The Jeep lineup is more than just rugged off-road champions that are all knobby off-road tires and open-air aesthetics. In truth, the Jeep family is diverse made up of an assortment of SUVs, and no pickup trucks, that yes, can specialize and succeed in off-road driving, but satisfy the everyday needs of the typical SUV driver. The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of these vehicles. While the Jeep Grand Cherokee can be attuned to the kind of dirty chewing and torque-heavy SUV that Jeep is known for, but it can do so much more than that. On the one hand, the Jeep Grand Cherokee can be made into a utilitarian racer, while on the other, it can be tweaked to satisfy the day to day needs of the family. The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee is particularly versatile and can be shaped to match whatever kind of drive style or lifestyle you lead.
The Various Trims of the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep is somewhat notorious for manufacturing vehicles that are fairly unlimited in terms of personalization and configuration, with some drawbacks. In the Jeep Wrangler, for instance, drivers can choose from a spectrum of varying off-road capability, from the bare basics to a true rugged trekker. While this may be a great fit for the avid camper or adventurer, it doesn’t play as well to the kind of driver who wants a little more choice in terms of powertrain and capability.
The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee is the answer to that gap throughout the Jeep lineup. With twelve trim options to choose from, the choices are particularly sprawling, weaving between a baseline family SUV, to a luxury vehicle dressed to the nines in top-tier performance gear. Those twelve trim options include the Laredo, Limited, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, SRT, and Trackhawk, and that’s not including the various packages and add-ons that can allow you to customize the Jeep Grand Cherokee of your choice.
With a max seating capacity of five, and the total amount of cargo space summing up to around 68.3 cubic feet, the Jeep Grand Cherokee isn’t a particularly large vehicle, which means it won’t really compete with the seven to eight passenger-cargo SUVs that grace other lineups. That said, what’s here is increasingly versatile, giving you a colorful spread of powertrains, infotainment features, and safety features to choose from.
A Powertrain for Every Driver
While other models in the Jeep lineup are steadily adding more choice into their powertrains, the Jeep Grand Cherokee almost offers too many options, with a dizzying four different engines to choose from. These options vary from run of the mill gas-powered V6 engines to supercharged V8s.
When you take a test drive of the Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, though, you’ll find a pretty solid 3.6-liter V6 engine that puts out a remarkable 295 horsepower and 260 lb-ft worth of torque. At an MSRP of $32,240 that’s quite a lot of power to be given right off the bat. This baseline V6 comes with a rear-wheel drivetrain, and 8-speed automatic transmission, although you can upgrade to Jeep-worthy all-wheel drive should you choose to.
The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee expands power further as you move up the line, with the next powertrain in the list of trims boasting a 5.7-liter V8 engine, which is responsible for 360 horsepower and can lug a maximum of 7,200 pounds.
While these introductory powertrains will certainly get the job done, they play second fiddle to what is offered higher up the line. When you step into the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, you’ll find a booming 6.2-liter V8 that makes a staggering 707 horsepower, launching the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee from 0-60 in as little as 3.5 seconds. When you sit behind the wheel of a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, you’ll be getting one of the most high-performing SUVs out there, so much so, you’ll probably need access to a race track to fully experience how much power the Trackhawk has to deliver.
Next on our list is the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. While this trim sports a smaller engine than the beefy V8 on the Trackhawk, you can expect to find a full-size SUV with a wide array of off-road gear and specifications. When you purchase the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, you can expect four-wheel drive, a locking center differential, a low-speed transfer case, and hill-descent control. All of these features, combined with Jeep’s snappy off-road system, which lets you adjust drivetrain according to terrain, makes for an off-road experience comparable to that of the flagship Jeep Wrangler.
A Varying Assortment of Bells and Whistles
The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee is anything but featureless. Across the trim levels, you’ll get a breathtaking selection, which can give you a Jeep Grand Cherokee fit to your specific need. Base models start with a pretty standard spread. Features like a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, blind-spot monitors, rear-cross traffic alerts, parking sensors, and a suite of power features make the SUV well worth the initial asking price.
Step up to the Limited Trim, and that 7.0-inch display becomes 8.4 inches and is partnered with a seamless navigation system, remote start, a sunroof, leather upholstery, heated and power-adjustable front seats, and a 115-volt outlet to name just a few key features. The Trailhawk model doesn’t depart too far from this spread, yet comes with a bit of off-road flair, as well as trail-ready tires, a higher-suspension, and that iconic off-road system Jeep is famous for.
The Overland and Summit trim options sit in a similar space, both offering large 20-inch wheels, and authentic leather and wood interior materials. What the Summit has over the Overland is a more generous variety of active safety features as well as luxury additions that put just a step above the rest. The SRT and the Trackhawk move things up several notches, but most of them exist beyond the realm of infotainment and safety.
To be fair, the SRT and the Trackhawk come with a soft-touch suede, which adds to the premium feel of this range-topping SUV; however, the real highlight comes from the additional performance features. Both models get fender flares, an array of grille vents, Brembo brakes, and a clever piece of software that lets you monitor and fine-tune the performance of the Grand Cherokee. While certainly impressive, the $100,000+ asking price does price a lot of drivers out of taking the plunge.
Trying Out the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Few automakers provide the level of choice that Jeep does in the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While prices vary dramatically, from around $30,000 to over 100,000 to be exact, if you have the budget, you can design the SUV of your dreams all within the Jeep Grand Cherokee model. So, if you’re looking for an SUV that defies the status quo, and is built to satisfy drivers from all over the automotive world, the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee should be at the top of your list.
