2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee - For Every Turn, There's Cars.com. A Jeep Grand Cherokee 2012

When I first started forceful 20 years ago, I had a few classmates whose parents bought them Jeep Grand Cherokees. That was at the very beginning on this vehicle’s life, before SUVs ruled the road, also it was quite the status symbol in reverse then. While today’s variety is masked by a pretty face also upscale finishes, the Grand Cherokee has sadly failed to evolve its ride quality enough to compete in the company of others on the market. It’s missed some on its modern relevance, especially for the families in the midst of us.

When it comes to forceful character, the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee seems to thumb its nose at most on the population, who fork out extra time on asphalt than they do crossing dry river beds.

The Grand Cherokee had a sum overhaul for 2011, also not a lot has changed in the company of the 2012 model year. See the two compared side by side here. For the 2012 model year, there are four trim levels available: the Laredo in two- also four-wheel drive, the Limited in two- also four-wheel drive, the Overland in two- also four-wheel drive also the high-performance SRT8 4X4. (See the 4×4 versions side by side.) I tested a Limited 4×4.

In size also amenities, the Grand Cherokee competes in the company of models like the Volvo XC90, Audi Q7 also VW Touareg. (See them compared.) Its price starts greatly lower, however higher trim levels are priced on par in the company of these premium models. The Jeep also VW own five seats also the other two offer seven in three rows.

The Grand Cherokee’s face is refined, even upscale-looking, identical time as|during the time that} motionless sporting definite Jeep characteristics. It has traditional Jeep lines that own been slightly smoothed not in to appeal to a extra upscale buyer.

The 20-inch step-in stature on the doorsills also want on running boards, identical time as|during the time that} large for off-road drain clearance, were a provocation for my kids climbing in also not in on the Grand Cherokee. While they enjoyed the challenge, boasting about their mad indoor rock-climbing skills, I was cursing the motor the day I opted to wear a extended dress. My man loved smirking at me while I tried to discreetly hike my dress up tall enough I could step up also over the sill also into the car. I was just grateful I didn’t own any work events requiring me to game a pencil skirt during my weeklong try drive.

There’s just enough storage throughout the Grand Cherokee’s room to function well for families. There are in-door storage bins also bottleholders in the whole amount four doors. The kids in the in reverse also own access to seatback storage pockets. When the center rear seat is unoccupied, the seatback folds to the other end of to come to be an armrest in the company of two cupholders in it.

Storage hooks on the in reverse on the start seats were a large spot for my daughters (ages 7, 9 also 12) to hang their kiddie-sized purses. However, grocery bags also adult-size purses hang to the other end of far enough that they rest on the floor.

The backseat passengers had plenty on lateral space also weren’t too confined even when packed in side by side. Legroom was fine while well, at meanest in the company of the driver’s seat pulled forward to accommodate my 5-foot, 3-inch stature. My daughter sitting behind the passenger seat — which was short of in reverse to make room for my lofty man — was a little shorter lucky, however not uncomfortably so.

Being that the Grand Cherokee seats a sum on five, there’s plenty on space leaving for a large load area, 36.3 cubic feet. A power liftgate was standard on my try car, while the button to run it from the load area is located on the load doorjamb (rather than on the door itself). This requires you to stand underneath the door to press the button, then duck also weave to become not in on its way while it closes. You can also run it via the keyfob or from the start seat.

With the rear seats folded flat, the Grand Cherokee’s load space expands to 68.3 cubic feet, transforming this SUV into a cargo-hauler capable on stashing huge rolls on pink insulation for my kids’ awesome (and well insulated) tree-house. This is a bit larger than the VW Touareg’s 64.0 cubic feet, however shorter than the maximum load space accessible when you fold the next also third rows on both the Volvo XC90 (85.1 cubic feet) also Audi Q7 (72.5 cubic feet).

The $1,495 Luxury Group II option package in my try motor offered a few refined features that teased also taunted me, making me want to enjoy forceful this motor extra than I or did. The ventilated start seats worked in an instant to cold my man also me during the summer heat. Although I didn’t become a chance to try them out, my try car’s intense start seats, intense steering wheel also intense outboard rear seats would own gotten clear cheers from the whole family on chilly fall- also winter-morning treks to school. Even extra cheer-worthy was the remote start system, allowing me to start also cold (or heat) the Grand Cherokee before even setting tootsies in it.

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Fair

Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): None

The Jeep Grand Cherokee’s room was initially a confident experience, chock-full on premium, even luxurious, features. Driving it, however, was when my first enthusiasm deflated quicker than a latex helium balloon on a cold day.

The ride quality also stature are adjustable in the company of the voluntary Quadra-Trac II all-wheel-drive structure in the company of which my try motor came equipped. You can choose in the midst of Sport, Auto, Snow, Sand/Mud also Rock modes, also the motor adjusts the drivetrain also air suspension to best fit current conditions. I toggled amidst Sport also Auto on the dry pavement I drove on for the week. I found the Grand Cherokee to be trucky (which makes sense, given its heavy-duty construction also full off-road capability) also unrefined. It bumped along on the motorway almost to the point on vibrating. Not only did I notice this while the driver, however also my kids complained about the backseat being very bumpy. They even demonstrated this by humming the identical note also the car’s bumpiness made that note jump also jerk.

Acceleration was fast also responsive, however not smooth, in the company of the voluntary 360-horsepower, 5.7-liter V-8 — a $1,695 upgrade over the standard 290-hp, 3.6-liter V6. It took some practice to become the motor to drive along smoothly in the stop-and-go on suburban driving. Despite the V-8’s cylinder-deactivation “fuel-saver technology,” the Grand Cherokee I drove motionless only gets an EPA-estimated 13/20 mpg city/highway. These numbers bump up while tall while 17/23 mpg in the rear-wheel-drive 3.6-liter V6. Four-wheel drive robs 1 mpg in the town from either engine. These results compare well in the company of the 2012 competition, whose best showing in the company of fumes engines are 16/22 mpg in the Q7, 16/23 mpg in the XC90 also 17/23 in the Touareg. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 is a beast the whole amount its own, in the company of estimated mileage on 12/18 mpg city/highway.

Wind also roadway sound are both prevalent interior the cabin, adding to driver fatigue also sensory overload following lengthened motorway driving.

The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee was christened a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. That means it gets the top rating on Good in front, side, rear also rollover tests. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the Grand Cherokee four not in on five stars overall (four stars in start impact, five stars in side crash also four stars for rollover resistance in four-wheel-drive versions; two-wheel-drive Grand Cherokees become just three stars in the rollover category).

As is required on the whole amount 2012 models, the Grand Cherokee has standard antilock brakes, electronic strength control also resistance control. There are six standard airbags: front- also side-impact bags up front, while well while side drape airbags that extend from the start to the in reverse row.

A standard backup camera on my try motor was a lot appreciated, while were the standard rear park-assist sensors. The accessible rear go across diagnosis structure saved my try motor identical time as|during the time that} pulling not in on a parking spot at the grocery store when a vehicle outside my line on vision sped along behind me. The Grand Cherokee “saw” it first also beeped to alert me to stop also wait.

The seat waistband buckles for the backseat’s two outboard room positions are recessed slightly into the seat bottom. While this creates a cleaner, extra streamlined look, they were extremely difficult for my two youngest daughters to buckle from their booster seats. The boosters tended to inch their way sideways just enough to prevent the waistband from sliding clearly into the buckle. And since the buckles are recessed, kids can’t adjust their bank to buckle up. After a lot frustration, the two younger ones just resorted to waiting for my 12-year-old to climb into the center seat, push each booster seat toward the door in the company of one hand also then buckle the waistband in the company of her other hand.

Another safety aspect I loved was the robot high-beam headlights. In my neck on the woods, we own deer, bears also porcupines travelling around, thus I often drive at dark in the company of my brights on. When approaching an extra vehicle, the brights dimmed on their own wanting additional intervention from me.

See the whole amount the standard safety features listed here.

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