Opulent and mature off-roader
Grand Cherokee gracefully handles its golden years

There've been rumours recently that DaimlerChrysler's Jeep division is going to scrap its trail-tough temperament in favour of a more vanilla, tarmac-oriented approach. What the heck is going on in the auto industry these days? A $100,000 Volkswagen? A Porsche SUV? Can't anyone stick to what they're good at?

Jeep's in a tough spot. As one of the world's most recognized automotive brands, people understand what its vehicles stand for. Changing the recipe would seemingly help it better compete with brands like Acura and Lexus, but might dilute a successful brand image with 50-plus years of off-road heritage.

Perhaps Jeep forgets that it currently builds a luxury SUV that competes fairly well against both domestic and import offerings.

We recently spent a week with the automaker's top-line Grand Cherokee Overland and discovered one of the few SUVs that's as able to tackle Rodeo Drive as it is the Rubicon Trail.

For 2004 all Grand Cherokees received a slight facelift, including a freshened fascia, grille and foglights. For the most part the truck has changed little since the current model was introduced in 1999, but to these eyes, remains markedly handsome. The Overland model is set apart by "rock rail" tubes under the doors to protect the body from off-road uglies, plus additional chrome work on the front skid plate, tow hooks and 17-inch alloy rims.

A unibody vehicle, the Grand Cherokee Overland rides on coil springs front and back linked to live axles. Here's where Jeep runs into the push and pull between its off-road heritage and on-road comfort. By modern standards, a live axle set-up is extremely antiquated compared to independent suspension setups. While the one-piece axle is durable off-road, it tends to transmit suspension jounces from one side of the vehicle to the other. This was especially noticeable when charging through bumpy corners or climbing driveway curbs.

But Jeep need not fear a fully-independent suspension setup. Volkswagen's Touareg SUV uses one and is exceptional on-road and equally capable off-road. Perhaps the answer to Jeep's evolution issue is a Land Rover-like approach, designing high-tech, capable trucks like the Range Rover.

These complaints aren't to say the Grand disappointed during my time behind the wheel. Most of the time the truck felt well-planted and nicely set up for an urban lifestyle.

Not to mention the extra ride height gave a comfortable bird's eye view of traffic.

The Grand Cherokee Overland uses a high-output version of DaimlerChrysler's familiar 4.7-litre V8. Horsepower is rated at 265 ponies, while torque is an impressive 325 lb-ft. Kudos for this engine are many. It is perfectly matched to the 5-speed automatic gearbox and never made more than a pleasing growl. Despite my heavy right foot and a great deal of city driving, the 8-cylinder was surprisingly frugal on fuel.

Easily the biggest disappointment with the Grand Cherokee Overland is its interior. Quite simply, this 5-seater's cabin does not live up to its hefty $56,225 price. The console-mounted shifters for example, are made of awful toy-like plastic and are mounted in an equally cheap-looking housing. How hard would it be for Jeep to redesign these elements with leather coverings? The same can be said for the seats. Though comfortable, their backrests aren't nearly high enough. The dual-zone HVAC system also has finicky sliders for the temperature, which can't be synchronized if only one person's in the truck.

Nonetheless, luxury still abounds inside. Our tester came standard with a sunroof, heated front seats, real Redwood Burl accents and exceptional stereo and cruise controls on the steering wheel. Notable options included a $300 trailer package, which allows the Jeep to pull 2948 kg (6,500 lb), power adjustable pedals (http://www.dirnrg.com/spacer.gif) and a tire pressure monitor (http://www.dirnrg.com/spacer.gif). The rest of the sticker price came from an easy-to-use $2,570 Mopar navigation/audio system that replaces the factory unit and is dealer installed.

Inside the tailgate, which features a flip-up rear window, there are 1104 litres (39 cu-ft) of cargo space with the seats up and 2047 litres (72.3 cu-ft) with the seats down.

Besides the aforementioned short fallings in its interior, the Grand Cherokee Overland can easily run with its competitors and absolutely spank them on a backwoods trail. Of course, most owners will hardly ever get the tires dirty, so it's good to know the Jeep will coddle urbanities looking for truly rugged transportation. A perfect blend of forest and freeway, the Grand Cherokee is a rare breed among today's SUVs.

Immediate Competition:
Acura MDX,
Buick Rainier Land Rover Discovery,
Lexus RX 330,
Lincoln Aviator