There are some cars you really want to love. You know, the ones that check all your boxes — comfortable, spacious, family-friendly, and, if you’re lucky, maybe even with a somewhat affordable price (whatever that means these days). But despite all that, for some odd reason, no matter how popular it may be, you just can’t bring yourself to like it. It’s missing that certain je ne sais quoi. I’ve felt like that about a few vehicles over the past few years, most recently the Toyota Highlander. I loved the Grand Highlander more than the Highlander, but even that was missing something — sliding doors.
So, as you can probably guess, I prefer a minivan over a three-row SUV. I want seven or eight seats instead of just six, and if it’s a hybrid or relatively fuel-efficient car, that’s even better. Despite wanting all those things, I found myself really loving the 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. What makes it so likeable?
How much is the Jeep Grand Cherokee L?
It’s definitely not the pricing that makes it so likeable. Sure, it could be worse, but I wouldn’t call it “affordable” by any means. We’re testing out a mid-level trim, the Limited, which means it’s got more to offer than the base trim, but it’s not quite as loaded as the top Summit trim.
Unlike the Summit, the Limited doesn’t include massaging seats for the front passengers, nor is there a front-passenger touchscreen or head-up display. And fortunately — or maybe, unfortunately, depending on how you want to look at it — there’s no rear-seat entertainment. However, none of that gimmicky stuff is needed in a vehicle that’s meant to hold your family and maybe do some off-roading when called upon. None of that is missed.
Bumping down below the Limited trim gets you the base model for a bit over $60,000 before destination fees ($2,195) and taxes, but moving up to this Limited trim will start the pricing at $68,270. As tested, this L rings in at nearly $80,000, which is well over the average new-car price in Canada. It also includes a couple other pricey options such as a Trailer package ($995), dual-pane panoramic sunroof ($2,195), an upgraded speaker system ($1,195), and a couple other things — all of which aren’t entirely necessary, but that do add value to the overall vehicle. The fully-loaded Summit Reserve can run over $90k.
Jeep Grand Cherokee L fuel consumption
At that price, you might be hoping for a bit of savings at the gas station, but unless you count not needing premium fuel as some kind of savings, then you won’t see much else here. While the non-L Grand Cherokees now have a plug-in hybrid option, the longer versions do not (yet?). The tested SUV and lower trims come with a 3.6L V6 that makes 293 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. It works with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive system.
With an average of 11.3 L/100 km in combined highway and city driving, it won’t provide a ton of fuel savings. After a week of mostly city driving, we’re seeing numbers a bit higher, hovering in the 13s. Keep in mind higher trims will guzzle a little more than that since they use the 5.7L V8. Additionally, if you plan on doing a bit of off-roading or travelling with a bit of a load, then that’ll also raise the fuel consumption. Lower trims have a towing capacity of up to 6,200 pounds, while higher trims can tow up to 7,200 pounds.
What’s nice about the Grand Cherokee L is that even though it’s the longer version of the Grand Cherokee, it doesn’t feel a whole lot bigger to drive or maneuver. It’s super easy to park and has a great backup camera; however, if you want the surround-view camera, then you’ll need to add the optional Luxury Tech Group Package for $2,295. If you can make it without it, as well as the exclusion of front ventilated seats, a wireless charging pad, and off-road camera, then I’d forego this package and save the money.
It’s a comfortable drive, and the SUV feels heavy, but not in a bad way. It feels planted, almost in a safe way. The steering isn’t stiff at all, but pushing on the gas pedal does make you feel like the car is really putting in the work to make itself move.
Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee L a family-friendly SUV?
Absolutely! Each of the six seats is fairly spacious, even in the third row. Many times, when a third row is added to what was originally a two-row SUV, there’s extremely limited space. I wouldn’t say this one breaks the mould by adding tonnes of third-row legroom, but it does have adequate space for my kids back there, and it’s a lot more comfy and functional than some of its competitors (I’m looking at you, Mitsubishi Outlander).
With the third row in use, there’s not a huge amount of cargo space, but its 487 litres (17.2 cubic feet) is usable, and we did manage to fit a couple duffel bags in there for an overnight trip. The third row can be folded 50-50 to open up more space but still give access to one passenger back there, if needed. If the second- and third-row seats are folded, there’s 2,395 litres (84.6 cubic feet) of cargo space, but with a family of five, that number will rarely be seen.
And speaking of a family, I found the Grand Cherokee L to be extremely family-friendly. It’s low enough for all my kids to get in on their own, and has a huge open space between those middle second-row seats, making it really easy to get to the third row — especially if you’ve got a car seat latched into either (or both) second-row chairs. If you don’t, the captain’s chairs can easily be tilted down or forward to allow easy access to the third row.
And like the Chrysler Pacifica, it’s got that Fam Cam that helps you spy on the kids in the back. I’ll note that I do think it’s a bit of a distraction for the driver, but it’s a nice feature to have in case of an emergency, or just to make the kids think you really do have eyes in the back of your head. Mom sees all.
One thing Stellantis has always done well is its infotainment screen. This Jeep uses Uconnect 5, and it’s as simple as ever. It’s intuitive, which is more than can be said about a lot more expensive cars. You don’t need to go digging into different layers to do most of what you’re looking for. You can wirelessly connect to AppleCarPlay or Android Auto, which makes things even simpler if you’re used to using your phone for music and navigation. I do appreciate the home button that can quickly take you back to the vehicle options — most vehicles make you go to the home screen of your connected device, then click the brand’s logo to get back to the vehicle’s home screen.
The climate controls are still physical buttons above the mode selector that looks like a large volume knob. It’ll never be my favourite way to put the car in park, reverse, neutral, or drive, but it could be worse and isn’t a deal breaker, in the least. There’s an optional McIntosh sound system that has proved to be amazing in other vehicles we’ve tested, but the Alpine one in this tester works well, too, especially if your main listeners are Disney fans.
Final thoughts
I think one of the main differences, which is also an advantage, between this three-row SUV and its competitors is that it isn’t quite as large as them. Sure, it’s got the length, but it’s not as wide and definitely doesn’t drive as large as those bigger-looking SUVs like the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. I think I’d be most interested in seeing it up against the new three-row Hyundai Santa Fe, which is a hybrid, but maybe not as off-road-ready.
Sometimes we get caught up in the whole “bigger is better” thing, but this Jeep proves SUVs don’t need to be massive to fit a family. That said, for $80k, you can get a fully-loaded Chrysler Pacifica, hybrid or not, and that means more cargo space. But knowing that a minivan isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, I think this Jeep Grand Cherokee L would be an amazing choice for those looking for something simple, family-friendly, and with the potential to be taken off-road. It’s a versatile vehicle that’s just a little pricier than I want it to be.
Check out the latest Jeep Grand Cherokee L model. Click here for more Millennial Mom’s Reviews.
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