2011 Grand Cherokee Laredo 4X2

I recently took a trip to Texas and was provided a 2011 Grand Cherokee to drive and I have to say, I was very surprised, and pleased by both the new styling sophistication and the interior refinement. The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee was redesigned for 2011and some luxury and amenities were added and the ride was softened a bit but all without sacrificing any of Jeep’s legendary off-road capabilities.

The Grand Cherokee comes in four trim levels, Laredo E, Laredo X, Limited and Overland, the Grand Cherokee is powered by either a 290-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 or a 5.7-liter Hemi V8. The V6 is rated at 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway in 4WD trim while the Hemi is rated at 13/19 mpg with 4WD. My tester was the Laredo 4X2 with the 290 horsepower 3.6 liter V6 mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission and it’s mpg numbers are 16/23.

The first thing I noticed about the new Cherokee is the sleek styling. The beltline appears higher which makes the greenhouse effect smaller and gives the Laredo a very nifty profile. I love the look of the front end, more of the sophistication and refinement I mentioned, again without losing the classic Jeep look. Once inside I was impressed with the comfort and convenience of the base Laredo. Standard features include power seats and windows, cruise control, remote starting, SIRUS Satellite and wrapped steering wheel. Because I was visiting Texas, the only “goodie” I really missed was a Nav system to help navigate us through the rather confusing Dallas freeway and toll system. But other than that, the test car was very comfortable and fun to drive.

The Grand Cherokee offers a great balance of off-road capabilities and everyday street driving of which I did a lot of traveling from Dallas to San Antonio and back over a weekend. Of course the 4X2 is designed more for the street but non-the-less, I sensed the “Jeep effect” while driving both around town and on the highway. What I mean by that is the Laredo was very comfortable to drive but wasn’t so “soft” that I lost the sensation of being in a Jeep, which of course is one of the reasons people buy Jeep, the feeling of confidence and control behind the wheel.

It’s been quite a while since I’d been in a Jeep and I was looking forward to driving the Grand Cherokee but I must admit that knowing I was going to be doing a lot of driving, I wasn’t looking forward the fuel economy I expected from the Grand Cherokee. I love pleasant surprises so I was very happy when I was able to average almost 20mpg combined during the week I had the Laredo. And in an effort to maintain full disclosure, I must admit to driving a vehicle to get where I’m going, which doesn’t contribute in any way towards maximizing fuel economy.

The long and the short of it boils down to the fact that Jeep has come a long way and is no doubt one of the stronger pony’s in Chrysler stable. Its heritage is long and storied and it just keeps gets better with time. Now for those that would like a Jeep but don’t necessarily want the rough and tumble Trail Rated iteration, the Laredo 4X2 offers a great alternative. I really enjoyed my week in the Grand Cherokee and I’m guessing if you’re looking for something a bit different than the typical SUV, Crossover or Wagon, the Grand Cherokee Laredo 4X2 may be just what you’re looking for so make sure and put it on your list of ones to check out.