Constant readers of this column know that I have sometimes had to struggle to find nice things to say about Jeeps. This has led some readers to question my patriotism. Jeeps, they point out, are more American than hot dogs and Model T Fords, neither of which helped win World War II.
Quite true. But I defy anyone over age 18 who has ever actually driven a Jeep Wrangler, for example, to look me in the eye and tell me this is a great everyday car. Maybe it's great for bashing through the boonies, but around town . . . .Even the comparatively civilized Cherokee series of Jeeps has had a hard time measuring up to newer competitors, particularly its arch rival the Ford Explorer.
But now comes the Grand Cherokee, the first totally new Jeep since Chrysler bought the company from the old American Motors, and I don't have to strain to find good things to say about it. Jeep has reinvented the luxury sport-utility vehicle and this time they got it right.
The 1993 "Hunter green metallic" Grand Cherokee Limited I've been driving this past week has caused me to take back every harsh word I've ever had for Jeeps (even the "real" one I drove around Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., in 1962). Gone is the bone-jarring bounce of Jeeps past. In its place is a silky smooth ride that belies this vehicle's off-road abilities.
The Grand Cherokee is not only the best looking Jeep ever made, it is the best riding, best handling and most user friendly. It also has a nicer interior than many of today's luxury cars, none of which can go blasting through the desert sagebrush or bouncing over a rutted mountain trail.
But that raises a question: Would anyone who has invested nearly $30,000 in a gorgeous hunk of machinery really want to bounce it around in the outback? After all, even four-wheel-drive sport-utes with big, knobby tires and high ground clearance tend to get dinged up when they dance in the dirt.
I doubt many Grand Cherokees will see much off-road action. Most buyers will want them for their carrying capacity, their ability to handle a nasty January snowstorm and the "men to match my mountains" image they convey. For family folks, Jeeps are station wagons with muscles.
Chrysler clearly understands this concept. Jeep owners want the ability to flee to the boondocks when the mood strikes. If it doesn't strike that often, well it's because real life - commuting to work, schlepping the kids to ballet and Little League and shopping for groceries - takes up most of their time. Meanwhile, they like knowing that the Jeep is out there ready to hustle them out of the office and into the outback.
In the past, having that ability meant paying a heavy penalty in city driving. No longer. Like Batman, Grand Cherokee owners can lead two lives: mild mannered (but well-to-do) city dwellers on weekdays and macho adventurers on weekends.
It's that combination that has made sport-utility vehicles the gotta-have ticket for the '90s with a large segment of baby boomers. Spurred by the recent onset of buy-American fever, combined with the still-legendary appeal of the Jeep name, the new Grand Cherokee has come riding over the hill just in time to rescue itself from the host of me-toos that have come on the market in recent years.
Watch out, Range Rover, there's a new kid on the block and he has all the right stuff. Cheaper, too.
But not cheap. Grand Cherokees start around $18,000, but the Limited model I have been driving had a base price of $27,433. The dark green metallic paint job was an option, but $173 was never better spent. Its deep, dark luster turned heads everywhere I went. With destination charges of $485, total MSRP was $28,091. That's not exactly spare change, but you get a lot for the money.
For example, no more crunching through a recalcitrant transfer case. The new Jeep has full-time four-wheel drive with a low range that can be accessed by a simple pull of a lever. It also includes a 4.0 liter V-6 engine matched to a 4-speed automatic transmission that combine to move things along smartly, even fairly efficiently as sport-utes go: 15 mpg city and 20 mpg highway.
There's a driver's side air bag, 60-40 removable rear seat, a roof rack, anti-theft system, an absolutely wonderful six-speaker stereo system, all the luxury and power features you can think of and maybe a few you couldn't, such as the automatic headlight switch.
But the best feature is the ride and handling. Gone is the bone-jarring harshness of the past. In its place are light (but not too light) power-assisted steering and a supple ride that combine to make a long commute a joy instead of a jounce, and while I didn't take it off-road, I feel confident it would expedite itself nicely in the dirt.
The dash is a standout: white-on-black dials with orange needles. Controls for the radio, heater/AC and various other buttons, switches and cubby holes for sunglasses and garage door opener are logically laid out and easy to decipher, much like Chrysler's minivans. Even the wood-grain trim looks classy and - in a car lined with beige leather - appropriate.
The aforementioned V-6 engine is carried over from the older Cherokee but its 190 horses do the job well. It moves out smartly, cruises quietly on the freeway, and seems to have plenty of low-end grunt for mountain goating. Chrysler says a V-8 will be available next year.