Photo: Jeep
With customer deliveries commencing this fall, the new Grand Cherokee for the UK market has an uphill battle to wage in the mid-size utility vehicle segment due to its ridiculously high starting price. Part of the reason the Limited kicks off at £69,915 ($87,295 at current exchange rates) is the powertrain, with Jeep selling this fellow exclusively as a plug-in hybrid.
Who can the Brits thank for this price? In this particular context, Europe's eco-minded legislators. The peeps who approved Euro 7, that is, a set of regulations that's expected to add many thousands of euros to the sticker price of a given vehicle as opposed to Euro 6 regulations. Knowing the European Commission as a citizen of the EU myself, the next step is – most likely – the taxation of EVs based on weight.
Turning our attention back to Jeep, the UK configurator lists the Grand Cherokee 4xe as costing £85,615 ($106,905 at current exchange rates). Don't be fooled by this error, though, because said price tag applies to the Summit Reserve trim level, the best-equipped version at the moment of reporting.
Between these extremes, British customers are presented with the Overland (£75,915 or $92,305) and Trailhawk (£73,915 or $94,795). Ludicrous money, but alas, you can't get a Grand Cherokee for cheaper unless you downgrade to the previous generation. Codenamed WL, the current generation is based on Alfa Romeo underpinnings. The culprit is called Giorgio, the platform that Alfa Romeo developed with Ferrari's help for the Giulia D-segment sedan and the similarly-sized Stelvio.
Regarding the 4xe powertrain, the plug-in hybrid setup delivers 31 miles (50 kilometers) in all-electric mode under the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure. Combined with the 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine up front and gas (pardon me, petrol in British English) tank out back, total range is estimated at 434 miles (698 kilometers).
On full song, the plug-in hybrid system produces 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet (637 Nm) of torque. Its 400-volt battery consists of 96 lithium-ion cells, totaling 17.3 kWh. Four driving modes are specific to the 4xe, namely Hybrid Mode, Electric Mode, eSave Mode (prioritizes internal combustion to save battery charge), and Regenerative Braking (recharging the battery while decelerating at up to 0.25 G).
Quadra-Lift air suspension with electronic adaptive damping also needs to be mentioned, delivering best-in-segment ground clearance and water fording. Those are Jeep's words, not mine, and I advise you to refrain from driving a plug-in hybrid through water if you don't want to write off your car.
The most capable Grand Cherokee 4xe off the beaten path is the Trailhawk, which boasts a segment-exclusive sway bar disconnect for improved traction and articulation over rough terrain. Also equipped with beefy skid plates, the Trailhawk comes exclusively with 18-inch wheels and A/T rubber.
Turning our attention back to Jeep, the UK configurator lists the Grand Cherokee 4xe as costing £85,615 ($106,905 at current exchange rates). Don't be fooled by this error, though, because said price tag applies to the Summit Reserve trim level, the best-equipped version at the moment of reporting.
Between these extremes, British customers are presented with the Overland (£75,915 or $92,305) and Trailhawk (£73,915 or $94,795). Ludicrous money, but alas, you can't get a Grand Cherokee for cheaper unless you downgrade to the previous generation. Codenamed WL, the current generation is based on Alfa Romeo underpinnings. The culprit is called Giorgio, the platform that Alfa Romeo developed with Ferrari's help for the Giulia D-segment sedan and the similarly-sized Stelvio.
Regarding the 4xe powertrain, the plug-in hybrid setup delivers 31 miles (50 kilometers) in all-electric mode under the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure. Combined with the 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine up front and gas (pardon me, petrol in British English) tank out back, total range is estimated at 434 miles (698 kilometers).
On full song, the plug-in hybrid system produces 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet (637 Nm) of torque. Its 400-volt battery consists of 96 lithium-ion cells, totaling 17.3 kWh. Four driving modes are specific to the 4xe, namely Hybrid Mode, Electric Mode, eSave Mode (prioritizes internal combustion to save battery charge), and Regenerative Braking (recharging the battery while decelerating at up to 0.25 G).
Quadra-Lift air suspension with electronic adaptive damping also needs to be mentioned, delivering best-in-segment ground clearance and water fording. Those are Jeep's words, not mine, and I advise you to refrain from driving a plug-in hybrid through water if you don't want to write off your car.
The most capable Grand Cherokee 4xe off the beaten path is the Trailhawk, which boasts a segment-exclusive sway bar disconnect for improved traction and articulation over rough terrain. Also equipped with beefy skid plates, the Trailhawk comes exclusively with 18-inch wheels and A/T rubber.
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