My new 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit review
Discussion
Nice couple of GCs above, I hope you're happy with them.
Sadly after 9 months I couldn't settle with mine and looking at fuel prices going up (93 litre tank
) decided to swap it for a similar aged Audi A6 avant.
I loved mine, for a while at least. It looked great, and we had a fun summer driving long distances around the UK, camping with the kids and new dog, as well as driving kids and family to and from rugby & football matches, where some capable 4x4 traction on wet pitches and ankle deep muddy car parks was appreciated, the large rear heated seats and cabin space was a boon. At the time, fuel economy was acceptable, getting just under 30 mpg and a bit more on a long run.
The Summit version on the 2017 model is very well appointed, new (safer) gear selector and upgraded infotainment screen and system, electric everything, lots of safety features and adaptive cruise, panoramic roof was a great feature too. I think the only issue in 9 months I encountered was a failing auxiliary battery that meant the stop/start function became rarely available. No great loss really...
However, I had issues - the car was fine, it was me.... I couldn't really get on with the size and weight of the Jeep, or I guess, the lack of sophistication from a brutish SUV. Slow manoevering was not too easy as the car did not creep in 1st or reverse very well, and despite a powerful engine and nice ZF 8 speed gearbox, you often had to rev hard to get going which made initial progress quite jerky. The engine was very noisy too (on the outside of the car, inside was pretty well insulated), and sounded very agricultural, so al in all arrival and departures were not really smooth or subtle.
Underway things were better, but I found I couldn't get comfortable on the motorway, Seats were good enough, but I found myself shifting about, and not able to settle down to a long cruise like with previous cars. I wonder if this is because the adjustable air suspension was a bit too bouncy - damping was not very sophisticated - and I found it topped out with an alarming bang over speed humps and uneven surfaces. Which was even worse at full height, and over rough tracks.
I also found that trim and other parts seemed quite flimsy - body kit such as the side skirts and rear spoiler flapped around a bit, and didn't seem very secure, making me wonder how long they would actually stay attached to the car. I was always concerned about the roof rails, which surprisingly are fairly low rated at 68 Kg capacity (I fitted a roof bars and box for camping), and did not seem very well bolted to the roof.
I was also disappointed by the boot space, and this was a big deal for me, as I regularly carry a lot of stuff. Despite lots of cabin room, which was great, as was reclining heated rear seats. But one of the reasons for buying the Jeep was to fit more in the boot - family was bigger and we were planning a lot of road trips last summer.
However when it came to packing the car up, I couldn't fit some of our gear that widthways or lengthways like I used to be able to in the Audi A6. I finally realised what I originally thought was an optical illusion, that the boot is a fair bit smaller than the Audi, though there is a bit more vertical space to the roof. Official capacity states 782 litres with seats up, Audi A6 Avant is 586 litres. This left me scratching my head until I read somewhere that Jeep measure up to the ceiling, Audi measure up to window level or seat level. Like for like, the Jeep boot would be nearer 450 litres.... The Jeep boot floor is also 15cm or so higher than the sill to accommodate the spare wheel, and with rear seats reclining, usable boot space is much less than you'd expect.
So, all above considered, I decided to bite the bullet and switch back to a relatively nimble A6 avant again. This time got a 3.0Bitdi version so it is also very quick, as well as being able to swallow a lot of gear. It also has adaptive air suspension, but its a very different, and more comfortable ride on the motorways now.
Sadly after 9 months I couldn't settle with mine and looking at fuel prices going up (93 litre tank
) decided to swap it for a similar aged Audi A6 avant.I loved mine, for a while at least. It looked great, and we had a fun summer driving long distances around the UK, camping with the kids and new dog, as well as driving kids and family to and from rugby & football matches, where some capable 4x4 traction on wet pitches and ankle deep muddy car parks was appreciated, the large rear heated seats and cabin space was a boon. At the time, fuel economy was acceptable, getting just under 30 mpg and a bit more on a long run.
The Summit version on the 2017 model is very well appointed, new (safer) gear selector and upgraded infotainment screen and system, electric everything, lots of safety features and adaptive cruise, panoramic roof was a great feature too. I think the only issue in 9 months I encountered was a failing auxiliary battery that meant the stop/start function became rarely available. No great loss really...
However, I had issues - the car was fine, it was me.... I couldn't really get on with the size and weight of the Jeep, or I guess, the lack of sophistication from a brutish SUV. Slow manoevering was not too easy as the car did not creep in 1st or reverse very well, and despite a powerful engine and nice ZF 8 speed gearbox, you often had to rev hard to get going which made initial progress quite jerky. The engine was very noisy too (on the outside of the car, inside was pretty well insulated), and sounded very agricultural, so al in all arrival and departures were not really smooth or subtle.
Underway things were better, but I found I couldn't get comfortable on the motorway, Seats were good enough, but I found myself shifting about, and not able to settle down to a long cruise like with previous cars. I wonder if this is because the adjustable air suspension was a bit too bouncy - damping was not very sophisticated - and I found it topped out with an alarming bang over speed humps and uneven surfaces. Which was even worse at full height, and over rough tracks.
I also found that trim and other parts seemed quite flimsy - body kit such as the side skirts and rear spoiler flapped around a bit, and didn't seem very secure, making me wonder how long they would actually stay attached to the car. I was always concerned about the roof rails, which surprisingly are fairly low rated at 68 Kg capacity (I fitted a roof bars and box for camping), and did not seem very well bolted to the roof.
I was also disappointed by the boot space, and this was a big deal for me, as I regularly carry a lot of stuff. Despite lots of cabin room, which was great, as was reclining heated rear seats. But one of the reasons for buying the Jeep was to fit more in the boot - family was bigger and we were planning a lot of road trips last summer.
However when it came to packing the car up, I couldn't fit some of our gear that widthways or lengthways like I used to be able to in the Audi A6. I finally realised what I originally thought was an optical illusion, that the boot is a fair bit smaller than the Audi, though there is a bit more vertical space to the roof. Official capacity states 782 litres with seats up, Audi A6 Avant is 586 litres. This left me scratching my head until I read somewhere that Jeep measure up to the ceiling, Audi measure up to window level or seat level. Like for like, the Jeep boot would be nearer 450 litres.... The Jeep boot floor is also 15cm or so higher than the sill to accommodate the spare wheel, and with rear seats reclining, usable boot space is much less than you'd expect.
So, all above considered, I decided to bite the bullet and switch back to a relatively nimble A6 avant again. This time got a 3.0Bitdi version so it is also very quick, as well as being able to swallow a lot of gear. It also has adaptive air suspension, but its a very different, and more comfortable ride on the motorways now.
Edited by prand on Thursday 9th June 13:51
interstellar said:
Thanks zippee.
Was considering an X5 but these are so much cheaper even though the mpg isn’t as good.
To be fair, an x5 won't do much better in fuel and the Jeep is so well specced as standard. Was considering an X5 but these are so much cheaper even though the mpg isn’t as good.
Id have another GC any day but an X5 for me wouldn't even be in my thoughts for alternatives
One silly expensive roof rack system later I have a roof tent on the Grand
20220529_220351 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
2022-05-28_09-45-56 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
Waiting for a set of alloys to come back from refurb, going down to 18" rims and more AT tyres, the 20's are a bit crashy IMHO
20220529_220351 by Old_Chad, on Flickr2022-05-28_09-45-56 by Old_Chad, on FlickrWaiting for a set of alloys to come back from refurb, going down to 18" rims and more AT tyres, the 20's are a bit crashy IMHO
scrw. said:
One silly expensive roof rack system later I have a roof tent on the Grand
20220529_220351 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
2022-05-28_09-45-56 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
Waiting for a set of alloys to come back from refurb, going down to 18" rims and more AT tyres, the 20's are a bit crashy IMHO
Oh thats excellent. As I mentioned above, the oem roof rails seemed very flimsy and didn't have the weight capacity I was expecting from what should be a decent off roader. That roof rack looks like serious business.20220529_220351 by Old_Chad, on Flickr2022-05-28_09-45-56 by Old_Chad, on FlickrWaiting for a set of alloys to come back from refurb, going down to 18" rims and more AT tyres, the 20's are a bit crashy IMHO
That tent looks like you can drive away and leave it standing too, is that possible? That's what bothered me with a lot of them that you can't use the car once set up.
Agree about the tyres too.
Heres how we went camping with a 400l roof box.
Smaller boot than the Audi but there was some useful stowage space under the rear seats.
This was with four of us and that rubbish wind break blew away within 30 minutes!
[url]
Roof bars were perfect for carrying paddle boards to go to the beach.
|https://thumbsnap.com/pMtntPfJ[/url]
Smaller boot than the Audi but there was some useful stowage space under the rear seats.
This was with four of us and that rubbish wind break blew away within 30 minutes!
[url]Roof bars were perfect for carrying paddle boards to go to the beach.
|https://thumbsnap.com/pMtntPfJ[/url]prand said:
Oh thats excellent. As I mentioned above, the oem roof rails seemed very flimsy and didn't have the weight capacity I was expecting from what should be a decent off roader. That roof rack looks like serious business.
That tent looks like you can drive away and leave it standing too, is that possible? That's what bothered me with a lot of them that you can't use the car once set up.
Agree about the tyres too.
No you have to unzip the annex bit, but it takes 10mins tops to pack up. Next project is to build an trailer to stick the tent on with a decent kitchen setup too. Will give some flexibility for longer stays so you can keep it all pitched up on a site and use the Jeep for trips, but still use the tent as a roof tent for trips too. Looking at the prices off offroad camp trailers the makers must be on crack, can easily get north of £10kThat tent looks like you can drive away and leave it standing too, is that possible? That's what bothered me with a lot of them that you can't use the car once set up.
Agree about the tyres too.
prand said:
However when it came to packing the car up, I couldn't fit some of our gear that widthways or lengthways like I used to be able to in the Audi A6. I finally realised what I originally thought was an optical illusion, that the boot is a fair bit smaller than the Audi, though there is a bit more vertical space to the roof. Official capacity states 782 litres with seats up, Audi A6 Avant is 586 litres. This left me scratching my head until I read somewhere that Jeep measure up to the ceiling, Audi measure up to window level or seat level. Like for like, the Jeep boot would be nearer 450 litres.... The Jeep boot floor is also 15cm or so higher than the sill to accommodate the spare wheel, and with rear seats reclining, usable boot space is much less than you'd expect.
I believe Landrover do the same with regards boot size. I found the same with my Wrangler, and when looking at a Disco SportEdited by prand on Thursday 9th June 13:51
scrw. said:
Just joined the WK2 club, 2015 Overland with just 36k on the clock, was looking for slightly newer but this one appeared with the right mileage / colour / price. Think we are into our 18th year of Grand ownership with various WG's and the previous WK.
abj by Old_Chad, on Flickr
Hi, if I recall you did all your own spanner work on the WJ and early WK you owned. (back when I had my WJ)abj by Old_Chad, on FlickrIs it the 3.0 or petrol ? Will you be looking after this newer one too ?
Edited by pcn1 on Thursday 7th July 16:28
Edited by pcn1 on Friday 8th July 08:58
pcn1 said:
Hi, if I recall you did all your own spanner work on the WJ and early WK you owned. (back when I had my WJ)
Is it the 3.0 or petrol ? Will you be looking after this newer one too ?
Unsure, don't think this will get modded above the rack/tent/wheels/tyres. Its the 3l diesel, it has full history and low miles, so think I will keep it garage serviced for a couple of years and see how long I keep it. I did 80k miles on my WK, garage did oil services (mainly as I cannot dispose of oil) and I did the rest.Is it the 3.0 or petrol ? Will you be looking after this newer one too ?
scrw. said:
Unsure, don't think this will get modded above the rack/tent/wheels/tyres. Its the 3l diesel, it has full history and low miles, so think I will keep it garage serviced for a couple of years and see how long I keep it. I did 80k miles on my WK, garage did oil services (mainly as I cannot dispose of oil) and I did the rest.
As you've been 'around the block' with Jeep ownership, can I assume you did your homework on the 3.0 engine ?USA websites report several engine failures (esp on the dodge pick ups, watch the YouTube vid's) but I'm not hearing as much from GC's or anything from this side of the pond. Some say its short mile trips and egr's causing problems with soot in the oil which then blocks the oil pathways. Cleaning out the egr and more frequent oil changes would help ? Plus a decent run every week !!
My limited research suggests Jeep did several mods over the years (up to 2018?) to address some engine issues.
Id buy one tomorrow if I could be sure the engine is reliable.
pcn1 said:
As you've been 'around the block' with Jeep ownership, can I assume you did your homework on the 3.0 engine ?
USA websites report several engine failures (esp on the dodge pick ups, watch the YouTube vid's) but I'm not hearing as much from GC's or anything from this side of the pond. Some say its short mile trips and egr's causing problems with soot in the oil which then blocks the oil pathways. Cleaning out the egr and more frequent oil changes would help ? Plus a decent run every week !!
My limited research suggests Jeep did several mods over the years (up to 2018?) to address some engine issues.
Id buy one tomorrow if I could be sure the engine is reliable.
I had a 2016 overland from 6 mths old and put 30k on it over my 3 year ownership and it didn't put a foot wrong. USA websites report several engine failures (esp on the dodge pick ups, watch the YouTube vid's) but I'm not hearing as much from GC's or anything from this side of the pond. Some say its short mile trips and egr's causing problems with soot in the oil which then blocks the oil pathways. Cleaning out the egr and more frequent oil changes would help ? Plus a decent run every week !!
My limited research suggests Jeep did several mods over the years (up to 2018?) to address some engine issues.
Id buy one tomorrow if I could be sure the engine is reliable.
Only issue I had was the drivers side vented seat stopped blowing cold but that was covered under warranty.
interstellar said:
Fleckers said:
Is that a summit with painted wheels ? If so, what colour please. Look so much better than the chrome. the wheels are Black Chrome lovely when clean but look very drab when dirty
Today I collected my 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland CRD. Black with 36k on the clock. Previously I had a 2012 Overland Summit which has more gadgets than the later Overland. The one that I will miss is the Forward Collision Warning when in cruise control! Not bothered with lane change warning.
Just got some 18" wheels off ebay for my Grand.
s-l1600 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
Looking at the US forums they clear the callipers, tyres are 255-70-18s which fit but I will be going down to the oem size of 265-60-18s asap, in an AT pattern. Just checked the current tyres and they are run flats, may explain the harsh ride, but ATs in 18" are much cheaper and hopefully will give a much better ride.
s-l1600 by Old_Chad, on FlickrLooking at the US forums they clear the callipers, tyres are 255-70-18s which fit but I will be going down to the oem size of 265-60-18s asap, in an AT pattern. Just checked the current tyres and they are run flats, may explain the harsh ride, but ATs in 18" are much cheaper and hopefully will give a much better ride.
So the Wrangler wheels fit just fine. Ride is so much smoother than the 20" XL tyres
2022-08-20_01-20-30 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
2022-08-20_01-20-30 by Old_Chad, on FlickrGassing Station | Off Road | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff