It’s impossible for many people with larger families to carry everyone in a car or SUV that only has two rows of seating. People with larger families need a larger SUV with three rows or a minivan. Jeep fans had no real option for a three-row SUV until the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer were unveiled last year.
The catch is both of those SUVs are very expensive. Jeep has another, more mainstream, three-row SUV coming, and it’s called the Grand Cherokee L. It’s a stretched version of the coming completely redesigned Grand Cherokee midsize SUV. Three rows of seating in the L model is a first for the Grand Cherokee.
The Grand Cherokee L and the all-new two-row Grand Cherokee that will launch later this year. Both roll on a brand-new platform not currently used by any product. The Wagoneer mentioned before uses a truck-based platform. The Grand Cherokee L and its two-row sibling will use a unibody chassis using 60 percent high-strength steel with aluminum tidbits thrown in.
The SUV will have independent suspension all around, and adjustable air suspension will be available. Jeep built its name on vehicles that are usable off-road, and the new Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L will be no different. With standard suspension, the SUVs will have 8.5-inches of ground clearance with respectable approach, break over, and departure angles.
Option the vehicle with air suspension and the standard ride height is 8.3 inches, but that option also has an off-road mode raising ground clearance to 10.9-inches. Power options will include a standard 3.6-liter V-6 making 290 horsepower and 257 pounds-feet of torque. An optional 5.7-liter V-8 making 357 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque is available. Jeep will also offer the new Grand Cherokee models in the 4xe hybrid trim.