Driving the plug-in hybrid Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4Xe – a luxury
five-seat SUV priced at $129,950. As distinct to the three pure petrol V6 Grand
Cherokee grades the Summit Reserve utilises a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine
driving through an 8-speed automatic mated to a plug-in hybrid system featuring
a 17.3kWhour battery and dual electric motors providing 52km of electric only
driving. The petrol/hybrid system provides 70kW more power and around double
the torque to the other pure petrol Grand Cherokee lower grades. This is one very
good-looking luxury SUV with great presence, step in and your met with an
equally impressive five-seat interior with a nice blending of leather and fake wood
finishes. For the money you get an adaptive air suspension, Jeep’s proven
Quadra-Trac 11 four-wheel drive system, four-zone climate control, 12-way heated
and ventilated power seats, a 19-speaker premium sound system, a dual pane
panoramic sunroof plus 360-degree cameras. The interior sumptuous and
impressive lives up to the luxury tag, perhaps the nicest Jeep I’ve driven – as for
the claimed 52 km range of pure electric driving, not quite enough for most daily
commutes but it did take just two hours to completely charge on my home box
charger. I’m David Berthon