2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV

Which Grand Cherokee does Edmunds recommend?

Overall rating

The Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León never found the mythical fountain of youth. But he would have been impressed with the 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Although it's part of the current generation that debuted way back in 2011, this year's Grand Cherokee is still one of the better picks for a five-passenger midsize SUV.

A big reason is model diversity. It is available in seven trim levels and offers a myriad of options available at each trim level. You want a basic but still relatively well-equipped version of the Grand Cherokee for a reasonable price? Jeep's got you covered. Or how about a fully loaded luxury family hauler? No problem there either.

As expected, the Grand Cherokee is also one of the best off-roading SUVs around. You can equip it with one of the off-road suspension packages or just upgrade to the Trailhawk version. If on-road performance is your thing, Jeep has the brutish SRT and 707-horsepower Trackhawk variants on tap. 

What connects all these varying Grand Cherokee models is impressive interior quality and solid foundation of utility. So whether you're looking to go off the beaten path, burn up all four tires on a drag strip, or just take the kids to school in comfort, there's probably a Jeep Grand Cherokee for you.

2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee models

The 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a five-passenger midsize SUV that comes in seven trim levels: Laredo, Limited, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, SRT and Trackhawk. Most Grand Cherokees are available with rear-wheel drive (2WD) or four-wheel drive (4WD), the Trailhawk is 4WD only and the SRT and the Trackhawk get specialized all-wheel-drive systems.

Standard feature highlights for the base Laredo include a 3.6-liter V6 engine (295 horsepower, 260 lb-ft of torque), an eight-speed automatic transmission, 17-inch wheels, rear parking sensors, keyless ignition and entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 7-inch touchscreen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, and a six-speaker sound system.

If you're looking for more creature comforts, then check out the Limited trim level. On Limited and above, you can go with the standard V6 or you can opt for the optional 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 (240 hp, 420 lb-ft of torque) or a 5.7-liter V8 (360 hp, 390 lb-ft). The Limited builds on the Laredo's standard equipment with 18-inch wheels, remote start, auto-dimming driver-side and rearview mirrors, a power liftgate, a 115-volt power outlet, a heated steering wheel, heated front and rear seats, leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats and driver-seat memory settings.

The off-road-oriented Trailhawk trim level is our choice for the Grand Cherokee. On top of the Limited trim, it adds unique exterior styling flourishes, different 18-inch wheels with off-road tires, four-wheel drive with low-range gearing (Quadra-Trac II), and an electronic rear differential that works with a terrain-selectable traction control system (Quadra-Drive II).

The Trailhawk also has an adjustable air suspension (Quadra-Lift) with increased suspension travel and other Trailhawk-specific tuning, hill ascent and descent control, underbody skid plates, and an upgraded instrument cluster display with exclusive off-road features and a few extra features from the Limited's options list.

Next in the Grand Cherokee lineup is the Overland. It forgoes some of the Trailhawk's specific off-road upgrades but is otherwise similarly equipped.

One of the most luxurious Grand Cherokees is the Summit trim. It includes the Overland's standard equipment, plus polished 20-inch wheels, a self-parking system, additional noise-reducing window glass, active noise-canceling technology, a suite of advanced safety features, upgraded leather upholstery, and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

A bit out of the standard structure is the high-horsepower SRT trim level. It is broadly equipped like the Summit trim level with a few distinctions. Unique standard equipment includes a 6.4-liter V8 (475 hp, 470 lb-ft), a specialized all-wheel-drive system (tuned more for high-performance driving than off-road use), 20-inch wheels with performance tires, an adaptive sport-tuned suspension, sport-tuned steering and brakes, a sport body kit, a limited-slip rear differential and selectable performance modes.

Even further down the high-performance rabbit hole, there's the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. The Trackhawk gets most of the SRT's standard equipment plus the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 (707 hp, 645 lb-ft), an upgraded eight-speed transmission, an upgraded adaptive suspension and Brembo brakes, more aggressive-looking bodywork, and lightweight 20-inch wheels with high-performance tires. The Trackhawk also receives some unique interior design cues and upgraded upholstery to set it apart from the group.

Many of the higher trims' standard convenience and luxury-oriented features are offered on lesser models as options or through packages. Quite a few aesthetic upgrades are available as well, depending on trim level.

Trim tested

Driving

The standard V6 in the Grand Cherokee isn't very exciting. In our testing, 0-60 mph took 8.0 seconds, which is slow for a five-passenger midsize SUV. We'd suggest getting the optional V8. The brakes, however, are strong. In Edmunds testing, a stop from 60 mph took 124 feet — a reasonably short distance for a rig this size.

A downside is the Grand Cherokee's significant weight, which affects acceleration, handling and overall drivability. Another negative is the steering, which feels disconnected from the road. This combo makes the Grand Cherokee overly heavy and lethargic to pilot around turns. For off-roading, though, the GC does well thanks to several available off-road-ready options.

Comfort

The Grand Cherokee provides an isolated feel in the cabin. The V6 is nicely muted most of the time. At full throttle, there's a bit of a rumble from under the hood that is neither annoying nor particularly satisfying. Otherwise, it's quiet to the point that it's almost serene. The seats are very supportive and the air conditioning works quickly. The heated and ventilated seats, however, aren't very effective.

Our test vehicle came equipped with the optional air suspension. We weren't impressed. It provides a somewhat floaty ride quality on the highway and struggles to soak up smaller pavement ripples, allowing significant vibration to enter the cabin. Big bumps are absorbed to a point, but hit one midcorner and the JGC loses its handling composure. The standard suspension might be a better choice.

Interior

The Grand Cherokee has plenty of interior space with generous headroom and legroom in all four major seating positions. It also has a commanding driving position, good visibility and relatively simple controls. Despite that high seating position, everything is within the driver's reach thanks to an impressive range of seat and steering-wheel adjustability.

The Uconnect infotainment interface is a bit dated, but it's still easy to use thanks to large, grippy knobs for the stereo and fan speed. So the only real shortcomings are the thick windshield pillars that partially obscure your view through turns.

Utility

While the Grand Cherokee is certainly utilitarian in nature, its 36.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats isn't class-leading. It trails behind smaller vehicles such as the Honda CR-V. This smaller space is mostly due to the full-size spare under the rear floor. On the flip side, hey, there's a full-size spare! That's something you'll want if you go off-road or tow — two things the Grand Cherokee does very well.

Small-item storage is limited to a small center console, can-size cupholders in both the front and rear seats, and slim door pockets. The rear car-seat anchors are well-marked and easy to find, and there's a good amount of space for most child seats. The standard V6 in our Summit model can tow up to 6,200 pounds, and the optional V8s have an increased maximum tow rating of 7,200 pounds.

Technology

The Grand Cherokee Uconnect interface features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. There are plenty of charging options for front and rear passengers. The voice controls are pretty apt at understanding commands, from setting a nav destination to changing climate settings. Audio quality from the optional 19-speaker Harman Kardon system is good, if a bit bass-heavy.

The operation of some of the advanced driving aids is lackluster. Adaptive cruise control and blind-spot warning are both a little too sensitive for our tastes, for example.