The idea of what a Jeep is, or could be, has completely changed in the last decade. Early century rhetoric classified Jeep vehicles as off-road buggies, which didn’t deter the brand from leaning into that market. As we enter the next decade, it’s vital that manufacturers tend to the emerging needs of a new market, and Jeep is doing exactly that.
With new Jeep models geared towards luxury, everyday drivers; you can expect more efficiency and reliability in their vehicles – specifically the new Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited. The 2021 6.2 L 295/HP vehicle is a slick ride with style and comfort that makes the everyday drive an experience. To fully test the comfort and ride of this mid-sized SUV, we took it on a cross country road trek from the midwest to the curvy beaches of the Massachusetts bay, down through the bustling streets of New York City, back home to Cincinnati just in time for Sunday dinner. After about 30 hours of drive time, we concluded that the Cherokee is no longer just for frisbee golfers and rock climbers; executives and officials are also going to love this vehicle.
The interior of the vehicle boasts comfort with spacious, plush leather seats. Three adults with extensive luggage and equipment can ride comfortably with plenty of space for back seat naps, staying true to Jeep’s staple spacious hatchback functionality. After the first 14 hour haul to New Bedford, we had a quick gear and luggage drop off, a swift pretzel wrapper and coffee cup clean up, followed by a Armor All wipe down; the vehicle quickly transformed from a road trippers dream to a luxury networking vehicle – giving style to our arrival when it was time for meetings and work days. Even with a seemingly higher end feel, the trade mark aspects that Jeep drivers love still seem to be present.
Gas mileage and powertrain has drastically improved on these vehicles. Riding in the cab was quiet, driving various roadway conditions was smooth, and city parking was a breeze. The brakes seemed to be a little sensitive compared to other midsize SUVs, which took some time to get used to – since that aspect is mostly based on preference, no points lost there. We averaged about 26 MPG and about $35.00 when filling up the gas tank – which for the size of the vehicle is rather impressive. Even with driving long distances, the 60 liter fuel tank capacity made for fewer fill-up stops, allowing us to reach our destinations in ample time. When we made our way through the back country roads of Pennsylvania into the thick city traffic of New York City, the back up camera became our best friend when parallel parking in the narrow streets of Brooklyn.
With remote working becoming the new normal for many people, car manufactures are beginning to accommodate and advertise their vehicles as mobile workstations. Living a digitally nomadic lifestyle, features like spacious areas and power voltage accessibility are very important to me. The interior ergonomics and functionality play a huge role in my car buying and driving decisions. The 2021 Jeep Cherokee makes working on the road more than doable – even when working on difficult projects that require external devices like a hard drive or wireless mouse. Behind the center console between the two front seats sits a built-in 115 volt power plug that was perfect for keeping my laptop powered and camera batteries charged. This outlet works well for either the front passenger or anyone in the spacious back seat which also has well placed cup holders and USB input options for charging phones and devices. Rating this mobile office setup as more comfortable, or even “as” comfortable, than my home office would be a stretch; but for those “get it done-ers” it’s more than enough.
When I am looking for a road-trip work mobile that needs to perform throughout the long haul, I normally wouldn’t go towards Jeep. We weren’t traveling through muddy, desert, jungle areas or rocky roads that require power to all four wheels, but Jeep has evolved beyond that stereotypical standard. The luxury, everyday drivers are just that, and more; with reliability that leaves more time to focus on the road ahead. The versatility of Jeep’s new line will bring joy to future car buyers. As the clean sharpness of the 2021 Jeep Cherokee made for a professional drive and feel throughout upper Manhattan, it sure would look good with some mud on it.
Nick Schultz
Creative Specialist
Mark Williams Auto Group
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