2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve First Drive
Next generation Jeep Grand Cherokee has evolved into a stunning luxury SUV.
The three-row Jeep Grand Cherokee L introduced the world to the next generation of the legendary SUV and sales have been strong, but many people have been waiting for the traditional two-row version. That wait is over, as earlier this month, we traveled with the Jeep brand to Moab to experience the 2022 Grand Cherokee without the “L”, offering more interior space, more premium interior features and the exterior design that was previewed on the three-row models earlier this year.
Unsurprisingly, the two-row next generation Grand Cherokee is just as impressive as the larger L models and the roads of Moab were the perfect place to experience the range topping Summit Reserve trim level. We spent three hours touring cruising along the Colorado River and up into the hills around Moab, and this new Jeep is a flawless evolution of the popular SUV.
Bigger without Feeling Bigger
The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee is 3.4 inches longer than the outgoing model with 2 inches of that being between the wheels. That increase in exterior dimensions leads to a noticeably larger cabin, but some people are concerned that it will feel bigger on the road. One of the charms of the Grand Cherokee is that it offers a ton of interior space without feeling like a big, truck-based SUV while the buyers who like that truck feeling will want to go with a Wagoneer or Grand Wagoneer.
Fortunately, while the 2022 Grand Cherokee has gotten bigger, it doesn’t feel bigger on the road. When I headed to the event in Moab, I was driving a Grand Cherokee L at home and when I got home, I exchanged the L for a Wagoneer. The driving dynamics of the Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L aren’t all that different, and that is one of the things that impressed me about the L – it simply doesn’t feel like a three-row SUV. The two-row Grand Cherokee has gotten bigger, but overall, it maintains a similar feel to the current, smaller models.
Our drive route took us out of downtown Moab along Utah Route 128, which is a winding road that runs north along the Colorado River. Simply put, it is one of the most beautiful drive routes that I have experienced, but with all of the twists and turns, with towering rock walls on both sides for much of the drive, it doesn’t seem like the best place to push a roomy two-row SUV. The route is surely a blast in a sports car, but 95% of the vehicles on this stretch of road are trucks and SUVs, so it is a great location to test and SUV. On this twisty road, the 2022 Grand Cherokee handled beautifully, with no body roll under normal driving conditions.
After driving along the Colorado River for some time, we turned off of 128, onto La Sal Mountain Lane. This road is pretty extreme, taking us to one of the highest peaks in the area on a narrow two-row road that is barely wide enough for two SUVs. There is no shoulder in most places, with a sheer rock wall on one side and a sheer drop off on the other side, with many switchbacks and tight turns along the drive to the peak. This road really showed how nimble the 2022 Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve is in conditions that few drivers will experience. This SUV handled the tight, twisting ridge road so well that few roads in the United States will prove to be uncomfortable for the new Jeep Grand Cherokee.
2022 Grand Cherokee Performance
Our 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve test vehicle was powered by the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, delivering 293 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque with help from an 8-speed automatic transmission and an advanced four-wheel-drive system. While anyone who really wants Hemi power should opt for the V8, the V6 provides surprising acceleration and top end speed. From a stop, it accelerates well up to any posted speed limit in the United States as quick as most drivers will ever want, and when cruising along on the highway, stepping down to pass slow traffic leads to prompt acceleration. Even when climbing the steep mountain ridge road, accelerating out of tight turns at high elevation, the Pentastar V6 never felt like it was hurting for power. Also, while out on the flat, open roads, we learned that the V6 Grand Cherokee will quickly get up past 100 miles per hour, so if you are in a serious hurry, the Pentastar-powered two-row has the gusto.
As mentioned above, the 2022 Grand Cherokee handles the curvy roads well, especially when the Sport drive mode is selected with the air suspension system. When pushing the big Jeep hard on the twisty ridge roads, there was very little body roll under conditions that few drivers will ever experience. I understand that no 2022 Grand Cherokee owners are buying them to go road racing, but if you were taking your family on vacation in an area with very twisty roads, your passengers wont have to hold on for dear life around the tight turns. Best of all, the handling is achieved without compromising ride quality, as the new Grand Cherokee is remarkably smooth, with very little road noise making it through the chassis into the cabin.
Finally, the 2022 Grand Cherokee offers impressive braking capabilities under extreme situations. When heading up the mountain road, there were several situations where we were on the brakes hard, over and over, as we made our way through the tightest turns. The bigger test was when we were coming back down the mountain, with the gravity working against us when slowing down for the hardest turns. Even towards the end, when we had been using the brakes hard for quite some time, there was no issue slowing down with the big Jeep.
Comfort and Technology
The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve features stunning Palermo leather on the seats, dash, door panels, steering wheel and center console, creating an ultra premium look against the contrast of the bright wood trim. The seats are very comfortable “at rest”, but with the push of a few buttons, you can have a surface that is either heated or cooled, along with a massaging feature that is great on a long drive. There is more than enough space in the front seats and the back seats for someone who is 6-feet tall to sit comfortably in any seating position without making any adjustments.
While the plush leather seats and bright wood trim draws the most attention upon entering the 2022 Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve, when you hit the start button, the cabin comes to life with premium technology. This includes the huge driver information screen with a wide variety of gauge options and in-cluster navigation, with the buttons on the steering wheel allowing you to make changes of that gauge cluster layout on the fly. Above the dash is one of the best head-up displays on the market, with a huge readout that includes navigation information, vehicle speed, the speed limit and information on the blind spot warning system.
The centerpiece of the Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve cabin is the 10.1-inch touchscreen mounted high on the dash, which offers full control of the vehicle’s functions with the UConnect 5 system. UConnect offers the most user-friendly software, leading to simple control of the climate control, the navigation system, the sound system, the hands-free phone system and many vehicle settings. When paired with the 19-speaker McIntosh high performance sound system and the 10.1-inch passenger screen, there is no entertainment system in the segment that comes close to competing with the Summit Reserve.
Best Grand Cherokee Ever
After spending a few hours driving the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve, there is no question that for anyone looking for a premium SUV for the daily drive, this is the best Grand Cherokee ever.
The level of interior luxury is unrivaled in the $70,000 price range of our test vehicle and the extra interior space makes this a great option for the daily commute or a cross-country trip with the family. The new Grand Cherokee offers more luxury and more space, but it grows without driving like the larger SUVs on the market today.
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