2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee’s Interior Mashes Luxury and Off-Roading
Luxury materials, new displays, and passenger-watching cameras show up in the new Grand Cherokee.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee L wouldn’t be able to call itself Grand if it didn’t include luxury features inside the vehicle. Sure the brand relies on an off-roading pedigree regardless of how owners actually use these vehicles. The reality is, people want to be pampered in their SUVs, and it looks like the Jeep doesn't disappoint.
The vehicle includes an exclusive audio system, wood accents, and the latest version of FCA's Uconnect infotainment housed in a 10.1-inch display. Here are some of the details that stand out.
Wood, Leather, and Metal
Stitched leather extends from the seats to the dash that’s paired with metal trim lines and wood accents. The vehicle comes with either open-pore Absolute Oak or open-pore Waxed Walnut on the Summit and Summit Reserve trims respectively. The wood extends from the dash to the door panels. It’s followed from the dash by a metal trim line that extends to the rear doors.
The Summit Reserve package also receives quilted Palermo leather in the seats and door panels. On the Overland and Summit trim levels, the first-row seats are available with 16-way adjustable seats. The first two rows of the three-row large SUV are available with heated and ventilated seats. For all trim levels, the vehicle includes 12 USB ports.
Rear cargo space behind the second row is 46.9 cubic feet, while laying down all the rear seats opens up 84.6 cubic feet of cargo space on a flat load floor.
Displays and Connections
The Grand Cherokee comes with an 8.4-inch or 10.1-inch infotainment display that uses FCA’s latest Uconnect 5 system. It supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and has an all-new Uconnect smartphone app. Making the wireless connection a bit sweeter, the vehicle supports up to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously—handy if you want to swap between the different phones on the fly. For those interested in using in-car maps, the system uses TomTom navigation and supports over-the-air updates. For Alexa fans, the system supports Home to Car functionality and Car to Home features. Optional rear-seat monitoring supports a view of the rear seats, split-view display, and zoom to seat function so the driver or front passenger can figure out exactly what the kid or dog in the back seat is up to. The camera has day and night modes.
Seeing behind the driver also includes a Jeep first: a digital rearview mirror. The display can act as a regular mirror but also shows what’s happening behind the car in real time like a traditional rearview mirror without the distraction of what’s happening in the rear seats.
Behind the steering wheel sits a frameless 10.3-inch digital cluster with nearly two dozen different menus so drivers can customize their dash as they see fit with five available “tiles” that can be visible at all times. It also lets the user choose either digital or analog-looking instrumentation.
Sound
Jeep is quick to point out that the Grand Cherokee L will use McIntosh’s high-end audio system. The Grand Cherokee will be the inaugural vehicle to use it in the FCA lineup. The SUV will have 19 custom-designed speakers including a 10-inch subwoofer placed around the cabin. A 17-channel, a 950-watt amplifier will power the speakers, and the infotainment display will resemble those on McIntosh home amplifiers.
Driver Assistance
While its hands-free setup has been announced to be added to the Grand Cherokee L in late 2021, the vehicles getting ready to hit the road will have an all-new Level 2 system. It uses five radar sensors and a camera mounted in the windshield for lane centering and adaptive cruise control and is based on a new architecture called Atlantis High. The automaker says that its new setup uses data packets instead of individual signals for what Jeep says is more precise information. The hands-on system uses a capacitive-touch steering wheel that also senses torque from the driver. Plus the torque of the steering wheel is used to help indicate to the driver that the vehicle is following the lane. An optional night vision system can detect people and animals on the roadside and highlights them with a yellow box.
As for hands-free driving, Jeep was mum on details about the upcoming system but did note that after it’s announced we should be on the lookout for a Level 3 system, and of course, it has its Level 4 deal with Waymo on the horizon.
Roberto Baldwin spends a majority of his time talking people into buying either EVs or sport wagons with manual transmissions. After over a decade of covering technology in Silicon Valley, he's finally escaped to the glorious world of Car and Driver, where he'll be covering car tech in Silicon Valley.
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