Electrified All-Rounder Comes With A Catch

In terms of off-road chops, the Grand Cherokee meets the standards set by Jeep and demanded of its customers. The push-button suspension adjustment readies the SUV for action in a handful of seconds, particularly with the terrain-selection settings dialed in to tackle sand, mud, rocks, or whatever awaits it. Even without the sway bar disconnect of the Trailhawk, the Grand Cherokee can surmount a surprising array of obstacles. Off-road-specific menus relay the suspension travel, wheel angle and other useful tidbits of terrain-tackling info, and 360-degree cameras help provide additional situational awareness. 

Be prepared for some old-fashioned overlanding work, however. Though similar to the push-button systems found in luxury rough-riders like Land Rover, the Grand Cherokee’s function is to make the driver capable, not do the work itself. As such, it would reward the customer who would journey beyond the usual boundaries that most luxury family vehicles occupy.

Jeep

The hybrid powertrain comes into play in interesting ways when off the beaten path. Jeep claims the Grand Cherokee has tackled the treacherous rubicon trail in all-electric mode. It was something we were eager to put to the test, though the 4xe’s systems ultimately have the final say depending on the situation. 

For instance, plowing through a boggy section of our trail necessitated some heavy foot to maintain momentum, causing the Grand Cherokee to kick back into hybrid mode to make sure there was enough power underfoot to slog through. From then on, the shifting back and forth between power outputs made the finesse of rock scrambling difficult to parse in the immediacy. The 4xe shifted from instant electric torque on demand to bursts of turbocharged engine power, making consistent throttle management tricky.