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What's New for the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Jeep's Grand Cherokee is completely redesigned for 2005, with fresh bodywork, a new interior, and available Hemi V8 power under the hood. Jeep's goal with the new JGC: retain it's "trail-rated" Rubicon-busting capability while simultaneously making it ride and drive more like a car. Mission accomplished. And to drive that point home, a Rocky Mountain Edition debuted mid-year, including special interior and exterior trim, and useful features like heated front seats, heated exterior mirrors, a programmable garage door opener, power adjustable pedals, and a sunroof. The Rocky Mountain Edition also receives a Boston Accoustics audio system with a six-disc in-dash CD changer and audio controls on the steering wheel. Advantages of the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee:
- Go anywhere and do anything four-wheel-drive capability
- Strong acceleration with optional Hemi engine
- Rugged good looks
- Impressive powertrain warranty
- Greatly improved front seat comfort
Objections to the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee: - Rides like a Buick on the highway
- Poor fuel economy with optional V8 engines
- High price when loaded with equipment
- Shiny interior plastics
- Small cargo space
Editor's Advice:
Jeeps are designed from the ground up to travel the country from coast to coast touching nothing but dirt, rocks, mud, and water. This means that when driven primarily on the pavement, Jeeps typically do not compare favorably with most SUVs, particularly the crossovers. That changes with the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is just as capable cruising blacktop as it is crushing boulders. We're not terribly happy that suspension engineers have tuned the Grand Cherokee to ride like a Buick around town, but most people will love the soft ride quality, the prodigious power from the optional Hemi V8, and comfortable new seats. Beware, however, that the optional Hemi is a thirsty engine in city driving, and that the Grand Cherokee offers scarcely more interior space than a Ford Escape or Honda CR-V. Though greatly improved, we still judge the Grand Cherokee a smart buy only for those folks who really do go off-roading.
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