The verdict
A mixed-report mid-size suv, strong on safety and held back by ownership.
The 2022 Grand Cherokee is the launch year of an all-new, sharper-looking two-row Jeep with genuine off-road chops, up to 6,200 lbs of towing, and a modern Uconnect 5 tech suite with standard wireless CarPlay. It's held back by Jeep's below-average reliability reputation, a large safety recall for the model year, headlights that IIHS rated Poor across every trim, and a strict five-seat layout with only 37.7 cu ft of cargo room behind the second row. It suits buyers who want 4x4 capability and modern tech more than outright dependability or three-row flexibility — those buyers should look at the separate Grand Cherokee L or a rival like the Ford Explorer or Hyundai Santa Fe.
Jump to scoresStrengths
- Real towing muscle and a broad 4x4 lineup
- Comprehensive standard driver-assistance suite
- Roomy second row and comfortable front seats
What holds it back
- Below-average reliability reputation and a major recall
- Poor headlights and gaps in crash testing
- Strict five-seater with tight cargo room
Top alternatives
Cars shoppers cross-shop with the Jeep Grand Cherokee
2.79B-
Kia TellurideMid-Size SUVBetter at: Value and warrantyThree rows, more standard gear at the price, a 10-year powertrain warranty and far stronger resale — the sensible answer for anyone not actually going off-road.
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3.02B
Hyundai PalisadeMid-Size SUVBetter at: Family spaceThe 2026 NACTOY Utility winner delivers better reliability, better feature value, and eight seats for Grand Cherokee Limited money.
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2.38C+
Toyota 4RunnerOff-Road SUVBetter at: DurabilityFor buyers whose priority really is trail capability and long-term durability, it out-lasts and out-retains the Jeep by a wide margin.
CompareHow it's evolved
10 scored model years · 2017–2026
Subject scores by year
Hover or tap a score to see what moved it versus the year before. A corner mark flags a big swing.
| Year | Performance | Efficiency | Safety | Space | Cost | Reliability | Tech | Use-case | Driving | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 59 | 55 | 76 | 56 | 47 | 60 | 74 | 69 | 70 | 67 |
| 2025 | 58 | 49 | 74 | 54 | 42 | 53 | 74 | 64 | 65 | 69 |
| 2024 | 58 | 49 | 79 | 54 | 39 | 51 | 71 | 68 | 68 | 68 |
| 2023 | 58 | 49 | 78 | 54 | 36 | 49 | 70 | 68 | 68 | 67 |
| 2022 | 59 | 46 | 70 | 51 | 46 | 53 | 70 | 60 | 60 | 67 |
| 2021 | 57 | 46 | 54 | 48 | 45 | 51 | 42 | 52 | 59 | 61 |
| 2020 | 57 | 47 | 56 | 47 | 46 | 59 | 44 | 57 | 59 | 64 |
| 2019 | 58 | 47 | 43 | 50 | 45 | 57 | 47 | 60 | 63 | 63 |
| 2018 | 60 | 46 | 43 | 50 | 54 | 43 | 49 | 58 | 61 | 63 |
| 2017 | 59 | 47 | 50 | 49 | 50 | 49 | 44 | 57 | 64 | 65 |
Compare two years
Best fit & conditions
Higher scores mean a better fit for that use case. Learn more about use-case fit →
Subject profile
Trims & configurations
7 trimsScores above reflect the volume trim. Per-trim specs and scores are rolling out — the full lineup:
Detailed scoring by subject
1Performance & PowertrainMid-pack among this car's ten categories.1.96C-
The 2022 Grand Cherokee (WK, first year of the redesigned 2-row generation) carries over the 3.6L V6 as standard across Laredo/Limited/Trailhawk/Overland, with the 5.7L V8 optional on Overland/Summit/Summit Reserve.
Torque figure for the standard V6 volume-trim powertrain; V8 figure noted for trim-range context.
Instrumented/estimated 0-60 for the standard V6 powertrain; figures from independent test aggregators cluster in the 7.0-7.5s range for the V6, faster with the V8.
The Pentastar V6 is smooth at cruise but reviewers note it feels stressed under hard acceleration with the Grand Cherokee's added mass versus lighter-duty V6 rivals; the optional V8 is markedly more effortless. Solidly mid-pack for the segment, not class-leading.
The ZF-sourced 8-speed automatic (shared with prior-gen WK2 and other FCA/Stellantis products) shifts smoothly and decisively with well-judged ratios; no notable hunting or harshness reported in period reviews.
Maximum conventional towing across the lineup when properly equipped, per the item's 'any configuration' scope.
4x4 is available across nearly the full trim range via Quadra-Trac I (base AWD), Quadra-Trac II (2-speed transfer case, low range), and Quadra-Drive II (adds rear e-limited-slip differential) on Trailhawk/Overland/Summit, each paired with Selec-Terrain drive-mode selection.
The Trailhawk trim adds Quadra-Lift air suspension (raising ground clearance to ~9.3 in from 8.6 in standard), skid plates, red front tow hooks, and off-road Selec-Terrain modes with a 4WD low range — genuine light-duty off-road credibility, but no locking differentials as standard or a dedicated hardcore trim like the Wrangler Rubicon.
Three distinct powertrains for the 2022 model year: standard 3.6L V6, optional 5.7L V8, and the new 4xe plug-in hybrid — a real electrified option alongside two gas engines.
2Efficiency & RangeOne of the Grand Cherokee's weakest categories.1.09D
EPA combined rating for the 3.6L V6 4WD configuration, the volume-trim gas powertrain for the 2022 Grand Cherokee (2-row WK).
EPA city rating for the standard V6 4WD configuration.
EPA highway rating for the standard V6 4WD configuration.
EPA-published total range figure for the V6 4WD configuration, consistent with the 24.6-gallon tank at 21 MPG combined.
EPA's standard annual fuel cost estimate at 15,000 mi/yr for the V6 4WD configuration.
The 3.6L Pentastar V6 (and the 5.7L V8) run on regular unleaded gasoline — no premium requirement, keeping running costs straightforward.
3SafetyThe Grand Cherokee's best-graded category.2.74B-
NHTSA's own 2022 record for the launch-year WL Grand Cherokee is incomplete rather than low: only the frontal crash test was run (5 stars driver and passenger), with side, rollover and the overall figure all published as 'Not Rated'. The item's instruction to fall back to the latest tested year of the generation resolves this — the structurally unchanged 2024 WL Grand Cherokee was fully tested and scored 5 stars overall (4-star rollover, 17.9% tip risk, No Tip), so 5 stars is the generation's real figure and the frontal-only 2022 result is consistent with it.
The 2022 Grand Cherokee holds no IIHS award of any kind, and unlike the 2023 car's caveated Top Safety Pick+, there is no plaque to weigh against the underlying data — the crashworthiness picture genuinely lands in the bottom band. Small overlap front is Good both sides and moderate overlap (original test) is Good, but the updated moderate overlap front is Poor, driven by rear-passenger head/neck and chest injury measures — the same second-row weakness later carried into the 2023/2024 cars. More serious for a launch-year vehicle: the updated side test is also Poor, because the side structure allowed fuel-tank puncture in testing, a real crashworthiness defect that Jeep did not correct in the underbody sheet metal until partway through the 2023 model year. Seat belt reminders are Marginal. Roof strength (Good, 4.63 strength-to-weight) and head restraints (Good) are the only unambiguous positives. Poor results in both an updated key structural test and the fuel-leak side test are exactly what the bottom band describes.
At launch, Jeep positioned the WL Grand Cherokee as carrying '110+ advanced safety and security features' with Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking and Pedestrian/Cyclist Detection and Active Driving Assist (L2, hands-on) standard across the lineup, and dealer trim-equipment listings for the 2022 Laredo confirm Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Active Lane Management, AEB, Blind-Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Path, and ParkView/ParkSense as base-trim standard equipment — comprehensive and not trim-locked, which is a top-band result. It is held below the very top because NHTSA's own equipment fields for the tested 2022 4WD unit record Forward Collision Warning and Lane Departure Warning as 'No', a real discrepancy against every other source consulted (Consumer Reports, J.D. Power, Stellantis media, dealer spec sheets all say standard); that conflict, unresolved for the launch model year, is reason for caution even though the weight of evidence favors 'standard'.
Under the protocols in force for the 2022 model year the Grand Cherokee posts a clean sweep: Superior vehicle-to-vehicle, Advanced pedestrian daytime, and Superior pedestrian nighttime — nighttime pedestrian detection explicitly rated, not merely present, matching the top of the middle-to-upper band. It sits at the bottom of that band rather than higher because IIHS's own later re-test of the same hardware for the 2024 model year under a revised combined day/dark protocol dropped the pedestrian rating to only Acceptable, meaning the 2022-25 Superior/Advanced results reflect an easier era of the test rather than class-leading hardware. The nighttime Superior credit also assumes the optional high-beam-assist package that the launch-year Laredo did not carry (see 3.3.1).
Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross path detection is listed as standard equipment on the 2022 Laredo per dealer spec sheets and Consumer Reports, which places this in the better half of the middle band. It does not reach the top band because coverage is alert-only in both directions — no steering or braking intervention against a vehicle alongside and no safe-exit alert for occupants opening a door into traffic — and because the launch-year equipment picture carries the same NHTSA-vs-everyone-else discrepancy noted in 3.2.1, which tempers confidence in exactly what shipped standard on the earliest production Laredos.
The 2022 launch car pairs LaneSense lane departure warning and lane keep assist with Active Lane Management's true lane centering as part of the standard Active Driving Assist suite, and period reviews of the new WL generation describe the centering as competent and trustworthy for a hands-on Level 2 system, without the sharp corrections or ping-ponging that would drop it to the middle band. It sits at the bottom of the top band because the supporting evidence is first-drive and early-ownership review prose for a brand-new platform rather than an instrumented, independently rated comparison, and because the plain hands-on implementation offers no lane-change assist.
Adaptive cruise control with full stop-and-go is standard across the 2022 lineup rather than reserved for upper trims, integrated with Active Lane Management into a coherent hands-on Level 2 highway assist. Period reviews of the newly redesigned WL generation report smooth braking and acceleration behavior rather than the late braking or sluggish resume that defines the middle band, consistent with the platform being purpose-built around this feature set rather than an older system carried over. Confidence is MEDIUM because the behavioral judgment rests on first-drive/early-ownership review prose for a new generation rather than 2022-specific instrumented testing.
No hands-free driving option exists on the 2022 Grand Cherokee at any price or trim — the bottom band, unambiguously. Stellantis had announced hands-free Active Driving Assist for the new WL Grand Cherokee L 'later in 2021', but the feature did not actually reach the nameplate until it launched as a $2,995 option on the 2024 Overland 4x4 and Summit 4x4 — two full model years after this launch-year car, which shipped with hands-on-wheel Level 2 only. Scored marginally above the floor rather than at zero because the hands-on system itself is capable and the driver-monitoring hardware needed for a future hands-free rollout is already present on upper trims.
Every 2022 Grand Cherokee trim IIHS tested — Laredo, Limited, Trailhawk, Overland and Summit alike — rated **Poor**, with no split by build date and no trim escaping it (the split-by-build-date improvement doesn't appear until partway through the 2023 model year). That is squarely the bottom band: marginal/poor headlights on essentially the whole range, not just the volume trim. No 2022 trim offers curve-adaptive headlights, and even trims with high-beam assist still tested Poor, so the assist credit that helps the AEB nighttime-pedestrian rating in 3.2.2 does not translate into a usable real-world headlight beam pattern for this launch model year.
Middle band: average visibility with real, reviewer-documented blind zones the volume trim does not fully compensate for. The redesigned WL brought a lower beltline and narrower pillars than the outgoing WK2, a genuine improvement reviewers credit, but the new car's larger seven-slot grille, more pronounced hood, thick A-pillars and the added camera/radar hardware cluster at the base of the windshield work against forward sightlines. Camera compensation exists (rear camera mirror, forward off-road camera, available 360-degree surround view) but the 360 system and night vision camera are extra-cost on the volume trim, so a Laredo buyer relies on the standard back-up camera and park sensors alone for the tightest maneuvers.
The hardware graded an A in Cars.com's 2022 car seat check — two sets of lower anchors under a single large upholstery flap, easy to find and connect, three clearly marked top tether anchors — with A grades for both the infant seat and the rear-facing convertible and adequate front-passenger legroom in both configurations. It is held below the top band for the same older-child weaknesses found on this WL platform: the fixed rear head restraint interferes with a forward-facing convertible whose back is raised for a taller child (B) and pushes a booster seat away from the seatback rather than keeping it flush (C), the tether-routing opening through the head restraint is tight enough to make threading the strap and tightener difficult, and the second row's short buckle stalks sit flush with the cushion where small hands cannot work them unaided.
4Space & ComfortOne of the Grand Cherokee's weakest categories.1.43D
The 2022 two-row Grand Cherokee is a strict five-seater — the redesigned WL launched the two-row body for 2022 specifically as the shorter companion to the Grand Cherokee L (on sale since June 2021), which carries the third row as a distinct nameplate. Bottom of the SUV seating band.
39.9 in sits comfortably above the mid-size SUV midpoint; the WL's tall, boxier greenhouse over the outgoing WK2 gives good front-seat airiness before the sunroof deduction.
41.3 in lands at the low end of the SUV band on paper, though the wide range of power seat travel keeps front-seat space feeling adequate in period reviews rather than tight.
39.4 in of second-row headroom is near the top of the mid-size SUV band, a direct benefit of the WL's boxy roofline over the more raked WK2 it replaced — one of the strongest figures in this category.
38.2 in is solidly above the mid-size SUV midpoint and workable for adults on longer trips, though the three-row crossovers that trade cargo depth for stretch-out room in row two do better still.
The 2022 two-row Grand Cherokee has no third row at all — a buyer who needs one has to step up to the newly separate Grand Cherokee L. Scored in the low band per the item's rule for two-row SUVs rather than omitted.
37.7 cu ft behind row two is modest for a 193.5-inch SUV and the weakest structural figure in this category — several two-row rivals and most three-row crossovers with seats folded beat it comfortably.
70.8 cu ft maximum sits low-mid in the SUV band; the WL's cargo hold is tall and square but shorter than class leaders, so it trails rivals with longer load floors.
Competent everyday storage without a signature idea: a deep center console under the rotary shifter, wide door pockets, a carpeted cargo tray with tie-downs and a standard household-style outlet on Limited. Nothing here matches a giga-console or an underfloor trunk, and the launch-year console layout is conventional rather than clever.
Front seats are a genuine strength of the redesigned WL — Edmunds' 2022 review calls them 'very comfortable, even on long trips' with heated/ventilated availability — but the launch-year seat is a step below the segment's best-bolstered chairs and rear-seat cushioning draws no special praise.
The redesigned WL's optional Quadra-Lift air suspension delivers a noticeably more composed, car-like ride than the outgoing WK2 while retaining truck-like road presence, absorbing bumps and potholes well; several reviewers note a persistent side-to-side rock on rougher pavement that keeps it out of the top band, and the air suspension is not standard on the volume Limited.
Mixed evidence for the launch-year car: Edmunds' professional review flags highway road noise as 'a bit too much for an upscale SUV,' while a separate outlet's Trailhawk test found road and wind noise 'surprisingly low.' Split results across trims and reviewers place this in the middle of the band rather than a clear strength.
The volume Limited ships with heated front and second-row seats and a heated steering wheel standard, with ventilated front seats and a four-zone system plus massaging seats reserved for Summit — solid mid-trim availability rather than segment-leading breadth on the launch-year volume car.
5Cost of OwnershipThe Grand Cherokee's lowest-graded category.1.08D
All-new WL-generation Grand Cherokee launched for 2022 with Laredo as the entry trim.
Limited is the volume trim, pairing the standard Pentastar V6 with the fuller feature set most retail buyers choose.
Mid-pack for a mid-size SUV; below the segment ceiling but the WL generation is new enough that long-run repair data is still thin.
Retention is slightly below the mid-size SUV segment average, consistent with Jeep's below-average reliability perception weighing on used values.
Standard 3-year/36,000-mile coverage — the segment floor rather than a differentiator.
Standard 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage, the low end of the segment band; no extended-coverage differentiator like Hyundai/Kia's 10-year plans.
Jeep Wave covers only the first two oil changes and tire rotations within 24 months, plus roadside assistance and trip-interruption coverage — useful but short of rivals' multi-year included maintenance plans.
$47,505 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (46% retained, or about $21,852) leaves about $25,653 in depreciation. Add the projected $3,512 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $29,165 in total.
6Reliability & QualityGrades below the middle of the scale.1.57D
2022 was the first model year of the redesigned WL-generation Grand Cherokee (2-row), which historically carries first-year-redesign risk on top of the Jeep brand's below-average baseline; J.D. Power's predicted-reliability band framework treats a 70-80-point score as merely 'average', and reporting on the 2022 model flagged it as unproven relative to the outgoing WK2.
Jeep sits consistently near the bottom of both major dependability studies -- Consumer Reports ranks the brand around 31st of 32 tested brands, and J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study places Jeep near the bottom with well above-average problems-per-100-vehicles -- a multi-year pattern, not a single bad study.
The 2022 model year is covered by a large, safety-critical recall (~338,000 2022-2023 Grand Cherokee/Grand Cherokee L units) for upper control arm bolts damaged in manufacturing that can let a wheel separate from the vehicle, plus a separate rear coil-spring detachment recall and a rearview-camera display recall -- a cluster of recalls with at least one genuinely major safety issue (loss of steering control), which is more than typical recall activity for the segment.
The volume gas powertrain is the 3.6L Pentastar V6, a long-proven engine family (in production since 2011, over 10 million built) with a strong high-mileage track record commonly cited at 180,000-250,000+ miles with routine maintenance; scattered reports of oil-cooler or valvetrain issues exist but are not systemic for this engine family.
Reviewers were consistently impressed with the redesigned cabin's material quality even on lower trims, though the volume-trim center stack still uses some hard, plasticky switchgear that keeps it just short of class-leading.
Reviewers described the redesigned Grand Cherokee's assembly as comfortable, quiet, and well put together overall, and J.D. Power's 2021 Initial Quality Study ranked the (then-new) Grand Cherokee among the higher performers in the midsize SUV segment; this is offset by a first-model-year redesign and minor scattered switchgear complaints, keeping it out of the top band.
Jeep/Stellantis maintains one of the largest dealer footprints in the US, giving broad geographic coverage, but J.D. Power's Customer Service Index and related studies consistently place mainstream Stellantis brands in the lower half for service satisfaction, so coverage is dense while the service experience itself is only middling.
Parts are widely available given Grand Cherokee's high sales volume and one of the largest aftermarket ecosystems of any SUV nameplate, but average annual repair/maintenance cost runs modestly above the midsize-SUV norm, landing this in the normal-to-slightly-elevated range rather than class-leading.
7Technology & InfotainmentOne of the Grand Cherokee's strongest categories.2.73B-
The volume Limited trim ships with the 10.1-inch Uconnect 5 display standard — Jeep marketed it at launch as the largest available screen in the mid-size SUV class — while the base Laredo carries the smaller 8.4-inch unit.
Uconnect 5 was a clean-sheet system for the WL launch, five times faster than its predecessor with a customizable home screen, split-screen multitasking and physical volume/tuning knobs retained alongside the touch interface — reviewers consistently rank it among the best in the class for speed and clarity, just short of the very top tier of fully bespoke luxury systems.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the entire 2022 lineup, including the base Laredo's 8.4-inch screen — full-range standard wireless projection is a top-band result.
Built-in Alexa functionality and an available TomTom-based navigation system are genuine features, but the launch-year voice assistant is conventional command-based rather than a natural-language system, and most owners default to phone-projected navigation over the native TomTom maps — solidly functional middle-band territory.
The 2022 model year introduced the McIntosh MX950 system — 19 speakers across 12 locations with a 10-inch dual-voice-coil subwoofer — as an available upgrade, a genuine premium-audio flagship for the segment, while the base Alpine-sourced system on lower trims is merely adequate. The gap between base and top audio, and McIntosh's limited trim availability, keeps this out of the very top band.
A new 10.25-inch frameless, fully configurable digital cluster is standard on the volume Limited trim and above, with nearly two dozen display menus — crisp and broadly available rather than locked to the priciest trim, though the base Laredo retains a more conventional analog-hybrid cluster.
Uconnect 5-equipped 2022 Grand Cherokees receive infotainment and map software updates over-the-air without a USB drive, but the OTA scope is limited to the head unit and connected services rather than whole-vehicle software (powertrain, ADAS calibration) — solidly in the infotainment/maps-only middle band.
The Jeep/Uconnect companion app covers the core remote set — start, lock/unlock, vehicle locate and diagnostics — bundled as 'Jeep Connect One' with a multi-year trial, but functionality and continued access are subscription-gated after the trial period and the app lacks the polish or digital-key feature set of best-in-class rivals.
The redesigned WL adds both USB-A and faster USB-C ports across both rows, plus an available wireless charging pad — a genuine step up from the outgoing WK2 — but wireless charging and the 115-volt household outlet are trim-gated rather than standard across the range.
Proximity keyless entry, push-button start, remote start and a power liftgate are standard from the base Laredo up, with a hands-free power liftgate added on Overland — full keyless convenience broadly available, though no phone-as-key digital key system is offered for this launch model year.
ParkView rear camera and ParkSense rear park assist are standard from Laredo, with a new 360-degree surround-view camera system, front/rear washers and a forward off-road camera available on upper trims — comprehensive coverage but the surround-view system is an extra-cost option rather than standard equipment on the volume car.
A full-color head-up display is available on the 2022 Grand Cherokee, working with the touchscreen to project key information into the driver's sightline, but it is optioned on upper trims rather than offered on the volume Limited — middle-band availability rather than a broadly accessible feature.
8Use-Case FitMid-pack among this car's ten categories.2.07C
Wide-opening rear doors, a low load-in height and dual sets of lower LATCH anchors under a single upholstery flap make everyday loading manageable, but a fixed rear head restraint that interferes with raised convertible backs and pushes booster seats away from the seatback keeps it from the top band — solid but not effortless family duty.
Forward collision warning with automatic braking and pedestrian/cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-path and rear park sensors are all standard on the base Laredo, a strong family-safety floor for the price point — but the 2022 IIHS results include a Poor rating in the updated moderate-overlap front test (rear-occupant measures) and Poor headlights across every trim, real gaps at the price families actually pay.
Comfortable, well-cushioned front seats and genuinely strong second-row headroom support multi-hour family trips, but Edmunds flags highway road noise as a real weakness for the class and the two-row body's 37.7 cu ft of cargo behind the second row is tight once four occupants' luggage is loaded for a trip.
The 3.6L Pentastar V6 and 8-speed automatic deliver smooth, unhesitant low-speed response, and the redesigned WL's air-suspension-equipped ride is composed in stop-and-go traffic, but Poor-rated headlights and reviewer-noted forward-visibility compromises from the tall hood and thick pillars add friction to daily use that keeps it out of the top band.
The standard V6 posts mid-teens-to-20s EPA figures typical of a mid-size gas SUV rather than a standout, and premium fuel is not required (regular unleaded), which helps offset the modest MPG — an average, not cheap, per-mile commuting proposition for the segment.
A 38-foot curb-to-curb turning diameter and standard rear camera plus park-sensing put this at a manageable, if unremarkable, mid-size-SUV footprint for city use — competitive but not class-easiest, and the surround-view camera that would help most in tight lots is an upper-trim option rather than standard.
The gas V6 two-row Grand Cherokee tows up to 6,200 lbs — respectable for a mid-size SUV and enough for a small trailer or a pair of jet skis, but well short of the 7,200-lb rating that only the separate, longer Grand Cherokee L's V8 achieves, and payload/cargo capacity behind the second row is only average. Handles light-to-moderate work duty rather than serious hauling.
The Pentastar V6/TorqueFlite 8-speed combination has a long, proven service history across the Stellantis lineup, but the WL is an all-new launch-year platform with no multi-year durability track record yet, and the Grand Cherokee nameplate skews toward family/luxury use rather than fleet or trade work — unproven under hard use is the fair middle-band read for a first-model-year vehicle.
The Grand Cherokee is not marketed or equipped as a work tool — no bed, limited cargo tie-down provisions, leather-and-wood cabins on upper trims that discourage rough use, and no meaningful aftermarket upfit ecosystem compared to a pickup. A modest 115-volt outlet and roof rails are the extent of jobsite-relevant provisions.
Comfortable front seats, a quiet-enough cabin most of the time and a full suite of standard adaptive cruise and lane-centering assist support relaxed highway stints, and the V6's roughly 500-mile highway range on a full tank means few fuel stops — held back from the top band by the highway road-noise criticism noted in multiple 2022 reviews.
The Trailhawk trim brings genuine off-road credibility for the class — Trail Rated certification, up to 11.3 in of ground clearance with the available air suspension, Quadra-Drive II with an electronic limited-slip differential, and water-fording capability — a real adventure enabler rather than a badge-only trim, though the volume Limited trim itself is more road-biased.
A 60/40-split folding second row, roof rails and an available trailer hitch cover normal gear-hauling needs, and 70.8 cu ft with seats folded is usable for camping or sporting gear, but the shorter two-row cargo hold and lack of a standout underfloor or fold-flat innovation keep this in the middle of the band rather than exceptional.
9Driving ExperienceMid-pack among this car's ten categories.2.03C
The redesigned WL's independent front and rear suspension and optional air springs keep the roughly 4,400-lb SUV predictable and secure through corners, and Sport mode firms up the semi-active dampers for sharper turn-in — but period reviewers consistently note grip and driver enjoyment below the segment average and short of the Ford Explorer's agility.
The electric rack-and-pinion setup is accurately weighted and easy to place for a vehicle this size, consistent across the WL generation, but it delivers little genuine road feedback — precise rather than communicative, the standard verdict on this platform at launch.
Vented disc brakes at all four corners with an electrically boosted pedal give adequate, confidence-inspiring stops for a two-and-a-quarter-ton SUV in launch-year reviews, without the class-leading pedal feel or stopping distances that would push this into the top band.
The 60-degree Pentastar V6 is inherently smooth-running and the TorqueFlite 8-speed shifts cleanly with linear low-speed response, a well-sorted and conventional pairing — held out of the top band by an engine stop-start system whose restart behavior period reviewers describe as noticeable rather than seamless on this launch-year application.
Unobtrusive at a steady cruise, but the naturally aspirated V6 has to work to move the redesigned WL's mass and turns audibly coarse under hard acceleration — a familiar complaint about this powertrain that keeps it in the middle of the band alongside the mixed road-noise findings for the launch-year cabin.
Mid-band for a mid-size SUV on a 116.7-inch wheelbase and 193.5-inch overall length — unremarkable but no worse than direct rivals in tight parking-lot maneuvers.
A commanding seating position with generous adjustment range on the volume Limited and physical climate controls retained below the touchscreen make the redesigned cabin easy to settle into, but reviewers consistently flag reduced forward visibility from the WL's tall hood, thick A-pillars and dense camera/radar cluster at the windshield base.
Pleasant and competent rather than engaging: the 2022 two-row lineup offers only the V6 (no V8, and the SRT/Trackhawk performance variants ended with the outgoing WK2 generation), so there is no high-output option to chase, and reviewers place on-road driver enjoyment below the segment average. Off-road Selec-Terrain modes add character for trail use but don't translate to on-road excitement.
10Value & Market PositionOne of the Grand Cherokee's strongest categories.2.53C+
The all-new WL generation brought a bigger standard tech/safety suite even to the base Laredo (larger touchscreen, more standard driver-assist features) versus the outgoing WK2, though rivals like the Hyundai Palisade/Kia Telluride still pack in more for the money at the low trims.
Pricing climbed meaningfully with the redesign (Laredo starting near $39K with destination), putting content-per-dollar at fair-but-not-standout versus three-row and value-oriented mid-size SUV rivals.
Seven distinct trims spanning value-oriented Laredo to loaded Summit Reserve, plus RWD/4x4 choices and a dedicated off-road Trailhawk — a wide, well-spaced lineup.
The Grand Cherokee is Jeep's best-selling nameplate and consistently ranks among the top-selling vehicles in the US, and the 2022 redesign renewed showroom interest.
Jeep carries a strong, recognizable brand with an off-road heritage halo and loyal following, offset by a reputation for below-average reliability that tempers overall desirability versus premium-image rivals.
Launching amid the 2021–2022 semiconductor shortage with constrained inventory and strong demand for the new generation, the 2022 Grand Cherokee saw thin incentives and little negotiating room compared to a typical model year.
2022 is the first model year of the all-new fifth-generation (WL) Grand Cherokee, riding on a new unibody architecture more than a decade after the prior redesign.
Reviewers praised the redesign's tech, refinement and off-road chops (Autoblog: 'longer, better, faster, finer'), but it was a NACTOY Utility Vehicle semifinalist rather than winner — the 2022 award went to the Ford Bronco.
