Class and Action: Overland in Style!

Looking for a three-row SUV for overlanding? Consider Jeep’s new Grand Cherokee L.

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Words by Mathieu Godin

Photos by Stellantis North America

Instagram @math_godin

The last year of the three-row seat Jeep Commander was in 2010, so if you were looking for a brand-new SUV that could accommodate up to seven comfortably with serious off-road prowess you had to consider another brand.

Jeep is back in the seven-passenger SUV market this year with three new models, the Grand Cherokee L - an extended version of the Grand Cherokee - and the new full-size Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer.

The Grand Cherokee has always been known for its luxury appointments, comfort, and trail performance. Since its launch in 1993, wheelers have been taking their Grand Cherokee (all generations) on the trails and in the backcountry on overland routes. Until this year, the Grand Cherokee could only accommodate a maximum of five people.

For those with a big family, large dogs or lots of wheeling buddies looking for a brand-new overland platform, the Grand Cherokee L is worth checking out. If you opt for the Overland trim and Off-Road Group II package ($1,095 CAD and only available on this trim), you’ll be good to go on your next trip right from the factory.

My tester came with the Overland trim, but it didn’t have the aforementioned Trail Rated package, which would have included 18” polished aluminum wheels with on-/off-road tires, a 230 mm rear axle, Quadra-Drive II electronic limited-slip rear differential, skid plates, and a Trail Rated fender badge.

Nevertheless, the Overland trim comes standard with a Quadra-Trac II two-speed active transfer case with low-range (full-time 4WD) and the Quadra-Lift air suspension to provide a maximum ground clearance of 28 cm (10.9 in) with up to 61 cm (24 in) of water fording depth.

This suspension provides a 30.1-degree approach angle, 23.6-degree departure angle, and 22.6-degree breakover angle. Jeep’s Selec-Terrain traction management system (standard on the Limited trim and up) comes with five available terrain modes such as Auto, Sport, Rock, Snow, and Mud/Sand. Hill-Descent Control is also standard on the Overland model, and you can control the speed (forward/backward) from the steering wheel’s paddle shifters.

Under the hood is a standard 3.6 L Pentastar V6 engine delivering 290 hp and 257 lb-ft of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The 5.7 L V8 delivering 357 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque (also paired to the eight-speed automatic transmission) is optional on the Overland and Summit trims.

The V6 allows you to tow up to 2,812 kg (6,200 lbs) while the V8 will enable you to tow up to 3,265 kg (7,200 lbs). According to the Jeep, my test vehicle’s maximum payload is 544 kg (1,200 lbs), which was a little lower than I expected for a seven-passenger SUV.

While I received my test vehicle this past winter, I ran it following a record-breaking snowfall that left 48 cm (19 in) of snow in the Gatineau-Ottawa area and the trails were pretty much snowed-in so it was a no-go for actual snow-wheeling. Since I live only five minutes from Gatineau Park, I have plenty of options to enjoy the great outdoors.

Regardless of the season, the Grand Cherokee L makes for an ideal all-season activity vehicle that will take you, your passengers, and gear pretty much anywhere in comfort. But my test vehicle’s 20” wheels made the drive harsher on some deteriorated mountainous backroads and wouldn’t be well-suited off-road. However, on the highway, this was the most comfortable Jeep model I have taken on a road trip and handled like a sedan.

Overlanding, of course, includes long-distance travelling on the tarmac before you reach your destination; this is the vehicle for it and the longer wheelbase improves driver and passenger comfort. The newly redesigned cabin is quite an improvement from its previous design. This Cherokee has an MSRP of $80,665 CAD since it had many luxury options. Some of the more notable ones included a 27 cm (10.1 in) Uconnect touchscreen system, 19-speaker McIntosh audio system, windshield head-up display, a digital rear-view mirror, an interior rear-seat monitoring camera, and a night vision camera (infrared sensors scan for pedestrians and animals up to 200 metres (219 yards) and provides alerts on the dash). The heated leather seats with massaging functions (a real treat following a winter hike) were a nice touch.

I really like how the Grand Cherokee has become more refined and luxurious to keep up with its competitors but it still has its off-roading capability. I admit I wasn’t an immediate fan of its exterior profile, but it grew on me during the week I had it.

Accessing the third row of seats was easy thanks to the second-row tip-and-slide functions and as I stand 5’10,” I could still fit comfortably in this area of the Cherokee.

When the second and third-row seats are down, the Grand Cherokee L provides a flat surface with 2.4 cu m (84.6 cu ft) of cargo space that will also provide a comfortable sleeping platform. I also like the convenience of having the ability to sleep comfortably at the back of an SUV when overlanding; it’s always good to have this alternative even if you have a rooftop tent.

The Overland model starts at $68,745 CAD. As for the Summit, which is a step above (and a little too fancy for the trails), starts at $73,745 CAD and comes standard with Quadra-Drive II and Quadra-Lift.

If you find that the Overland and Summit trims are beyond your budget with too much luxury, the Laredo trim starts at $52,495 CAD and the Limited starts at $59,995 CAD  but these trims are not available with the Trail Rated package or the V8 engine. Unfortunately, the Laredo and Limited trims come with Quadra-Trac I only without low-range.

2022 Grand Cherokee L Highlights

Our test vehicle was a 2021 edition of the L trim but at the time of writing Jeep Canada explained the Grand Cherokee L is still available through its Canadian dealer base. With only slight differences between the 2021 and 2022 Grand Cherokee models, some of the upgrades include:

  • A 26 cm (10.25 in) front passenger touchscreen (late availability on Limited, Overland and Summit, standard on Summit Reserve).
  • A 26 cm (10.1-inch) dual rear-seat entertainment touchscreens.
  • Amazon Fire TV subscription for the front-passenger and rear-seat screens.
  • Front- and rear-passenger screens with an HDMI connection.
  • Limited Black and Summit High Altitude packages including black exterior accents, 20” wheels on the Limited and 21” wheels on Summit (late availability).

Select Off-Road Performance Features

  • Three 4x4 systems including Quadra-Trac I, Quadra-Trac II and Quadra-Drive II with a rear electronic limited-slip differential and an active transfer case.
  • Unibody design with independent front/rear/Quadra-Lift air suspension with semi-active damping.
  • Ground clearance of 28 cm (10.9 in) and up to 61 cm (24 in) of water-fording depth.
  • Hill-descent Control (Overland and Summit models)