2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee S-Limited long-term review

• Welcome: Star Spangled Hammer
• Update 1: A Case of the Bends
• Update 2: In for the Strong Haul
• Update 3: Done dirt Jeep

Welcome: Star Spangled Hammer

Price as tested: $72,950
Fuel this month: 1221km @ 13.9L/100km

Welcoming the Jeep Grand Cherokee S-Limited to the Wheels garage is a bit like making friends in an old person’s home. The hard truth is it’s not long for this world. Over a decade has passed since Jeep debuted this generation of Grand Cherokee, and you can already register your interest online for the next all-new model.

But there are reasons why the S-Limited deserves a run in its twilight years. For starters, its 5.7-litre Hemi V8 is whispered to power the new model from the outset. And that engine is why this S-Limited even exists at all.

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After the engine bowed out from the Grand Cherokee range in the nose of the Limited years earlier, it was reinstated in late 2019 when the S-Limited arrived as a limited edition. Then, after Australia snapped up the first 100 units, Jeep decided to keep the S-Limited in its line-up full-time. So, not ‘limited’ at all, really, but welcome all the same.

With outputs like 259kW and 520Nm, the S-Limited sits one rung down from the (supply constrained) 6.4-litre V8 Grand Cherokee SRT making 344kW/624Nm. Meanwhile, the supercharged and slightly unhinged 6.2-litre V8 Trackhawk produces twice the power, with 522kW/868Nm. Grunt is channelled through an eight-speed transmission.

Visually, our S-Limited scores gloss-black 20-inch wheels to match the darkened window trim, wing mirrors, badges and front grille. The front bumper and side skirts are a more aggressive design, too. It also comes with premium LED foggies, darker lights front and rear, darker window tinting and a pair of trapezoidal exhaust tips to round out the visual differential over the models below it.

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Some features are obvious in their absence. For instance, air suspension and a more rugged Quadra-Drive II all-wheel-drive system are saved for the S-Overland – the circa-$4500 more expensive diesel variant two steps up the range.

Without them, the S-Limited can focus on value. It’s priced at $72,950 before on-roads, which is still a hefty wedge. The days when the Australian dollar had a bit of strength against the US greenback and $61,000 bought a Grand Cherokee Limited 5.7 are
long gone. Even an SRT could be had for $77,000 (!) back then.

So far, during our time spent together, the S-Limited is stacking up as an SUV after our own hearts. The 5.7 V8 has perfect manners. It’s quiet during easy driving – which is most of the time, let’s be honest – only revealing a growl when you’re up it. The engine is super-flexible, too. There’s ample low-down grunt, but it also enjoys unfurling into the upper revs when you need a kick in the back.

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But the consumption will need to be discussed – it’s already drinking above its official 13L/100km – and we’ll investigate how it behaves when asked to tow a load approaching its 3500kg braked limit.

As for other plans, that Quadra-Trac II drive mode dial, with the option to drop the transmission into low-range gearing, will get a workout once we head bush to test its off-road ability.

So far, during our time spent together, the S-Limited is stacking up as an SUV after our own hearts.

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Update 1: A Case of the Bends

In search of answers to dynamic questions

Fuel this month: 1124km @ 12.7L/100km
Fuel consumption so far: 2345km @ 12.4L/100km

How fast is it? Few questions loom larger in my mind after I meet something that has a V8. So when the video team asked if they could borrow my Jeep Grand Cherokee S-Limited as a camera car at Heathcote drag strip, I obliged with one condition. An experienced tester was to run the S-Limited down the strip and record the figures.

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I got my wish. Editor of sister magazine MOTOR, Andy Enright, forwarded me the data the next day. And there were surprises, to say the least. It turned out the S-limited accelerated to 100km/h from rest in 8.1sec and needed 15.8sec to cross the 400m line at 142.5km/h. For comparison, a Genesis GV80 with a twin-turbo V6 producing 279kW/530Nm can deliver 5.9sec/14.1sec 0-100km/h and 400m runs, respectively.

I called Enright for further explanation. It turns out that rain on a nine degree Celsius day doesn’t bode well on a recently resurfaced track. The S-Limited was losing traction despite having all-wheel drive and 265mm-wide Continental tyres to ground its 259kW/520Nm.

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The chance to certify the S-Limited as a grunt-machine would have to wait. So once I had the keys, I took it to a road more winding to gauge how it handled corners.

Even though this Grand Cherokee generation debuted in 2011, it is based on the Mercedes-Benz ML-Class that arrived in 2005, dating it at almost 17 years. However, the Mercedes-Benz platform also meant the Grand Cherokee upgraded from a live rear axle to a more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension arrangement. It also brought a stiffer body structure.

As a result, the S-Limited handles with poise, up to a point. The electric steering offers good weighting, and the front-end responds more keenly than you would expect. The eight-speed ZF transmission and disc brakes also stand up well, both offering good feedback.

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Push beyond six tenths, though, and bodyroll on fixed-rate suspension increases noticeably. The sidewall flex on the 50-profile tyres also delays its responses. Meanwhile, the Continental Crosscontact tyres offer low grip, allowing wheelspin as the rear open differential struggles out of tighter corners.

However, the Jeep’s obvious limits should not surprise. The S-Limited touches on a time when a V8 was a reliable way to put smooth, effortless power in a big, luxury-focused car. Call it the V8 Calais of the Jeep Grand Cherokee range. But just don’t ask me how fast it is.

The S-Limited handles with poise, up to a point. The electric steering offers good weighting and responds more keenly than you would expect.

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Update 2: In for the Strong Haul

Grand Cherokee earns its keep with a tow

Fuel this month: 405km @ 14.9L/100km
Fuel consumption so far: 2750km @ 13.0L/100km

Filthy. That’s how my Honda Integra Type R sits (unregistered) on one side of my garage. Anyway, it might have been the snap Melbourne lockdown forcing me into the garage, but I decided it was time for at least a wash. However, since I wanted to test the Jeep Grand Cherokee S-Limited’s towing ability, the two needs became mutually beneficial.

I’d rent a car trailer and clean the Integra at a DIY wash bay. This would give me a chance to test both the Jeep’s 750kg unbraked and 3500kg braked towing capacity while exploring more of its peripheral features.

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It’s nice to know, for example, that a towing package is included as standard on the S-Limited. It’s integrated well into the rear bumper and when I arrived to pick up the trailer, I discovered another handy feature as well.

First, like most cars, the reverse camera’s image is overlaid with lines to show where your rear wheels are going. But there’s another line for the tow ball that changes trajectory with your steering input, so you can line up a hitch. It works an absolute treat.

Backing the S-Limited into a cramped servo car park to hitch a trailer is always going to be tricky, but this centre line impressively reduced a lot of the guesswork.

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Once loaded onto the trailer, we still weren’t near the S-Limited’s 3500kg tow rating or 6099kg maximum gross combined mass. The trailer only weighed 1876kg total, with the Integra’s 1087kg (tare) aboard. Combined with the S-Limited’s 2370kg and my 80kg, we only weighed around 4330kg in total. But it made a difference.

You can feel the 180kg hanging from the tow ball lifting the S-Limited’s nose to lighten the steering ever so slightly. It also pre-loaded the rear suspension and reduced the damping’s well-judged absorbency over urban roads. The brakes certainly felt it, as well, when the trailer’s system annoyingly disengaged too early at traffic lights.

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Again, however, the Jeep’s Hemi V8 powertrain proved it’s ever the workhorse. Even on the highway at 90km/h, the S-Limited pulled much more convincingly than an Iveco 50C van I was reviewing with only 950kg aboard. The eight-speed transmission was also unfazed by the extra load, upshifting and downshifting with ease.

Overall, the Grand Cherokee S-Limited does a bloody good job towing. Yes, you’ll know when something close to two tonnes is hanging out back, while the ride and steering response might also deteriorate the closer you get to 3500kg. It’s still no truck.

Just make sure you check the car wash is open before you plan a journey to one...

The Hemi V8 proved it’s ever the workhorse. Even on the highway, the S-Limited pulled more convincingly than an Iveco 50C van with only 950kg aboard.

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Update 3: Done dirt Jeep

Sombre send-off for bent-eight bruiser

Fuel this month: 897km @ 13.3L/100km
Total Fuel consumption: 3820km @ 13.1L/100km

When someone from the PR team at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) appeared on my phone, my heart sank. I quickly realised why they were calling. My Jeep Grand Cherokee S-Limited was expected back – and it was overdue.

But that didn’t make the phone call any less of a surprise. While I had partly forgotten, it spoke to how comfortable I had grown with having the S-Limited around.

I know, a V8-powered large SUV in inner-city Melbourne doesn’t seem like the most pragmatic choice, but the Jeep always had a way of proving itself useful during a changing roster of press cars. And for a wide range of reasons, too.

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Sure, as we documented a couple months ago, its handling composure is bound to wilt as you ratchet up the commitment in corners. But for most driving, it steers positively and responds to inputs predictably.

So, despite its considerable bulk at 2303kg, the Jeep felt manoeuvrable in urban confines. And highway stuff? Easy. Mainly because the S-Limited variant’s suspension tune offers a welcome degree of touring compliance. Its damping is perfectly judged over the undulations you’d find on the open road, while 50-profile tyres help absorb minor intrusions.

This ride quality and leather seats that are firm and supportive lulled my family to sleep during a trip to Benalla. And I happily did all the driving for the four-hour round journey, thanks in part to a full suite of active safety gear.

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For the most part, the Jeep’s active cruise control system works great. The radar maintains distances well, and it’s refreshing to adjust the set speed with buttons on the steering wheel instead of with a stalk hidden away like some European cars I’ve tested recently.

Better is the boot that’s been designed for easy loading, with rear seats that fold level with the floor and the convenience of a powered tailgate, all of which made the Jeep the default choice for airport trips.

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You’d never find yourself wanting for convenience, either. I was grateful to sit on the S-Limited variant’s heated seats as temperatures begun their descent into a bone-chilling winter. The S-Limited also has a heated steering wheel, but it only has one mode (scorching), so I’d turn it off after a couple of minutes.

There are loads of extra features, too. Like rear seat 60/40 folding split, an 18-inch space saver under the boot floor, ISOFIX seat anchors, rear ventilation, and twin USB ports in both the front and rear. Smartphone mirroring is the preferred choice for infotainment, but the native U-Connect software is reasonably intuitive and well designed.

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The Jeep’s thirst was to be expected. Obviously, our overall average 13.1L/100km (which matched Jeep’s claim) consumption figure is up there. Especially compared to diesel engines in the segment. But for a 5.7-litre V8 that can comfortably haul a car on a trailer, that’s the price for something with a lovable growl and unbeatable throttle response.

But as for gripes? Objectively, the Grand Cherokee lacked interior refinement. The steering wheel buttons feel cheap. The plastics around the centre console and outboard vents look dreary in grey. And the foot brake is a primitive throw-back.

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But, despite its age, the S-Limited strikes a unique balance of talents, including on-road driving pleasure and comfort, practicality, driveability – underpinned with off-road features that have been verified as more than just pretensions.

This combination will be even rarer after the Mitsubishi Pajero bows out this year. Still, here’s hoping the new generation Grand Cherokee – based on the Alfa Romeo Giorgio platform – can repeat the formula when it arrives within the next year or so. Hopefully on time, unlike yours truly.

Despite its age, the S-Limited strikes a unique balance of talents – underpinned with off-road features that have been verified as more than just pretensions.

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