Quote:
Originally Posted by H2Owl
I bought a new 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4x4 in Feb 2020, trading in a 2011 Nissan Xterra 4x4 that I'd had (and loved) for 8.5 years. I thought I wanted something that was quieter and with a better ride and handling and a bit more "car-like". I considered the 4Runner but it's somewhat similar to the Xterra. I'm an older guy and generally prefer body-on-frame construction (not much left out there in the SUV market) but I got a great deal on the GC and decided to give it a try.
The 3.6 V6 in the GC coupled with the 8-speed auto did offer a sporty driving experience and the ride and quiet cabin were nice but I began to notice a lot of little things like the paint finish quality, fit/alignment of doors & panels, etc. After learning how the roof rack side rails were attached to a rather weak part of the roof, I was hesitant to considering hauling something like a canoe on it. Crawling under it, the unibody construction and aluminum suspension components just seemed so much less robust than what I was used to. It began to look to me like a lot of "value engineering" from FCA for maximum profits.
After five months of ownership, I decided that I didn't want to feel disappointment every time I looked at the GC and decided to bite the bullet and trade it for a new 2020 4Runner.
The difference in build quality and paint finish between the GC and the 4R is remarkable and I'm lovin' the frame and all the steel again! The 4R is SO much more vehicle than the GC.
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Interesting points and seems to validate what people are saying on all of the forums.
The Jeep is a very compelling vehicle - looks good, lots of modern features features, powerful engines, mostly decent gas mileage, quite capable (in Trailhawk trim) for most everything that people would normally run into. In short, it has everything that people complain about on the 4R.
But - and this is a big BUT - it is let down by fit and finish, features that don't work and electrics that fail - often catastrophically.
On paper, the GC is far better than the 4R in virtually every aspect, but it let down by its major faults.
