The Jeep Cherokee is an SUV that the Chrysler-owned company has manufactured since 1974. The Jeep Grand Cherokee, which this chapter is about, is classified on the home market as a mid-range model and here at home as a large SUV. Often the model is called "America's Volvo V70" in Sweden because of the great popularity enjoyed by the model during the first generations. Even today, the Jeep Cherokee is a popular car model and appreciated for its terrain characteristics (four-wheel drive) and good comfort. Seat comfort has often been described as among the better in its class.
In the American way, car models are often richly equipped already in the basic version, unlike what we are used to in Europe, and the same goes for Cherokee, although the optional list has grown longer with the last two generations. The first model saw the light of day in 1992 and was typically designed with sharp lines and high ground clearance. Laredo and Limited were the most common equipment packages of which the former had fabric upholstery and a manual box. The engines were either straight, six-cylinder engine or a 5.2-liter V8 engine that later grew in the later 1990s for more power. These models are unusual on the roads today. The second generation (from the 1999 model year) differs from the first with larger inner and outer dimensions. It also received an exterior update to the 2004 model, which mainly concerns the front lot. The most common engines are petrol-powered, but between the years 2002 - 2005 a 2.7-liter Mercedes-made diesel engine was also offered.
The third generation of the Grand Cherokee was launched in 2005 and brought back sharp lines and with a powerful 5.7 liter Hemi engine as the most expensive engine choice. The effect was close to 360 horsepower and although not many copies were sold on the Swedish market, it stands to be found by the enthusiast. The fourth generation was introduced to the 2011 model year and what sets it apart (except that it is a completely different design) is a significantly more compliant chassis that is also shared with the Mercedes ML and in this case too, the car is most common with large petrol engines, V6 or V8. engine, but also a 3-liter diesel engine is available in the European markets.