_Preview: 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
A dip into the heritage well becomes the new five-seat SUV.
by Marty Padgett (2004-04-06)

Jeep's new Grand Cherokee arrives in showrooms this fall not a moment too soon. With buyers moving into bigger SUVs and the Grand Cherokee's mild 1998 makeover beginning to show wrinkles, the brand's sales have been flagging without the usual strength of its core product.

For the 2005 model year the new Grand Cherokee delivers on most of the goods that have become standard issue in the most hotly competitive SUV niche, save for a seven-passenger version (due in about a year, and possibly dubbed the Wagoneer, if Detroit insiders are correct). Revamped styling that draws on Jeep's heritage plays a major role in the redo, but Jeep also promises that the new Grand Cherokee delivers a better ride and best-in-class traction.

But the big addition to the Grand Cherokee lineup that will appeal most to enthusiasts is undoubtedly the appearance of the HEMI engine in the Jeep lineup. With it, the new vehicle is the most powerful Grand Cherokee ever: the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 pushes out 325 hp in this application, with ninety percent of peak torque available from 2400 to 5100 rpm. The HEMI Grand Cherokee also will feature the Multi Displacement System that shuts off half the engine's cylinders during low load driving to boost fuel efficiency as much as 20 percent. The Cherokee also will be available with a 3.7-liter V-6 that replaces the hoary 4.0-liter in-line six while producing more power and equivalent torque. The 4.7-liter V-8 from the previous generation carries over to the new vehicle. Each of the three engines is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission.

As in previous editions, the Grand Cherokee offers multiple methods of transmitting power to its four wheels. In addition to a rear-drive version (which accounts for a quarter of all the nameplate's sales, Jeep says), the Grand Cherokee can be had with one of three four-wheel-drive systems: Quadra-Trac I, which uses a single-speed transfer case for full-time four-wheel drive; Quadra-Trac II, which adds a low range gear; and Quadra-Drive II, which features electronic limited-slip differentials in lieu of the Vari-Lock axles of the previous generation for the best off-road capability of the lineup.

Tying it all together is a new suspension that grants independence to the front end, for what Jeep says will be a best-in-class ride and better handling than in the last-gen Grand Cherokee. For the first time, rack-and-pinion steering will determine the direction, giving more precision to the steering and keeping the turning circle tight at 37.1 feet. The rear end remains a live-axle setup.

As for styling, the newfound crispness in the Grand Cherokee's roofline and detailing is a conscious nod to the Cherokee heritage established through the 1970s and 1980s when the ur-Grand Cherokee was the Jeep mainstay. The much-contested seven-slot front grille is now flanked by round headlamps more in style with the Liberty and Wrangler than before, while the longer hood recalls the Wagoneers of the 1960s. Larger taillamps show the modern influence of Dodge's great new Durango. And while it seems more graceful and elongated, Jeep says the new Grand Cherokee remains firmly "right-sized" - leaving ample room for larger Jeeps yet to come.

The Grand Cherokee's looks to be far more substantial and richer in feel, just like the other most recent Chrysler Group products. The panel is two-toned for a richer feel, and the center stack is canted and separated from the instrument panel in an interesting way. New equipment includes available GPS navigation, a rear-seat DVD system and a Boston Acoustics audio system.

Jeep says Job One will happen sometime in the third quarter at the Detroit factory that supplies North America, while Euro versions will emerge from the Magna Steyr assembly plant in Graz, Austria, in 2005. No pricing information has been released, but expect a minimal increase if any from the previous generation.

2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Base Price: $25,000 (est.)
Engine: 3.7-liter V-6, 210 hp/235 lb-ft; 4.7-liter V-8, 230 hp/290 lb-ft; 5.7-liter V-8, 325 hp/370 lb-ft
Transmission: Five-speed automatic, rear- or four-wheel drive
Length x width x height: 186.6 x 73.3 x 67.7 in
Wheelbase: 109.5 in
Curb weight: N/A
Fuel economy (EPA city/hwy): 16/21 mpg (V-6); 14/20 mpg (4.7); 14/21 mpg (HEMI)
Safety equipment: Front airbags, anti-lock brakes
Warranty: Three years/36,000 miles basic, seven years/70,000 miles powertrain

that is even uglier than the new durango.

I am sure we can still look forward toward the same build quality Jeep is famous for. :jester:

:thumbdwn:

I dont think anything can be uglier than the Durango. This looks like a cross between the current JGC and Durango. I dont think that color helps it any either.

with Snowjay : Nothing Can Be [Butt]Fuglier Than The
Durango. It just looks like it's already been wrecked !

And no color is going to soften the value spiral: :behead:

GEEZ, that interior is nasty, reminds me of a bathroom and makes me wanna :FOS:

good luck keeping an off-white steering wheel clean.

Forget Jeep, its just going to spend most of its time in the stealership.

Introducing the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee

April 7, 2004
Last month, I had the opportunity to visit the DaimlerChrysler Technology Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The Tech Center is where it all happens. As the name suggests, this is where cars, trucks and SUVs are designed, new technologies are studied and implemented, and secrets are kept behind closed doors. Passing through the high security gates into the Tech Center you are immediately reminded that whatever you see and do here is to be kept in strict confidence unless otherwise instructed.

As a non-DCX-employed journalist, I have to say that this visit was quite an honor - especially since I was about to be shown the new 2005 Grand Cherokee long before the public and even many other members of the press.

Why the veil of secrecy? With so many SUVs in today's market, competition is at an all-time high. The Grand was in desperate need of not just a little freshening, but a complete redo. Competing SUVs from nearly every other automaker in the world have surpassed the current WJ in build quality, ride quality and features. The WJ needed fresh blood and this is the big year for its infusion.

The first Grand Cherokee was a ground-breaker. Debuting in '92 as a '93 model, the Grand replaced the long-in-the-tooth Grand Wagoneer as the flagship for the Jeep brand. Featuring coil springs at each corner, the ZJ took ride quality and off-road prowess to a new level for SUVs and really kick-started the luxo-SUV trend that would build rapidly throughout the '90's and into this century.

1999 marked the introduction of the ZJ's replacement - known internally as the WJ. The WJ had many improvements and though recognizable as a Grand Cherokee, raised the bar once again for the SUV market.

So here we are in 2004. Once again, the Grand Cherokee's time has come for a major update. So here's the scoop.

When Daimler took over ownership of the Chrysler brands they took a look at the Grand Cherokee and were a little puzzled. Coming from the Mercedes camp meant that the Daimler execs were well aware of what luxury meant and what brand recognition meant. They looked at the grille, for example, and asked why the WJ had splayed slots instead of straight slots like the Wrangler and even the then-new Liberty. Over the last couple years, things like this were worked on and the grille for 2004 did show a change to a straight-slot grille.

But it was more than just the grille they were nit-picking. They wanted the Jeep line to be more cohesive all-around. They wanted to not only identify a Jeep by the grille alone, but also by other lines, curves and design cues. But the WJ had seen its time and didn't need any more changes or development dollars thrown at it. The changes would all come in the new "WK."

That brings us back to the Tech Center, where we got our first look at the new 2005 Grand Cherokee. We got to learn all about the new design, the new technology, and we got to touch and sit in one and check it out for ourselves. Unfortunately, though, there would be no driving yet.

So what's new and so special about the new Grand? Let's start at the front. The new front end takes a whole new shape. The folks at DCX used the term "rectalinear." The grille is a blend of old and new, and of course, has seven vertical slats.

In studying their demographics, Jeep realized that often times, a Grand Cherokee sits in a garage next to a luxury car and they wanted the new Grand to not look out of place. The new headlamps are roundish and more up to date and even resemble a Mercedes a bit. They give the Grand a much more emotional look, and at the same time, still make the whole package look like a Jeep. An optional Smart Beam

Stepping inside the new Grand, you immediately notice the much-upgraded interior. You can really see the European influence here. The model we got a look at (the green one in the photos) was a Limited and featured 2-tone leather seats, as well as a two-tone dash. The darker top of the dash not only adds an appealing look, but is also functional, in that it reduces glare from the sun.

Another big change is the seats themselves. The driver can choose an 8-way adjustable seat and the front passenger can get a 4-way. Whereas seats in previous models were made to coddle customers on the first sit-in and test drive, they were found to be not as supportive as many people preferred over the long haul. The new seats are a completely new design and have a more supportive structure which includes "dual-durometer" foam. This foam allows for two levels of compression.We think the Limited's seats look fabulous.

Another point to note is that, unlike the WJ, the front seats can now be adjusted all the way back in their track and still not interfere with folding down the rear seats. The increased wheelbase (3.6" longer) allows for more legroom in both the front and the rear seats.

The interior materials have all been upgraded and fit and finish, have, as well. This is one area where the Euro-influence is really helping the Jeep brand.

Jeep has finally gotten their act together in the entertainment area this time around. Gone are the remote multi-disc changers and we can now expect an in-dash 6-disc CD/MP3 player option, as well as a new Boston Acoustics 6-speaker audio system with 276W amplifier. A large navigation system is available, as well as a new is a rear seat DVD system.

In the rear, a new stadium seating setup is now used for the rear 60/40 seats and rear passengers gain about an inch in legroom. They also gain a long overdue center rear air vent for the HVAC, however, they do not get their own controls for temperature or fan. A center armrest also does double-duty as a storage compartment. In order to keep the length of the Grand Cherokee reasonable, it was decided not to make it longer to accommodate third row seats.

Folding the rear seats has become easier, thankfully. You no longer have to tumble the bottom part of the seat. A single action now folds each seat nearly flat, providing 70.83 cu. ft. of cargo space to haul your goodies.

Because of new crash regulations, the gas tank has been relocated in front of the rear axle in order to withstand a rear collision at 50 mph. Consequently, the spare tire now has a home underneath the rear cargo area, behind the rear axle. This has freed up a gracious storage area inside where the spare used to be. An added bonus is the compartment's cover can be flipped over if you have a messy load in order to protect the carpet.

A Chrysler Group first this year is the available multi-stage air bags for the front occupants. The system detects the size of the occupants based on weight and determines whether the air bags should deploy or not and if so, how hard and fast. Of course, the kiddos will still be safer riding in the back. Side curtain airbags are also available for both the front and rear.

That brings us to the good stuff. The technical stuff. The what's-it-got-underneath stuff. We thought you'd never ask.

OK, so we'll get this overwith right away for all of you die-hard solid axle lovers out there. The solid front axle is gone. Bye bye. See ya' later. Yes, yes, we can hear you groaning out there.

But hear us out for a minute, if you will. First of all, Jeep already gave in to IFS on the Liberty and through our own testing, we determined that it wasn't a completely awful thing to do. Sure, it doesn't flex like a solid axle does, but the fact is, folks driving these Jeeps rarely or never off-road them anyway. So let's face it - everyone knows IFS rides better on the road. Why do you think just about every car, truck and SUV on the market has IFS? That's right. IFS handles better on the road - where the vehicle will spend most of its life.

I bet you can count on one hand the number of times you've ever seen a WJ Grand Cherokee on a serious trail. I know I can. So what does it matter anyway? I personally own a WJ that my wife and I drive on the road every day. Honestly, I am welcoming many of the upcoming changes with open arms.

Jeep is getting beat in the SUV marketplace and one of the reasons is that their top-of-the-line model currently just doesn't drive comparably to its competition. Of course, Jeep stands for off-road capability - we all know that, and Jeep hasn't forgotten, either. But the business case was made to make the change and they are going at it full-guns.

So now that that's overwith, we can tell you the good news. Though IFS can't perform like a solid axle off-road, the new Grand does actually have 15mm more travel than the outgoing WJ (225mm total). Rear travel is the same at 252mm. In addition, the all-new aluminum knuckles are tucked way inside and way up high to give maximum clearance.

Axles are both corporate versions (no more Dana). The front ring gear on the 4x4 models measures 7.9". The rear axle remains solid with an 8.3" ring gear.

Jeep has a whole new bag of tricks up their sleeves in the suspension department. The rear is now a 5-link setup and has more vertically situated shocks.

Up front, the Grand now has an all-new short and long arm setup which uses single-piece nodular iron control arms. These provide higher ground clearance than most IFS systems and coil-over shocks are now used for better performance.

Plenty of acronyms are used on the new Grand, which seems to be mandatory these days. ABS braking is standard and Brake Traction Control Systems (BTCS) helps to manage torque between wheels on the same axle when wheel slip is detected. BTCS is available on models with full-time 4x4. Electronic Stability Control (ESP) is also on-tap for taking over the controls on the road when the vehicle seems to be out of control.

If you're into 4 wheel drive (cough cough) then the new Grand has three flavors to choose from. Quadra-Trac I is your basic all-wheel-drive system and is included with the 3.7L engine. The NV140 transfer case can send traction to any wheel that needs it at any time and there is no low range. BTBC is used to help control the wheels in slippery situations.

Quadra-Trac II steps things up a bit and uses the NV245 transfer case which is used along with the 4.7L and 5.7L engines. The NV245 features a 2.72:1 low range, which is activated by an electronic lever in the cab. BTCS is also used with this system. One interesting byproduct of using an electronic lever, is the e-brake lever is now on the "correct" (left) side of the transmission shifter.

Quadra-Drive II is the pinnacle of the 4WD systems. Quadra-Drive II is a full-time four wheel drive system that uses lots of techno-wizardry. Developed by Eaton, Electronic Limited Slip Differentials (ELSD) are used in both the front and rear axles. Like the name would suggest, ELSD uses electronic sensors to vary the clutch packs in each axle to allow them to differentiate from full differentiation to full lock. In other words, 100% power can be sent to one wheel if it is needed. Couple this with the ESP and DHS and you have a lot of technology at hand (and a lot of acronyms to keep up with).

What's DHS? DHS is a new Dynamic Handling System. Essentially, it is a hydraulically-controlled active stabilizer system. Available only on the 5.7L models, DHS taps into the upgraded power steering system and adjusts how the front and rear anti-sway bars react to the road.

We were shown a video of DHS being tested on a WJ going through sharp curves. It was amazing. The Jeep without DHS leaned heavily while the DHS-equipped Jeep remained close to level with the road. In 4LO, the system is deactivated and the system is "loose." We're not sure how this will work off-road but it looks to be a real winner on-road. Future test drives will surely tell.

What's powering the Grand Cherokee? If you were reading carefully, you will have noticed a 3.7L and a 5.7L mentioned.

The 3.7L 6-cylinder comes from the Liberty and replaces the outdated 4.0L that has been a staple in the Jeep line for years. The V6 provides 210 horsepower @ 5200 rpm and 235 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm. A revised cam and new valve lash adjusters are used to improve the engine at idle. A new thick-wall manifold is also new for 2005. V6 models are backed by a W5A580 five-speed overdrive transmission with 3.07:1 differential gears.

The current 4.7L SOHC V8 has been updated and now produces 230hp @ 4700rpm and 290 lb-ft of torque at 3700 rpm. Dual knock sensors have been added to improve fuel economy and power.

The king of the road, of course, is the 5.7L HEMI engine. By now you've heard all the hype from the Dodge boys but now the HEMI is going in its first Jeep. Cranking out 325 hp @ 5100 rpm and 370 lb-ft of torque at 3600 rpm, the HEMI is the engine of choice for the power-hungry and those interested in using their Grand for towing duty.

In response to tighter emissions regulations and pressure from both the Government and the public, the HEMI features the Multi-Displacement System (MDS). MDS works seamlessly and unnoticeably as the driver goes down the road. At times when the Jeep is cruising and power is not needed, half of the cylinders are deactivated. Immediately upon receiving throttle input, all 8 cylinders are brought back to life. This is done with the help of a new Electronic Throttle Control (ETC). Transitions between 4 and 8 cylinders happen within 40ms (40/1000ths of a second).

Both the 4.7L and the 5.7L HEMI send power to a 545RFE multi-speed automatic transmission. Differential ratios are 3.73:1.

Obviously, we'll need to get our hands on a new Grand to see how all this new-fangled techno stuff will turn out in the real world. On paper, anyway, the Grand has really stepped up to the plate in terms of both technology and style. We think that the many improvements found throughout the WK are exciting from a grocery-getter and family-hauler standpoint. Like we said earlier, most of the four-wheeling the Grands will ever see will be in the snow, mud, and the occasional dirt road, so we're not too concerned about the change to IFS.

Many people have criticized Jeep for giving in to the new corporate parents, but the new Grand Cherokee appears to be one reason to embrace change. What has become a run-of-the-mill SUV in today's market is going out and an exciting all-new replacement is ready to hit the road running. We can't wait to see how it all turns out.

Initially, only Laredo and Limited models will be available, but Jeep is known to release special editions throughout the model years. Expect the new Grands in showrooms in the Fall.