A Look Back at the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4×4
Change is a constant, especially in the auto industry. In many cases, it’s also a good thing. Although the fifth generation of the Jeep Grand Cherokee is still in the works, the manufacturer continues to make improvements to the WK2 version of its award-winning SUV.
For the 2016 model year, Jeep gave the 3.6-liter, 5.7-liter, and EcoDiesel models of the Grand Cherokee electric power steering, lower-rolling-resistance tires, and lighter aluminum suspension components. Engineers tweaked the internals of the Pentastar V6 and added Engine Stop-Start technology to improve the engine’s fuel economy from 25 mpg on the highway to 26. They also increased its output slightly, raising it by five horsepower to 295.
Jeep is elevating the Summit of the line for 2017 and taking the Grand Cherokee’s off-road abilities to the next level with the new Trailhawk variant.
A while back, we spent a week in a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4×4, the one before the e-steering, efficiency enhancements, and red tow hooks. That didn’t matter, though. There’s still plenty to like about it, such as:
1.) The Way It Looks
The WK2 Grand Cherokee has been around since the 2011 model year. By now, even after a facelift a few years ago, it’s a familiar design, but not an unwelcome sight. The chrome around the seven slots of the grille reappears around the foglights and on the lower front fascia, which contains two equally shiny tow hooks. Despite all of that bling, the face of the Overland is restrained and handsome, not garish.
Thanks to its noticeably concave side surfaces and trapezoidal wheel arches, the rig looks masculine and sturdy. Its soft corners keep it from appearing too utilitarian or boxy. That balance of SUV proportions and visual elements with the influence of modern design makes the 2015 Grand Cherokee Overland a new classic in automotive styling that should age well.
2.) All of the Equipment Jeep Packs Into It
Being near the top of the Grand Cherokee hierarchy in terms of prestige and luxury, the Overland came to us bearing many gadgets and gizmos. The cabin featured a wood- and leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, blind spot monitoring with cross path detection, adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning with stop capability, Bluetooth, HD/satellite radio, and navigation. The Uconnect system cooperated with intuition; pairing a phone with it through the 8.4-inch touchscreen was trouble-free. We’re looking forward to Jeep using an updated version of Uconnect in the next Wrangler (talk about change being a good thing). If only we had a chance to use the Quadra-Lift air suspension to jack the Grand Cherokee up and use its Quadra-Trac II four-wheel drive system to go off-road at an OHV park.
3.) Its Road Manners
Some four-wheel-drive vehicles have a tendency – even in this day and age – to ride roughly and shimmy and shake over bumps in the road. The Overland didn’t have it, though. It soaked up imperfections in the pavement with a minimum of suspension drama.
We were well insulated from the sounds of the outside world in the Overland’s driver seat. Road and tire noise was pleasantly low. The majority of sound was generated by the side mirrors, although they weren’t very productive – and that was OK with us.
3.) How Well Its Engine Hits the Sweet Spot
For being the Grand Cherokee’s base power plant, the 3.6-liter V6 had a surprising abundance of power. The Pentastar’s 290 horsepower and 260 lb-ft. of torque were perfectly suited to getting the 4,984-pound Jeep up to city and highway speeds with a satisfying urgency. The Grand Cherokee never seemed strained or asthmatic. It also returned an average of 21.8 mpg over more than 600 miles of mixed driving.
You know that expression, Less is more? It didn’t apply to this Jeep’s V6. Any less power would’ve been just that: less. Any more would’ve been nice, of course, but not necessary.
4.) Two Words: Sport. Mode.
Jeep hooks the Pentastar to an eight-speed automatic. Around town and on the freeway, it was faultless, composed, and smooth. In other words, it was in character for a luxury SUV. Ironically, we enjoyed the transmission the most when it was in its sport setting, which made it a little less civilized, but that much more likeable. Shifts were firm and authoritative, and came at higher RPMs. In a vehicle that was so smoothly sculpted and technologically digital, the performance-focused sport mode had an addictively old-school mechanical feel to it.
Jeep is a product of the industry in which it operates. It’s constantly changing. The replacement for the Patriot and Compass is coming. So is the next Wrangler and its pickup cousin. Even at the end of its fourth generation, the Grand Cherokee continues to change. We’re assuming models such as the 2017 Trailhawk will make that shift look as if it’s for the better. If so, it’ll only be an improvement on a vehicle that was already wonderful in the 2015 model year.
*Our 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4×4 review vehicle had an as-tested price of $51,975. That included a destination charge of $995 and Customer Preferred Package 23P (the Advanced Technology Group – $1,995, a rear seat dual-screen Blu-Ray/DVD player setup – $1,995, and the Off-Road Adventure II package – $395).
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