in to the wheelbase, the L thrusts the Grand Cherokee in to the seven-seat arena for the first time, bumping gloves with longstanding models including the Nissan Patrol. And then there's the equipment and apparent quality. As part of Jeep's premium push, the Grand Cherokee L assumes a role spruiking exactly what the company can do in its bid to become a more luxury brand, while still retaining its lifestyle focus which put the seven-slot grille on the map. The question is, does it?