For decades the brand that has become a generic name for the quintessential off-roader has been Jeep. The sports utility vehicle of today was defined by just a handful of brands worldwide and Jeep has had a strong influence in shaping the image of this vehicle type.
Jeep has made a rather late entry into India after months of going back and forth with its plans. But the brand is putting in place an aggressive strategy to capture the luxury SUV space. Two models that are being launched by the middle of this year are the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and the Grand Cherokee.
The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, incorporates classic Jeep vehicle design elements to provide all-weather capability that testifies to its off-road prowess. Removable tops and doors help turn it into the only open-air 4x4 vehicle in the market. The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited features 17-inch wheels.
The vehicle has washable interiors to keep the mud and dirt at bay. It is fitted with an Alpine Premium Audio system. The car comes with the Command-Trac Shift-On-The-Fly 4WD system to help the vehicle manoeuvre over rugged roads/ tracks.
The Wrangler comes with a 2.8L CRD Turbo Diesel DOHC I-4 engine powering the wheels through a 5-speed automatic transmission. . Hill Start Assist (HAS) and Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM) ensures that drivers are gripped to the road. It delivers a legendary 4X4 performance with a lower crawl ratio.
The Grand Cherokee Limited features a dual pane sunroof, leather seats, 'Selec-terrain' traction control, 5-inch touch-screen infotainment system, memory seat for the driver and 8 way power adjustable front seats. Along with the features offered in the Limited variant, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit trim will additionally get ventilated front seats and an 8.4-inch touch-screen navigation and infotainment system. .
The interiors of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT are race-inspired. The exclusive Laguna leather upholstery makes the car more sporty and stylish. The car will also feature a Harman Kardon 19-Speaker sound system with active noise cancellation. Both the Grand Cherokee Limited and Summit are powered by the 3.0L CRD Turbo V6 Diesel engine generating an exhilarating power of 240 HP and 570 NM of torque. The Grand Cherokee Limited is equipped with Quadra Trac II and the Grand Cherokee Summit gets the Quadra Drive II traction control which makes the cars capable of delivering legendary 4X4 performance and experience.
The big boy of the brand is the Grand Cherokee SRT which sports a 6.4L 470-hp HEMI V8 engine that feeds a Quadra-Trac Active On-Demand 4WD system. An eight-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters helps drivers go full throttle on the track, to reach a hair-raising top speed of 258kmph. The Launch Control button optimizes every possible setting for maximum acceleration off the line. The Brembo high-performance brake system provides the stopping power you need. Jeep says the Grand Cherokee SRT will also have fuel saver technology.