Jeep's Grand Cherokee equipped to tackle roads, trails

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- With so many compact crossover sport-utility vehicles out there, one almost feels sorry for the old-school fan of the big sport-ute.

Still, there is sizable, quality SUV product to be had -- the recently tested 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve 4X4 for example. With three comfortable, roomy seating rows and packed with safety technology, pleasing comfort/convenience features and peppy performance, it's a capable crowd carrier.

As I've noted in the past, the Grand Cherokee and I have a history.  We go way back, back to Ronald Reagan's first presidential term. A test drive on the East Coast in a founding father SUV convinced me that this was the start of something big.  But I underestimated just how big that SUV wave would be.

The evolution of the sport-ute is on full display in the latest Grand Cherokee.  The boxy sculpting of decades ago has been replaced by downright alluring body work.  The long hoodline looks aggressively attractive in profile, and the grille is robust without being over the top.

The interior cabin is a smile-producing sight, with lots of room for long-legged passengers. Folding the rear seats transforms the SUV into a serious cargo carrier.  The standard hands-free power liftgate is a helpful tool for packing in large objects.

A kickin' audio system and multimedia options are a pleasure, but when you want calm, the Grand Cherokee cabin is surprisingly quiet, even with the engine at full song.

It's a most civilized urban traveler, but the Grand Cherokee also can handle the rough, unpaved roads.  To help that along, the SUV comes with hill-start assist, a trailer-tow package and other off-road systems for trail travelers.

The tester scooted along admirably with a 3.6-liter V-6 under the hood.  Rated at 293 horsepower, the engine actually felt stronger in my hands.  The vehicle tackled steep hill climbs with very little complaint.  Fuel mileage is 18 miles per gallon in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

The Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve 4X4 earned a suite of max five-star ratings in federal government crash tests, including five stars in the overall score.

Please note, the bottom line on the tester was $73,515 ... or about what one expects in this era of luxurious, feature-loaded, three-row SUVs. 

 If you can afford the fare, you'll be getting a sizable, versatile sport-ute that has evolved admirably since the early days of the sport-utility vehicle segment.