2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Review: Driving Impressions
Independent Expert Opinion: Design, Comfort, and Utility - Find the best Jeep deals!
Photo: Jack Nerad
The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe has one of the most inviting and useful interiors of any SUV. The interior design is functional, but it also looks and even smells great. Rich leather and other soft-touch materials abound, and the craftsmanship recalls European luxury cars.
It seems like there are digital screens everywhere, but in most models, there are three up front and two optional entertainment screens in the rear. Moving from left to right across the dashboard, the first is the 10.1-inch digital instrument and driver information cluster. Next is another 10.1-inch touchscreen that's one entryway into the infotainment system. A 10.25-inch touchscreen display sits in front of the right-seat passenger. Jeep packages all of this in a well-designed and rich-looking panel that flows across the cabin. In the top trims, it features genuine wood trim.
Power-operated 8-way driver and front passenger seats are standard in all trims except the Summit, which has power-operated 12-way memory seats. Heated front and rear seats are standard across the lineup. Ventilated second-row seating is part of the top-level Summit Reserve package. Seatback massage is available on the Overland 4xe and standard on the Summit. In addition to accommodating seats, the Grand Cherokee 4xe also offers plenty of head-, leg-, and hip room. Though it isn't as large as a traditional full-size SUV, it almost feels like one from the inside.
A family-oriented model like the Grand Cherokee 4xe should have plenty of cargo space. The new model fills the bill with 37.7 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear seats. The cargo area increases to 70.8 cubic feet with the rear seatbacks folded. Some competitors have more cargo space, but the Grand Cherokee's rear storage area seems ample. With a 6,000-pound rating, the 4xe is no slouch when it comes to trailer towing, either.
Independent Expert Opinion: Infotainment, Technology, and Safety - Find the best Jeep deals!
Photo: Jack Nerad
With a base price tag hovering near $60,000, the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe is significantly more expensive than the average vehicle, and its overall level of technology reflects that. For example, Uconnect 5 NAV, Jeep's newest infotainment system, comes standard in the Grand Cherokee 4xe. Operating five times faster than the well-regarded Uconnect 4 system, it features a 10.1-inch center-dash digital display. It supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and features Bluetooth-enabled integrated voice command.
As easy as it is to use the big touchscreen, the responsive voice command might be the quickest way to get things done while maintaining concentration on the road ahead. Features like voice text reply functionality and voice-activated destination selection further its capability. Apple CarPlay works flawlessly within the system. The system is Amazon Alexa-compatible, and it accepts over-the-air updates for firmware and navigation. You can also pair two smartphones to the system simultaneously.
A genuinely remarkable premium audio system supplements the infotainment. The McIntosh system in Overland 4xe and Summit 4xe trims features 19 speakers, a 10-inch subwoofer, and a 17-channel, 950-watt amplifier. It sounds fantastic, and the components you can see inside the cabin also look amazing.
The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe is equally fully featured when it comes to advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). The standard ADAS tech includes:
- Forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection
- Rear cross-traffic warning
- Lane-departure warning
- Lane-keeping assistance
- Lane-centering assistance
- Blind-spot warning
- Brake assist
- Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability
Should you seek even more safety and driver-assistance technology, the following systems are available typically in packages:
- Night-vision system with pedestrian and animal detection
- Intersection turn assistance
- Driver-attention monitor
- Traffic sign recognition
- Parallel and perpendicular parking assist
- 360-degree surround-view camera
Jeep promises that an Active Driving Assist hands-on-the-wheel semi-autonomous driving system will soon be available in the Grand Cherokee 4xe, but it was not ready for testing when I drove early versions of the model.
The standard ADAS features that I could safely test on the highway work as advertised. The lane-keeping assist features are helpful without being obtrusive. The adaptive cruise control is easy to apply and functions flawlessly.
Independent Expert Opinion: Driving the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe - Find the best Jeep deals!
Photo: Jack Nerad
The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe delivers excellent on-pavement ride and handling. While it's not a vehicle to push into corners on narrow mountain roads, it is predictable, smooth, and quiet. Unless you knew what its mechanical parts were doing, you'd never sense how busy they are.
The drivetrain is complex, to say the least. The key propulsion unit is a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, but that's only the beginning. The system also has a liquid-cooled motor-generator that replaces the alternator and another high-voltage electric motor in the transmission to replace the torque converter. A 400-volt, 17-kWh battery installed under the floorboards and shielded with skid plates powers the electric motors. In total, the system offers 375 horsepower and a stout 470 pound-feet of torque. With that level of power and its 8-speed automatic transmission, the Grand Cherokee 4xe feels like a nicely sorted-out crossover on the highway and around town.
But with this vehicle, that is only half the story. The other half is its off-road abilities which are, frankly, stellar. It begins with the right Jeep-tested stuff like the Quadra Trac II 4x4 system on most 4xe trims and the Quadra-Drive II with a rear electronic limited-slip differential on the Trailhawk. The GC 4xe has a 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio and a 47.1 crawl ratio, enabling it to scale seemingly impossible grades over sheer rock.
One of the best aspects of the super-sophisticated drivetrain is that the driver can select hybrid, all-electric, or eSave modes. The last of these enables the driver to reserve the charge in the battery for use when desired. So, for example, one could drive to the trailhead using gasoline power while stockpiling battery electric power for use on the trail. A function in Uconnect 5 enables the driver to choose between "Battery Save" and" Battery Charge" while in the eSave mode.
Saving battery power for the trail is an excellent idea because the ability to utilize the near-immediate torque of the electric motors is a boon to all-terrain driving. The Trailhawk 4xe scaled massive boulders during the test without issue in virtual silence.
The air suspension with semi-active damping endows the Grand Cherokee 4xe with 10.9 inches of ground clearance and 24 inches of water fording, which I took full advantage of during the testing in Texas. Jeep makes off-roading simpler by way of the Selec-Terrain system that enables the driver to dial up any of five terrain modes—Auto, Sport, Rock, Snow, and Mud/Sand—to suit the conditions. The intelligent system coordinates a host of functions automatically. Among them are torque split, steering, suspension, throttle, shift points, traction control, stability control, and anti-lock braking. It all works behind the scenes so you can accomplish the off-roading you want.
The opinions expressed in this review are the author’s own, not J.D. Power’s.
No portion of these reviews may be reproduced, distributed, publicly displayed, or used for a derivative work without J.D. Power’s written permission. © 2024 J.D. Power
You are now subscribed to the J.D. Power Cars Newsletter.
