The Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the most well-known SUVs on the road, giving you a spacious interior with plenty of great options to choose from. It’s those options, however, that can make things a bit tricky if you head to a Jeep dealer looking for your next Grand Cherokee since you can quickly feel rather overwhelmed. Not only will you find a ton of different trim levels, but there are also some big decisions to be made about the powertrain and even the body style you’re interested in. So today, I’m going to help you out by taking a good look at the 2025 Grand Cherokee, everything that’s available, and providing some guidance on which combination of features might work best for you. Ultimately, I can’t tell you what model to choose, but I can give you information to help you get everything you’re looking for.
Engine and Performance Options
As you start looking at Jeep Grand Cherokee options, it can be tempting to start with different trim levels or other things, but I think that’s a good way to start drowning in too many choices. Instead, start with some simpler things where you have fewer decisions to make, like the engine and performance options that will best meet your needs. The Grand Cherokee has one engine available (there’s a second one, but we’ll get to that in a moment), so that keeps things pretty simple when it comes to the kind of performance you get. There’s a 3.6L Pentastar V6 with 293 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, which comes paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
You have a couple of decisions to consider when it comes to performance, particularly whether you want the standard two-wheel drive (4×2) system or one of the available four-wheel drive (4×4) options. Jeep offers three different 4×4 systems for the Grand Cherokee, along with an available Selec-Terrain Traction Management System, which is perfect for driving in rough weather or heading off-road a bit. There’s also a Quadra-Lift Air Suspension available for the Grand Cherokee, which is an amazing choice if you want a smooth ride. Where you want to go and how you like to drive will dictate the performance features you choose, so consider what you want from your Grand Cherokee.
The Grand Cherokee 4xe Can Go Further
I mentioned that there is a second engine available, but it’s not just another typical powertrain, and it’s only offered on a particular version of the Grand Cherokee, so it deserves some focus. If you’re interested in a version of this SUV that can go a long time without stopping for gas, then consider the Grand Cherokee 4xe, which features a plug-in hybrid engine. This is a 2.0L turbocharged I-4 engine paired with a battery-powered motor; together, they provide 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, which you can see is significantly more than the standard engine.
As a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), the Grand Cherokee 4xe gets an impressive 56 MPGe—this is the estimated equivalent miles per gallon, not a direct indicator of fuel economy, but it is quite impressive. Even better, you can go about 25 miles without ever touching the gas tank, so running a quick errand is easy. The only potential issue is that PHEV models need to be plugged in to recharge (as the name suggests) while also using gas like a conventional engine. This is perfect if you’re interested in something that gives you a feel for what it would be like to own an all-electric vehicle without fully committing to one. If you’re not in a situation where you can easily plug in your SUV, however, then it could be a problem.
Need Something Larger? Check Out the Grand Cherokee L
The standard Grand Cherokee is a midsize SUV with two rows of seating inside to accommodate five passengers quite comfortably. If that works for you, then you’ll likely want to stick with the standard version since it’s going to give you the most room for people to stretch out in. On the other hand, if you need to bring more people along with you or you like a slightly larger overall vehicle, then you should consider the Grand Cherokee L. The Grand Cherokee L is a larger, three-row SUV that maintains a lot of the styling and features of the standard model, including many of the same trim levels while giving you space for more passengers inside.
Across the three rows of seats, you get room for up to seven passengers if you choose a model with a second-row bench seat. A pair of bucket seats in the middle is available for a more comfortable ride, but it cuts seating down to six people instead. In terms of cargo space inside, choosing the Grand Cherokee L is a bit of a trade-off. The standard Grand Cherokee gives you more than 37 cu.ft. of rear cargo space and almost 71 cu.ft. of total cargo volume inside. If you go with the Grand Cherokee L, then you get just over 17 cu.ft. of rear cargo space (less than half the amount on the standard in this area), along with nearly 47 cu.ft. of cargo volume behind the second row, and more than 84 cu.ft. of total cargo space behind the front seats—more overall, but less in the back when all the seats are up.
A Brief Guide to Grand Cherokee Trim Levels
The 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee has a truly intimidating number of trim levels available: nine different options just looking at standard models, with separate trims for the 4xe model and most of the same ones available for the larger Grand Cherokee L. To fully explore each of them is beyond the scope of what we’re looking at today, but I’ll highlight a few major ones to consider. The Laredo A is your starting model and a good choice to keep things simple: it’s only offered as a two-row model with 4×2 engineering. You’ll find a 10.25-inch fully digital cluster display inside, along with an 8.4-inch Uconnect 5 Infotainment system. The Laredo gives you many of the same features but makes 4×4 available, while the Altitude provides a more sophisticated interior with leatherette-trimmed seating, a wireless charging pad, and more.
Moving up to the Limited trim introduces enhanced features like a larger 10.1 Infotainment screen with Uconnect 5 NAV that includes navigation functionality. The Overland model comes with the Quadra-Trac II 4×4 system standard, plus Nappa leather seating and a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, while the Summit Reserve model is your high-end option with Palermo leather seating, including massage functionality plus a 19-speaker McIntosh Premium sound system. If you’re looking to head off-road, then check out the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 4xe model for the plug-in hybrid engine, Quadra-Drive II 4×4 system with the air suspension, plus 24 inches of water fording, almost 11 inches of ground clearance, and more.
Bringing It All Together for the Right Model
With all of those different trim levels available, you can see why I didn’t start with that. Ultimately, you’ll need to consider what you’re looking for in your next SUV and go from there, but it helps to start with the engine and body style. If you don’t want the plug-in hybrid experience, then the standard engine is the way to go; similarly, if you need to bring five or six people along with you, then the Grand Cherokee L is your best choice. Once you have that figured out, then you can look at the different trim levels and see what each offers to get everything that you’re looking for. That way, you don’t have to worry about missing out on any features you really want; just be sure to take your time when it comes to the trim levels and get a good sense of what each of them brings to the road.
