A Week With: 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Overland

If the considered a mud-slogging, boulder-bashing, creek crossing 4×4 plug-in hybrid appears unique, nicely, it as soon as was.

That’s now not the case with the arrival of the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, which seeks to be extra environmentally pleasant than its Grand Cherokee siblings, and it’s. The V8-powered four-wheel-drive mannequin returns 17 mpg in mixed metropolis/freeway driving, whereas the 4xe returns 23 mpg doing the identical chore. 

But right here’s the rub. 

The 6-cylinder mannequin returns 22 mpg. For some, the distinction in mileage is not going to be well worth the distinction in price. But for others, the 4xe holds a novel benefit: the power to journey 26 miles completely on electrical energy. This, together with its hybrid driveline will prevent $1,250 in operating prices, in line with the EPA. That implies that if you happen to purchased your 4xe in in Overland trim versus a conventionally powered Grand Cherokee Overland, it would take you 7.3 years to interrupt even earlier than you begin saving cash with the hybrid. 

But the bottom four-wheel-drive Grand Cherokee Laredo begins at $40,720, whereas the Grand Cherokee 4xe begins at $58,095, earlier than a $1,795 vacation spot cost. That’s a $17,375 distinction, which means it could take 13.9 years to make up the distinction in fueling prices. So this can be a car that’s extra about ecological altruism than saving on gasoline prices.

But the Wrangler 4xe has rapidly develop into America’s best-selling hybrid. Given that off-roaders love the surroundings, it ought to hardly come as a shock. 

Overview

Still with us? Good. Then you’ll need to know that the Grand Cherokee 4xe begins with a base mannequin and ascends by means of Trailhawk, Overland, Summit and Summit Reserve trims. 

We spent every week with the Overland mannequin, which supplies a lot of the Summit and Summit Reserve mannequin opulence at a cheaper price level. 

Exterior

The two-row Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe SUV differs little in look from the usual two-row Grand Cherokee which mixes type cues from Jeep’s historical past, brightwork from the Jeep Compass with a lean-forward grille that pays homage to Jeep’s first three-row SUV, the Wagoneer. Uniquely, there are few clues as to the car’s powertrain, apart from blue tow hooks and different blue accents scattered throughout its exterior.

It retains the rugged athleticism you’d anticipate of a Jeep, together with a wholesome dose of savoir faire. Hybrids have hardly ever been so enticing. 

Interior

It’s exhausting to not be impressed by the 4xe Overland’s inside, sheathed in buttery smooth leather-based, and trimmed in wooden, knurled metallic and French-stitched seams. Assembly high quality is impeccable, and the roomy inside and plenty of facilities will be sure that everyone seems to be comfortable whereas traversing the forest primeval. There’s even loads of room to your stuff, with a cargo capability of 37.7 cubic ft, 70.8 cubic ft with the rear seats folded. 

And it’s blissfully quiet, because of laminated glass and different noise discount measures.

Powertrain

The 2022 Grand Cherokee 4xe combines two electrical motors, a 400-volt battery pack, a 2.0-liter turbocharged, 4-cylinder engine and an 8-speed automated transmission to ship 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque to all 4 wheels. It additionally supplies 26 miles of pure electrical driving.

But this isn’t your mama’s hybrid — until she’s a lumberjack. 

It’s fitted with a rear digital restricted slip differential, Jeep’s Quadra Trac II 4×4 system with a two-speed switch case, a 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio, and a 47.4:1 crawl ratio. It can tow as much as 6,000 kilos, ford 24 inches of water, has 10.9 inches of floor clearance, a payload of 1,575 kilos and a 36-degree method angle and 30-degree departure angle. Try that with a Prius.

Five drive settings are supplied by the Selec-Terrain traction management system: Auto, Sport, Rock, Snow, and Mud/Sand.

Safety and Technology

Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has crash examined the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe. IIHS’s take a look at of non-hybrid fashions returned “Good” scores for many of its crash take a look at measurements save the small entrance overlap, the place the driving force’s facet was rated “Marginal” and the passenger’s facet rated “Poor.” Its entrance crash prevention system was rated “Superior” and youngster restraint ease of use was “Marginal.”

Driver help security methods embody collision warning with lively brake and pedestrian/bicycle owner detection, rear cross path detection, adaptive cruise management, lively lane administration, lane departure warning, superior brake help, blind-spot monitoring, rear park help sensors, passive entry, and automated headlamps. Summit fashions additionally get lively driving help, drowsy driver detection, intersection collision help, site visitors signal recognition, 360-degree encompass view digicam with entrance and rear lens washers, and parallel and perpendicular park help.

The instrument panel encompasses a touchscreen infotainment system, a digital gauge cluster, and an elective head-up show. The most up-to-date model of Jeep’s Uconnect infotainment system provides excellent capabilities and is simply as easy to make use of and adaptable as a smartphone. Amazon Alexa, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto come as customary. And the premium Macintosh audio system with 19 audio system is excellent.

Driving Impressions

When you consider it, what off-roaders love as a lot as the good outdoor is the required grunt to get them to the place the sidewalk ends. And the electrical motors’ torque, all of which is immediately out there, makes for a really succesful car off-road, and a surprisingly satisfying car on it. Pedal really feel is progressive and straightforward to modulate.

The suspension is compliant, as you’d anticipate of any boulder basher. But it by no means feels unruly when freeway dealing with dynamics are known as for. The steering feels weighty, and there’s not loads of highway really feel, however that’s par for the course nowadays. 

While the pure electrical vary can be utilized up pretty rapidly, particularly you probably have a heavy throttle foot, the fuel and electrical hybrid mode furnishes surprisingly ample acceleration and mixed gasoline financial system of 24.5 mpg. With cautious driving, that quantity may have been even increased. Considering the EPA charges the Grand Cherokee 4xe at 23 mpg in mixed driving, that’s spectacular.

2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Overland Specifications

Wrap Up

Of course, folks selected a Grand Cherokee for its consolation, dimension, expertise, efficiency and skill to deal with dangerous climate, and who can blame them? This is a extremely good experience, albeit a really spendy one. It is actually grand, in each sense of the phrase. If each hybrid have been this attractive, we’d all be driving one.

2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe ­— Frequently Asked Questions