FREEDOM

With four doors, a spacious cabin, and 4WD, the Grand Cherokee makes for an excellent option for road trips and even when you run  out of tarmac in your quest for adventure. A perfect family SUV then?

There is no doubt that the Grand Cherokee has a strong and rich heritage. In India, however, it’s only been around for one generation. But now, the new iteration of the Cherokee is here, and so we are confronted with the question – who is the target audience? So, we spent a day with it to find out who this American SUV is trying to woo. And while it may have American roots, Jeep is making this fifth-generation Grand Cherokee right here in India, which means that you can take one home for `77.5 lakh (ex-showroom), for now.

NOT IN YOUR FACE

The Grand Cherokee has subtle, subdued styling. It’s close to 5 metres in length and 2 metres in width and stands stall at just under 1.8 metres. So, there is no doubt that it’s a big SUV. But what’s interesting about its design is that Jeep has not used styling elements on the side ostentatiously, giving it a very minimalistic and subdued appearance.

At the front, it gets the seven-slat grille with a traditional Jeep design, but it’s not blocked out like that of the Compass. Just like the front end, the rear design elements are sleek and slim. Overall, the design works in its favour. And while the Jeep Grand Cherokee doesn’t try to flaunt itself, people nonetheless stop and take notice, given its size and the Jeep badge.

AMBIENCE