2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

This combination of American flair and German engineering ensures that the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is relatively unique in the market.

The 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 offered as standard offers flex-fuel capability and variable valve timing, and in the new SUV outputs 280 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The regular Hemi is a 5.7-liter unit with 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, though our pick is the 6.4-liter unit found in the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.

For the off-roaders, the latest Grand Cherokee is available with Chrysler’s Quadra Lift air-suspension system, which provides height control and lifts the vehicle up to 4.5-inches from park mode to a maximum ride height of 11.1-inches when the going gets tough.

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee has been completely redesigned.Americans love comeback stories. Conveniently, the previous Grand Cherokee had this covered. Overall, Jeep has done well here. The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a five-passenger midsize SUV that comes in Laredo, Limited and Overland trims. The Limited gets all the Laredo's optional equipment plus 18-inch wheels, bi-xenon headlights, rear parking sensors, automatic wipers, auto-dimming exterior mirrors, a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, driver memory functions, heated front and rear seats and a leather-wrapped shift knob. The Luxury Group II gets you a power tailgate, power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, heated steering wheel and ventilated front seats. Big 20-inch wheels are also optional. The Off-Road Adventure II package includes all the above items plus an air suspension, towing equipment (available as a separate package), an electronic limited-slip differential and the Quadra-Drive II 4WD system. The Limited and Overland can be equipped with a rear-seat entertainment system with Sirius Backseat TV. Every 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee comes standard with Chrysler's new 3.6-liter V6 good for 290 hp and 260 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy with four-wheel drive is an estimated 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway. Rear-wheel drive is standard; three different four-wheel-drive systems are optional. The Laredo comes standard with Quadra-Trac I, which essentially functions as all-wheel drive.

Safety
The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee comes standard with four-wheel antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front side airbags, side curtain airbags and active front head restraints.

In the government's new, more strenuous crash testing for 2011, the Grand Cherokee earned an overall rating of four stars out of a possible five, with four stars for overall frontal crash protection and five stars for overall side crash protection.

Driving Impressions
Get behind the wheel and you'll immediately notice that the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee drives considerably better than before.
The 2011 Grand Cherokee breaks the silence and leads a handful of fresh vehicles into showrooms. Jeep's "other icon"

The styling is purely Jeep, though, as designers played it safe when sculpting the sheetmetal. Fog lights and stainless steel window trim are standard on all trims (called Laredo E, Laredo X, Limited, and Overland). There are still some extras as you climb the trim ladder - body-color fascias, larger wheels, and chrome mirrors and handles - but Jeep has accomplished its goal of making the lowest priced trim just as attractive as the top-end trim.

An interior reboot
Inside, the Grand Cherokee surprised us with exceptional quietness. Options include a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, navigation, a power liftgate, and a panoramic sunroof.