2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Review: Big Red Sleigh Ride

Sometimes a press car comes along at exactly the right time.

I kept trying to drive the new 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L for the better half of a year. The first three-row model of the brand’s best-seller kept eluding me for one reason or another. I even drove the new-for-2022 two-row before it.

Only then it came up over the holidays. It’s a time where something this substantial could really be put to use, shuttling people and presents all over Southern Ontario. An extended loan of the brand’s biggest unibody SUV proved this was the right addition to the Grand Cherokee family, with a classy, upmarket ride that separates it from the other three-rows out there—with an accompanying price tag to match.

Editor’s Note: While this is a 2021MY car, Jeep recently announced details on the 2022 Grand Cherokee L. It’s largely the same, with a passenger-side display screen and new exterior color options.

The Grand Cherokee L was the first of the new fifth-generation models to arrive, showing up on an updated platform Jeep says was built specifically for the WL-generation model. Higher-strength steel and choice use of aluminum keeps weight in check. Meanwhile, a multi-link suspension sits at both axles—and in the case of this top-o-the-line Summit Reserve tester, comes augmented with an air suspension.

A carry-over lineup of engine options includes the trusty 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, good for 290 horsepower and 257 pound-feet of torque. It’s a solid engine, one that earned kudos in a recent comparison against the Acura MDX. But some folks just want that unmistakeable V8 rumble, not to mention its towing capability. For them, Jeep offers up the familiar 5.7-liter V8, here producing 357 hp and 390 lb-ft. Both hook up to an eight-speed automatic transmission and, depending on trim, one of three different four-wheel-drive systems. Rear-wheel drive is standard in America, but Canada rolls that 4WD upcharge into the base price.

Jeep has managed to inch its way upmarket for a few years now, with the new Grand Wagoneer serving as a (massive) exclamation mark. The GCL borrows much from big brother—or more accurately, since it launched first, previewed the halo model. It’s a slick look, feeling properly upmarket thanks to liberal use of pretty open-pore wood. The curvature is the best part, especially where the door meets the dashboard. The brand hasn’t gone bonkers with screen size, either, opting for a 10.1-inch touchscreen reclining on the wood and leather.

Pretty much everywhere your hand is going to fall, it’s going to find leather, wood, or metal. The chunky rotary drive selector, for instance, is the real deal: it gets crisp on winter mornings. There’s just one exception, one that even Jeep can’t avoid: the dreaded piano black. The center console is just one big fingerprint magnet. Same with the climate controls below the touchscreen, though at least there it’s less on display, and the buttons break up the surface area.

With hundreds of miles of criss-crossing Ontario planned over three days, both my fiancée and I were all too happy to find a massaging function for the front seats. Even when they’re not working out the tension, the front thrones are superbly supportive. Easy to adjust, too. The second row is pretty swanky too, with lots of room, plus heated and ventilated seats. Another center console offers up charging and storage solutions; if you’d rather maximizing possible storage space, a bench seat option is available. Speaking of storage, the door panels hold quite a lot, though the low lip has me worried about taller water bottles.

Back to the GCL’s raison d’être, that third row. For two people who don’t have to report to home room every morning, it’s pretty decent. Legroom is an acceptable 30.3 inches (770 mm), and there’s only a couple inches less headroom than the second row (37.3 inches / 947 mm).

We didn’t have much use for the third row, so it spent most of its time folded up. In this cargo-swallowing form, the GCL was our own private Santa’s sled. Jeep quotes 46.9 cubic feet (1,328 liters) of storage space this way, and we must’ve got close when we crammed the rig full of gifts for delivery. All-seats up volume is 17.2 (487 L); both rows folded affords owners with 84.6 cubes (2,396 L). The power-folding seats are a helpful touch, though you could get through It’s A Wonderful Life in the time it takes for the third row to drop.

This Grand Cherokee L feels almost … reserved (ha!) in its tech suite. There are just two screens in here, eschewing the second-row infotainment system or the new-for-2022 passenger display. If you do spec any of those, know that they’re all HDMI and Amazon Fire compatible. Plus, they’ll all accept their own Bluetooth pairings. There are both types of USB ports all over the cabin, including the third row.

The central screen handles the heavy lifting, running Uconnect 5. My history with Stellantis’ latest user interface has been almost entirely positive, so it was frustrating that the GCL kept throwing us curveballs over the holidays. Wireless Apple CarPlay took a bit of time to connect the first time, but on subsequent start ups, it could be anywhere from a few seconds to two minutes to reappear. On one occasion the system just refused to acknowledge my phone was an iPhone, and routed everything through Bluetooth. Nothing short of a soft system reboot fixed it.

When it is working, Uconnect 5 is pretty spiffy. Different user profiles are handy for households, so nobody needs to fight over what the “best” setup is. The menus are clear, and responses are lightning-quick.

I’m a sucker for a good head-up display, and the Jeep does it well. There’s also a very cool night vision setup, which shows up in the digital instrument panel. It’s remarkably crisp even in some of the darkest days of the year. I appreciate the different gauge layouts; I gravitate towards the shrunken-down, minimalist setup, with only the most important info displayed.

Standard safety features are numerous: automated emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, rear park assist, rear cross-traffic alert, lane management, dynamic guidelines for the back-up camera, and adaptive cruise control. This tester features the upgraded tech package which includes the afore-mentioned night vision, an interior camera to monitor the rear seats, and digital rearview mirror. Oh, and the wicked-good 19-speaker McIntosh sound system, which is powerful and crisp.

I welcome EVs, and even plug-in hybrids like Jeep’s own Wrangler 4xe. But there’s still something satisfying about the rumble of a big V8 on start up. The type that gently rocks the truck from side to side. This one, then.

The V8 provides plenty of low-down grunt, which should satisfy those that need to tow anywhere near the 7,200 it’s rated for, when properly equipped. It puts the power down well too, with the eight-speed auto quickly shuffling between the ratios to maximize the motive forces. Four-up and with a cargo hold full of supplies and gifts, it’s appreciated.

It needs more fuel than eight magical reindeer probably need, though. A conservative estimate put 75 percent of the GCL’s 440 miles (708 km) on the highway, and yet it still scored 15.7 mpg (15.0 L/100 km). That’s worse than the combined 17 mpg the EPA rates it at (Canada’s NRCAN says 14.1 L/100 km).

Earning points back in the Jeep’s favor are its suspension and steering. The former is well-judged for the rigors of holiday road-tripping, remaining calm and composed over rough surfaces and ridges of snirt (snow plus dirt). The well-insulated interior keeps all the harshness outside, where it belongs. We didn’t have to cross any snowy fields with the GCL; I’m sure the 10.9 inches of clearance would’ve helped; the all-season tires, less so. The steering has a rare heft to it, a reassuring weight you can lean against through corners, building confidence.

For 2021, the most affordable 4×4 Jeep Grand Cherokee L was the $40,690 ($54,690 CAD) Laredo. Americans can slash two grand off the bottom line by opting for rear-wheel drive. From there the trim walk moves through Altitude, Limited, Overland, and Summit and Summit Reserve. The earliest way into a V8—which requires 4WD—is the Overland, for $59,985 ($74,685 CAD). As tested, this GCL crossed the line at $66,985 ($86,765 CAD).

That puts the GCL into pretty rarified territory, more BMW X5 and Genesis GV80 competitor than the likes of the Toyota Highlander or Nissan Pathfinder you might consider a V6 Laredo against. That’s a big ask. On one hand, the GCL feels distinctly American luxury, rock-solid and confident. It’s rich, sure, but it’s also very well-stocked, with those sweet massaging seats and trick night vision. On the other, its engine lacks the turbocharged thump of the others.

It was hard not to like the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L during its extended stay with us. Jeep went big for this one, but that’s resulted in a third row you won’t feel bad about sticking adults in. Yes, there were issues. The price is a big hurdle, with buyers needing to accept Jeep as a luxury contender. I can’t ignore the infotainment hiccups either, even if they’re uncharacteristic. It also drank. A lot.

Beyond that though, the three-row Grand Cherokee was super comfortable, swallowed everything we threw at it, and felt good behind the wheel. It turned what can be one of the most stressful times of the year into smooth sailing. What more could you ask for from a big red sleigh?