2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
by Gary S. Vasilash

The Jeep Grand Cherokee, first introduced by the then-Chrysler Corp. as a 1993 model in the spring of '93, has undergone just its second complete redesign with the '05 model. The Grand Cherokee is the flagship of the Jeep brand, and other vehicle manufacturers have significantly upped the ante since the vehicle was last redesigned, for model year '99.

Although Jeep is quintessentially an American brand, Rick Aneiros, vice president, Jeep/Truck Component Design, admits that when Chrysler Group CEO Dieter Zetsche and then-COO Wolfgang Bernhard saw the '99, they asked why the vertical bars forming the Jeep seven-slot grille were splayed, feeling that the vehicle's signature was not as strong as it should be. So with this version, the boldness is back in the front.

Beyond the chrome-plated bars on the Limited version (the Laredo trim level used body-color), notable aspects of the front of the '05 are the headlamps: Jeep has long been associated with round headlamp forms; this contemporary take includes a circle within a circle. Optional SmartBeam intelligent headlamps vary the intensity of the high beams depending on ambient conditions. Twin nacelles extend from the top of the headlamps back onto the hood, which is proportionately longer than the current model. There is a bigger distance between the front axle center and the base of the windshield, which is meant to indicate greater power under the hood (which may well be there in the form of a 5.7-liter Hemi V8).

An obvious change to the '05 Grand Cherokee is the elimination of the massive chunks of cladding. Now there is a cleaner, more slab-sided look. The proportion of the sheet metal to the glass is such that the vehicle appears to be more serious, as though the occupants are more protected. One thing is for certain: the occupants are going to be more comfortable. Although this is still a bona-fide Jeep – with a brand new 4x4 system, the Quadra-Drive II – careful attention was paid to all aspects of the interior. Aneiros describes the seating, for example, as a "sea change" with regard to how the new ones compare with the old. The two-tone leather surfaces cover what they're describing as a "robust European structure," meaning that these seats are firm, not plush. Although there is a trend for SUVs to have three rows of seats rather than two, Aneiros says that Jeep partisans didn't want the Grand Cherokee to be lengthened for the sake of seats that may not be used. The driver sits behind a four-gauge instrument cluster with LED backlighting; the gauges are each surrounded by chrome rings. The IP has a dark upper and lighter lower, gaps are held tight. Storage bins abound.

Around the back of the vehicle there is a more inclined liftgate, further promoting the look of overall athleticism. The taillamps have red and clear lenses that combine a sense of functionality with a contemporary look. The Limited version has a chrome strip along the lower side panel that is picked up on the rear fascia.

'Cleaner, stronger, faster': those are words that characterize the new Grand Cherokee. Given the competition in that segment, those features may be the proverbial cost of entry.

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