The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee comes with a $400 price bump and starts at $30,395. For the price rise, the Grand Cherokee now gets a rear parking sensor and a rearview camera as standard. Another addition for this year is the off-road-ready Trailhawk trim that comes with off-road tires, air suspension, and various off-road enhancements. The standard Grand Cherokee comes with a V6 engine that offers under 8.0 seconds 0-60 mph timing, 6,200 pounds towing capacity, and a respectable 21 mpg of combined gas mileage. As usual, the advanced safety and driver-assist features are reserved for the top Summit trim and as a result, the 2017 Grand Cherokee missed out on getting a perfect overall safety score by NHTSA.
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The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee is among the most capable off-roader SUV in its segment. It comes in as many as five trim levels and starts at as low as $30,395. The 2017 Grand Cherokee is powered by a 295 hp, V6 engine with the option of upgrading to either a V8 or a turbodiesel V6 engine. All three engine options have their own pros and manage to cater to a large set of audience. The Grand Cherokee price range varies from $30,395 to $53,495 which is a big range and Jeep has ensured that you get your money's worth.
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Trim
The base trim is decently stacked and gets a premium-looking cabin but as you climb the trim levels the premium-looking cabin transforms into something that can rival the luxurious cabins seen on pricier European SUVs. The exterior looks of the Grand Cherokee see no major changes while the safety ratings are satisfactory for the segment. The 2017 Grand Cherokee slots in the midsize segment and goes head-on with the likes of Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer, and GMC Acadia.
Features
8.5/10
The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee is available in six trim levels that include Laredo, Limited, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, and SRT. The Grand Cherokee SRT is the high-performance version of the standard Grand Cherokee so we have covered it in a separate review, so don't forget to check it out. The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee starts at $30,395 for the Laredo trim level, $37,995 for the Limited trim level, $43,095 for the Trailhawk trim level, $44,795 for the Overland trim level, and $50,495 for the topmost Summit trim level. All the trims are powered by a V6 gas engine while from the Limited trim and above you also get the option to choose between the available turbodiesel V6 and a gas-powered V8 engine.
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Angular Front View
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Angular Rear View
Except for the Trailhwak trim that comes with a 4WD configuration as standard, all the other trim levels are RWD as standard while the 4WD is available for an extra cost. Right from the base trim the Grand Cherokee comes with a lot of desirable features and has added the rear parking sensor and a rearview camera as standard this year. Although the advanced driver-assist features are clustered on the Summit trim making you pay over fifty grand if you want to have access to features like forward collision mitigation with automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and a few more.
Trims
Laredo
Limited
Trailhawk
Overland
Summit
MSRP (2WD)
$30,395
$37,995
N/A
$44,795
$50,495
MSRP (4WD)
$32,695
$39,995
$43,095
$47,795
$53,495
Key Features
295 hp, 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 enigne
Adds or upgrades to 'Laredo'
Adds or upgrades to 'Limited'
Adds or upgrades to 'Limited'
Adds or upgrades to 'Overland'
Automatic headlights
18-inch alloy wheels
18-inch alloy wheels w/ off-road tires
20-inch alloy wheels
Self-parking system w/ front parking sensors
17-inch alloy wheels
Power liftgate
Adjustable air suspension
Dual-pane panoramic sunroof
20-inch polished alloy wheels
Keyless entry and push-button start
Remote start
Electronic limited-slip differential
Xenon headlights w/ automatic high beam
Upgraded leather upholstery
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Heated front and rear seats
Power-folding mirrors
Power-adjustable steering wheel
Adaptive cruise control
5-inch touchscreen w/ six-speaker sound system
Leather-trimmed seats
8.4-inch touchscreen w/ nine-speaker sound system
Navigation
Lane departure warning
Rearview camera
Power-adjustable front seats w/ driver's seat memory function
Ventilated front seats
Blind-spot monitoring w/ rear cross-traffic alert
We Recommend
For a buyer looking to go for the Grand Cherokee, we suggest putting your money on the Trailhawk trim that comes at $43,095. For approximately a ten grand premium over the base trim, you get Trailhawk specific exterior trims, an adaptive air suspension setup, more off-road-oriented equipment, an underbody skid plate, a bigger touchscreen and a better audio setup, etc. These nifty features not only improve the off-road prowess of your Grand Cherokee but the exterior enhancements make your steed stand out from the mundane Grand Cherokee.
Engine and Performance
8.2/10
"The EcoDiesel V6 is the way to go if you're serious about fuel economy, towing and off-roading. Plus, it's quicker than the standard V6."-Edmunds
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine and Transmission
The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee is powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine that is mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. The V6 engine puts out 295 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque which is channeled via an 8-speed automatic gearbox to the rear wheels as standard. All the trims come with an option of upgrading to a 4WD configuration while the Trailhawk trim comes with the 4WD configuration as standard.
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Bay
Except for the base trim, all the other trim levels come with a choice of a 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel V6 engine or a 5.7-liter V8 engine. The turbodiesel V6 engine puts out 240 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque while the V8 engine produces 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. The standard V6 engine is sufficient for daily driving and highway crushing while those who need more power can go for the bigger V8 engine and the mileage-conscious folks are better off with the turbodiesel V6 engine option.
Models
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2017 Toyota Highlander
2017 GMC Acadia
2017 Ford Explorer
MSRP
$30,395
$32,680
$29,070
$31,660
Engine
3.6-liter V6
3.5-liter V6
2.5-liter Inline-4
3.5-liter V6
Transmission
8-Speed Automatic
8-Speed Automatic
6-Speed Automatic
6-Speed Automatic
Power
295 hp @ 6400 rpm
295 hp @ 6600 rpm
194 hp @ 6300 rpm
290 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque
260 lb.-ft @ 4800 rpm
263 lb.-ft @ 4700 rpm
190 lb.-ft @ 4400 rpm
255 lb.-ft @ 4000 rpm
The GMC Acadia is not only the cheapest SUV in this comparison but also the only one that comes with an inline-4 engine when for a slight premium the rivals get much powerful V6 engine options. Among the V6-powered SUVs, the Toyota Highlander produces the highest power and torque figures. Compared to it the Grand Cherokee puts out a similar power figure but 3 lb-ft less torque.
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Acceleration
The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee powered by the V6 engine can sprint from 0-60 mph in 7.6 seconds while it took 15.7 seconds to cover the quarter-mile. The Grand Cherokee isn't the faster V6-powered SUV here and that is attributed majorly to its 4,545 pounds curb weight and a slow-to-respond eight-speed automatic gearbox. Those looking for quicker acceleration time can opt for the V8-powered Grand Cherokee that goes from 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds and covers the quarter-mile in 14.8 seconds.
Models
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2017 Toyota Highlander
2017 GMC Acadia
2017 Ford Explorer
0-60 MPH
7.6 sec
7.2 sec
9.3 sec
7.4 sec
Quarter mile
15.7 sec
15.5 sec
N/A
15.2 sec
Engine
3.6-liter V6
3.5-liter V6
2.5-liter Inline-4
3.5-liter V6
Among the rivals, the more torquey Toyota Highlander is 0.4 seconds quicker in the 0-60 mph run compared to the Grand Cherokee. While the less powerful Ford Explorer manages to cover the fastest quarter-mile and beats the Grand Cherokee's quarter-mile time by half a second.
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ride and Handling
The heavy curb weight and a stiffer suspension setup ensure that the Grand Cherokee not only rides stiffs but isn't exciting to handle either. The steering wheel is chunky and feels good to hold but feels disconnected thus robbing you of the feel of driving the Grand Cherokee with confidence.
The heavier curb weight of the Grand Cherokee gives you a planted feel while doing highway speeds but being a big SUV there is plenty of body roll and pushing around the corners will unsettle the Grand Cherokee in no time. Although the Grand Cherokee thanks to the adaptive air suspension and a competent 4WD setup rides and handles well off-road.
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Braking
The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee is equipped with a 13.0-inch disc at both front and rear. The setup stops the 4,544 pounds Grand Cherokee from 60-0 mph in 116 feet.
Model
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2017 Toyota Highlander
2017 GMC Acadia
2017 Ford Explorer
Brake Front(in)
13.0
12.9
17.0
12.8
Brake Rear(in)
13.0
12.2
17.0
12.8
Curb weight(lbs)
4,545
4,244
3,956
4,443
60-0 MPH (ft.)
116
126
126
127
None of the rivals weigh more than the Grand Cherokee yet they took more than 10 feet to brake from 60-0 mph compared to it.
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Towing Capacity
The V6-powered Grand Cherokee can tow up to 3500 pounds while the same equipped with the towing package takes the towing capacity to 6,200 pounds. The V8-powered and turbodiesel V6 powered Grand Cherokee can tow up to 7,200 pounds.
Model
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2017 Toyota Highlander
2017 GMC Acadia
2017 Ford Explorer
Towing Capacity (lbs)
3500
5000
1000
5000
In their standard guise, the Toyota Highlander and Ford Explorer can both tow 1500 pounds more compared to the Grand Cherokee. While the inline-4 powered Acadia has the least towing capacity among all.
Fuel Economy
6.9/10
As per the EPA, the V6-powered 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee returns 19 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway, and 21 mpg combined. Replacing the RWD with the 4WD configuration sees a dip of one mpg across the three parameters. The turbodiesel V6 engine of the Grand Cherokee is the most frugal and it returns 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. While the V8 engine of the Grand Cherokee is a gas guzzler and you can expect it to return somewhere around 14 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.
Model
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2017 Toyota Highlander
2017 GMC Acadia
2017 Ford Explorer
MPG (city)
19
21
21
17
MPG (highway)
26
27
26
24
MPG (combined)
21
23
23
20
Fuel Capacity (Gallons)
24.6
19.2
19.0
18.6
.Among the V6-powered rival SUVs, the Toyota Highlander is the most fuel-efficient and beats the Grand Cherokee's EPA estimates by 2 mpg in the city and 1 mpg on the highway. The Ford Explorer on the other hand is the least efficient among all and also comes with the smallest fuel tank of just 18.6-gallon compared to it the Grand Cherokee gets a 24.6-gallon fuel tank which is the largest among all.
Interior
8.6/10
"Jeep's most recent improvements certainly make the Grand Cherokee's cabin a nice place to be. " - Edmunds
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Seating and Comfort
For an affordable midsize SUV costing slightly over thirty grands, the Grand Cherokee's interiors are well designed and look premium for the most part. The dash design is simple and is done in a typical Jeep fashion. The Jeep Grand Cherokee due to its higher seating position allows for a commanding view to its driver although the chunky roof pillars cause massive blindspots while going around the corner. Being a tall SUV with around 8.6-inches of ground clearance smaller folks may need to climb inside the cabin but the available adaptive air suspensions make that easy by lowering the ride height while your ingress and egress.
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Dashboard
The Grand Cherokee Laredo trim gets fabric-trimmed seats with manual adjustment but climbing above the trim levels gets you leather-trimmed seats and power-adjustable seats with heating and ventilation function. With leather or without leather the seats of the Grand Cherokee are comfortable for the most part and provide sufficient support. The rear seats are also comfortable and offer recline function to adjust the seat angle according to your comfort. Being a two-row five-seater SUV there is no dearth of legroom inside the cabin. While the Grand Cherokee is a tall and wide SUV for its segment so there is no question of compromise in terms of headroom and shoulder room.
Model
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2017 Toyota Highlander
2017 GMC Acadia
2017 Ford Explorer
Passenger capacity
5
8
7
7
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)
39.9/ 58.7/ 40.3
40.7/ 59.3/ 44.2
40.3/ 59.4/ 41.0
41.4/ 61.5/ 42.9
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)
39.2/ 58.0/ 38.6
39.9/ 59.6/ 38.4
39.6/ 58.7/ 39.7
40.6/ 61.0/ 39.5
Third (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)
N/A
35.9/ 55.0/ 27.7
37.2/ 54.3/ 31.1
37.8/ 50.8/ 32.0
All the rivals here, are available standard as a three-row seven or eight-seater SUV except for the Grand Cherokee. Although the Grand Cherokee has the longest wheelbase it is the Ford Explorer that has the best legroom and space in all three rows. The Toyota Highlander is the least spacious three-row SUV especially in the third row while the GMC Acadia slots between the Explorer and Highlander in terms of cabin space.
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Trim Interior
Interior Features
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Leather-wrapped steering wheel
Available eight-way power-adjustable front seats w/ four-way lumbar adjustment
Available heated front and rear seats
Available heated steering wheel
Available leather upholstery
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Infotainment System
The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee features a Uconnect infotainment interface that runs on a 5-inch touchscreen on the Laredo and Limited trim levels while the Trailhawk trim and above gets a bigger 8.4-inch touchscreen. The infotainment interface is easy-to-use for the most part and the bigger touchscreen further improves the usability with sharper image quality and bigger icons. The Laredo and Limited trims come with a mediocre six-speaker sound setup while the nine-speaker sound system available with the 8.4-inch touchscreen is the real deal for the audiophiles here.
Key infotainment features include:
USB connection
Auxiliary audio input
USB ports w/ external media control
Satellite radio
AM/FM radio
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Cargo Capacity
The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee has a cargo capacity of 36.3 cubic feet behind its rear seats which can be expanded to up to 68.3 cubic feet by folding the rear seats down. The cargo capacity is not only mediocre in the segment but also the higher boot lip and taller ride height make it a task to load luggage inside the cargo area. The adaptive air suspension equipped Grand Cherokee is a saving grace here as they lower the boot lip making it easy to put in heavy luggage.
Model
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2017 Toyota Highlander
2017 GMC Acadia
2017 Ford Explorer
Cargo Capacity behind 3rd Row (ft.3)
N/A
13.8
12.8
21.0
Cargo Capacity behind 2nd Row (ft.3)
36.3
42.3
41.7
43.8
Cargo Capacity behind 1st Row (ft.3)
68.3
83.7
79.0
80.7
As all the SUVs except for the Grand Cherokee are three-row SUVs we will compare the cargo space behind the 2nd-row seats. In this comparison, the Ford Explorer offers the highest cargo capacity of 43.8 cubic feet followed by the Highlander with 41.7 cubic feet. Compared to the two the cargo capacity of the Grand Cherokee is short by 7.5 cubic feet and 6 cubic feet respectively.
Exterior
8.6/10
"From the big, bluff front to the slabby sides, the Cherokee oozes macho off-roader credentials. " - Cars Guide
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Dimensions and Weights
The 2017 Grand Cherokee has grown over time into a machine that strikes a fine balance between classic and contemporary. The boxy design of the Grand Cherokee has been rounded around the corners to give it a more modern look. Upfront the slimmer headlights and all-new seven-slat grille lend it the uncanny Jeep looks with an upmarket appeal. Moving to the sides who will notice the stark resemblance to European styling with a clean design and big square wheel arches.
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Front
The 8.6-inches of ground clearance is evident from the gap between the wheels and the wheel well. While the tall 68.1-inches height of the Grand Cherokee gives it an imposing stance. The wheelbase of the Grand Cherokee is 114.8-inches, the longest among rivals but due to the shorter overhang, the cargo space gets compromised. At the rear, the wrap-around taillamps extend up to the boot lid.
Model
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2017 Toyota Highlander
2017 GMC Acadia
2017 Ford Explorer
Curb weight(lbs)
4,545
4,244
3,956
4,443
Length(in)
189.8
192.5
193.6
198.3
Width(in)
76.5
75.8
75.4
78.9
Height(in)
68.1
68.1
66.0
70.0
Ground clearance(in)
8.6
8.0
7.2
7.8
Wheelbase(in)
114.8
109.8
112.5
112.8
When we talk about dimensions there is no comparison of the Ford Explorer's length, width, or height. Compared to it the Grand Cherokee is 8.5-inches smaller, 2.4-inches less wide, and 1.9-inches shorter. Although the Grand Cherokee comes with the highest ground clearance, highest curb weight, and the longest wheelbase among all the rivals.
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Rear
Exterior Features
17-inch alloy wheels
Automatic headlights
Rear parking sensors
Foglights
Available 18- and 20-inch alloy wheels
Available dual-pane panoramic sunroof
Available Xenon headlights w/ LED daytime running lights
Safety
9.2/10
Even though the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee boasts of a tough build, the lack of advanced safety and driver-assist features as standard crippled its chance of impressing the safety agencies. The NHTSA gave the 2017 Grand Cherokee an overall rating of four out of five stars, the front and side crash test were rated a perfect five stars while the rollover mitigation was rated three out of five stars.
Meanwhile, the IIHS gave the 2017 Grand Cherokee the highest rating of 'Good' in four out of five parameters while the small front overlap crash was rated as second-lowest 'Marginal' for the driver side and lowest 'Poor' for the passenger side.
Safety Features:
Rearview Camera w/ rear parking sensors
Electronic Stability Control
Available adaptive cruise control
Available Hill Start and Descent Control
Available Park assist w/ front parking sensors
Available forward-collision mitigation w/ automatic emergency braking
Competition
7.0/10
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs 2017 Toyota Highlander
The 2017 Toyota Highlander costs two grands more than the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee but for the small premium, it gets extra third-row seats and a more torquey V6-engine. The Highlander is lighter than the Grand Cherokee which helps it put quicker 0-60 mph and quarter-mile timing. Not only this the Highlander returns a better gas mileage in both city and highway driving conditions compared to the Grand Cherokee.
2017 Toyota Highlander
When we talk about the cabin space the Highlander not only has an extra row of seating space but offers better shoulder and legroom in the first two rows compared to the Grand Cherokee. Even though the Highlander has a smaller wheelbase compared to the Grand Cherokee it is longer than the latter and thus offers more cargo capacity with the third-row folded. So unless you need a serious off-roader the Highlander is a better fit over the Grand Cherokee.
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs 2017 Ford Explorer
If you look at the power and torque figures of the V6-powered Ford Explorer you will be surprised that even though it is less powerful than the Grand Cherokee it still managed to beat the Grand Cherokee in both the 0-60 mph and quarter-mile runs. Although the more powerful Grand Cherokee returns better gas mileage compared to the Ford Explorer.
2017 Ford Explorer
Step inside the cabin and you would realize how spacious the Explorer is even in the third-row seats and compared to that the two-rows Grand Cherokee feels cramped. The Explorer also offers better cargo capacity than the Grand Cherokee which can be attributed to the fact that it is longer than the Grand Cherokee. The Explorer demands a small one grand premium over the Grand Cherokee but offers a more practical and spacious SUV over a rugged Jeep.
Final Verdict
The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a capable off-road SUV especially with the introduction of the Trailhawk trim. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is the lone sub fifty grand SUV that can boast of having a comfortable and luxurious cabin, better on-road manners, and an enviable off-road prowess. This is a rare combo in the affordable midsize SUV segment which is mostly riddled with soft-roaders and mall-crawlers. With a starting price of as low as $30,395 this go-anywhere SUV is best suited for someone who loves off-roading but can't afford to have a separate daily driver and an off-roader.
Features
Trim: Trailhawk 4dr SUV 4WD (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Trailhawk 4dr SUV 4WD (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Summit 4dr SUV 4WD (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Altitude 4dr SUV 4WD (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Laredo 75th Anniversary 4dr SUV 4WD (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Overland 4dr SUV 4WD (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Laredo 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Summit 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Overland 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Altitude 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Laredo 75th Anniversary 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Limited 4dr SUV 4WD (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Limited 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Laredo 4dr SUV 4WD (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Limited 75th Anniversary 4dr SUV 4WD (3.6L 6cyl 8A)