2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee

From Edmunds:   The Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León never found the mythical fountain of youth. But he would have been impressed with the 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Although it's part of the current generation that debuted way back in 2011, this year's Grand Cherokee is still one of the better picks for a five-passenger midsize SUV. A big reason is model diversity. It is available in seven trim levels and offers a myriad of options available at each trim level. You want a basic but still relatively well-equipped version of the Grand Cherokee for a reasonable price? Jeep's got you covered. Or how about a fully loaded luxury family hauler? No problem there either. As expected, the Grand Cherokee is also one of the best off-roading SUVs around. You can equip it with one of the off-road suspension packages or just upgrade to the Trailhawk version. If on-road performance is your thing, Jeep has the brutish SRT and 707-horsepower Trackhawk variants on tap.  What connects all these varying Grand Cherokee models is impressive interior quality and solid foundation of utility. So whether you're looking to go off the beaten path, burn up all four tires on a drag strip, or just take the kids to school in comfort, there's probably a Jeep Grand Cherokee for you. Edmunds' Expert Rating 7.4 / 10 Trim tested Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit (3.6L V6 8-speed automatic 4WD).                         Driving 7.0 The standard V6 in the Grand Cherokee isn't very exciting. In our testing, 0-60 mph took 8.0 seconds, which is slow for a five-passenger midsize SUV. We'd suggest getting the optional V8. The brakes, however, are strong. In Edmunds testing, a stop from 60 mph took 124 feet a reasonably short distance for a rig this size. A downside is the Grand Cherokee's significant weight, which affects acceleration, handling and overall drivability. Another negative is the steering, which feels disconnected from the road. This combo makes the Grand Cherokee overly heavy and lethargic to pilot around turns. For off-roading, though, the GC does well thanks to several available off-road-ready options. Comfort 7.0 The Grand Cherokee provides an isolated feel in the cabin. The V6 is nicely muted most of the time. At full throttle, there's a bit of a rumble from under the hood that is neither annoying nor particularly satisfying. Otherwise, it's quiet to the point that it's almost serene. The seats are very supportive and the air conditioning works quickly. The heated and ventilated seats, however, aren't very effective. Our test vehicle came equipped with the optional air suspension. We weren't impressed. It provides a somewhat floaty ride quality on the highway and struggles to soak up smaller pavement ripples, allowing significant vibration to enter the cabin. Big bumps are absorbed to a point, but hit one midcorner and the JGC loses its handling composure. The standard suspension might be a better choice. Interior 8.0 The Grand Cherokee has plenty of interior space with generous headroom and legroom in all four major seating positions. It also has a commanding driving position, good visibility and relatively simple controls. Despite that high seating position, everything is within the driver's reach thanks to an impressive range of seat and steering-wheel adjustability. The Uconnect infotainment interface is a bit dated, but it's still easy to use thanks to large, grippy knobs for the stereo and fan speed. So the only real shortcomings are the thick windshield pillars that partially obscure your view through turns. Utility 7.5 While the Grand Cherokee is certainly utilitarian in nature, its 36.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats isn't class-leading. It trails behind smaller vehicles such as the Honda CR-V. This smaller space is mostly due to the full-size s