Cherokee Trailhawk vs. Grand Cherokee Laredo

[whereto]

We just leased a new Cherokee limited, we test drove the Trailhawk but my girlfriend decided it was too masculine for her and since I have the Wrangler the limited would be a better fit. I can tell you that the fit & finish on the inside and out of the new Cherokee is superb. The V6 coupled with the 9 speed transmission makes for a great driving experience.

I would get the trailhawk in a heartbeat. I was appalled when I first saw pictures of the new Cherokee as were many but you really have to see and drive one to understand how good this thing is.

With the rear locker and its increased ride height I think it would make a great daily diver and an excellent overlanding platform. My Wrangler spends 90% of its time on road and 10% off during the year and with its current upgrades it makes for a bit of a harsh ride but I plan to drive her until she drops & then swap in a V8.

Just a quick testimonial from someone who has driven a new Cherokee.:ylsmoke:

Thanks for your input. Like everyone else in the world I was taken aback when I saw the first photos of the Cherokee, but I've seen a few around my area on the road and in person they are very nice looking. Even though this will be my vehicle, my wife has some input into the choice and she has commented on how large the Grand is, so we'll both have to give them a spin to see what fits us best.

 

[whereto]

I was in the same boat as you late last year. Was trying for the same mid $30k price range too. And I too want to keep the vehicle for the long haul. After it was all said and done with the research I knew I wanted to stay away from the Cherokee due to platform longevity concerns. But coming from a BMW I wanted a higher trim level. After months of searching I found a 13mo old Grand Cherokee Overland 4x4 v8 in my price range. I bought that with an extended mopar bumper to bumper warranty taking me out to 2020 and 120k mi.

May I suggest looking for a 1y old lease return. The one I got was from a traveling sales man who lives about 10mi from me; he put 70,000mi on it in 12mo!!! Based on my last 10y worth of driving I average 8k per year which means I am under full warranty for another 6y. After that I have a vehicle that has a relatively cheap engine to service (5.7l hemi) on a well built Mercedes platform. My only fear is the air ride suspension, but 18 wheelers have been running air suspensions for decades putting several hundred thousand miles on their air springs before replacement. And if I want, it is cheap to go to the base suspension...but near impossible to go from the base suspension to the air suspension.

I've definitely looked into the CPO option, but I'm pretty dead set on a 2014 model year Grand. I prefer the styling much more and the addition of the 8 speed trans is a big factor as well. That said..it would be hard to look away from a good deal on a well equipped 2012/13 V8 Limited or an Overland. Something to look into for sure. Thanks!

 

[whereto]

Another consideration is the range. The Cherokee has a pathetic 13 gallon tank. I was considering a Cherokee over a Grand until I discovered that.

Cherokee's tank is 15.9 gallons actually. Grand is 24.something. This is actually something I've been factoring in my search. With current gas prices in my area it would mean a $55 fill up for the Cherokee and an $85 fill up for the Grand. Obviously the larger tank would be preferable if I was doing back country trips very often, but since this is 95% daily driver the smaller/cheaper tank is actually preferable.

 

[lysol]

The wife and I have loved our '13 Summit Overland. Other than needing to reflash the ECU to fix the "sand" issue, it's been great!!! It is a rough ride off-road, but a GREAT ride on road. The air suspension is amazing at absorbing bumps. And the V8 5.7 is our first V8 so we are of course loving that.

The one thing that stands out in our WK2 however is how amazing it drives in the snow. All we do is twist the knob to "Snow Mode" and it does the rest. It disables 1st gear and adjusts the traction control setting a little. It results in a very planted ride.

 

[whereto]

The wife and I have loved our '13 Summit Overland. Other than needing to reflash the ECU to fix the "sand" issue, it's been great!!! It is a rough ride off-road, but a GREAT ride on road. The air suspension is amazing at absorbing bumps. And the V8 5.7 is our first V8 so we are of course loving that.

The one thing that stands out in our WK2 however is how amazing it drives in the snow. All we do is twist the knob to "Snow Mode" and it does the rest. It disables 1st gear and adjusts the traction control setting a little. It results in a very planted ride.

It's great to hear that the programming that Jeep put into the different modes works well. On the surface it can seem gimmicky, but obviously real world experience is showing they're very functional. By the time I get the new vehicle our snowy season will be over, so I'll have to wait until next year to try out the snow mode!

 

[DaJudge]

Cherokee's tank is 15.9 gallons actually. Grand is 24.something. This is actually something I've been factoring in my search. With current gas prices in my area it would mean a $55 fill up for the Cherokee and an $85 fill up for the Grand. Obviously the larger tank would be preferable if I was doing back country trips very often, but since this is 95% daily driver the smaller/cheaper tank is actually preferable.

Thanks for the correction. Not sure where I read the 13. Still not big enough for me though.

 

[Hawkz]

I bought a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. I looked at quite a few different vehicles and I was seriously considering an aniverasary Rubicon Unlimited when I saw the GC Trailhawk. They are not very popular in my area for whatever reason, so the dealers are giving good deals. I got mine at $8k below sticker price, so that would put it in your price range.

I'm very happy with mine. I only have 12k miles on it, but it is the nicest vehicle I've ever owned. Like the poster earlier said, it handles great in the snow.

I haven't had it off road much, but the little I've done it did great.

 

[Septu]

Something I didn't see mentioned was the space difference. I'm not sure if I'm comparing apples to apples... but in the two review's I see there's a massive difference in storage space: 54.9 ft3 to 68.3 ft3 - seats folded flat, or 29.7 ft3 to 36.3 ft3 with the seats up. The trade off is more power and worse gas mileage (in the GC).

If this is your only vehicle, I guess I'd just be looking for which one will cover the majority of your needs (both now, and perceived future ones). I'd probably be leaning towards the GC.

 

[whereto]

I bought a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. I looked at quite a few different vehicles and I was seriously considering an aniverasary Rubicon Unlimited when I saw the GC Trailhawk. They are not very popular in my area for whatever reason, so the dealers are giving good deals. I got mine at $8k below sticker price, so that would put it in your price range.

I'm very happy with mine. I only have 12k miles on it, but it is the nicest vehicle I've ever owned. Like the poster earlier said, it handles great in the snow.

I haven't had it off road much, but the little I've done it did great.

There is one located 50 miles from me that is for sale for $41k. Since the 2013s stopped being sold last spring I imagine the dealer may be willing to work with me. Might check it out.

 

[whereto]

Checked out a GC limited and a Cherokee trailhawk at the NAIAS today. The seating volume on the GC didn't feel that much bigger than the Cherokee, but obviously the storage area was bigger. The interior on the Cherokee was incredible. Chrysler really did a fantastic job! That said the GC obviously was roomier in many ways. Fit and finish on both is top notch. This is a tough decision that is going to cone down to the test drives for me.

Since I'm a noob I have a question about exterior angles and capability. The Cherokee trailhawk appears to best the GC laredo in every way. Anyone want to explain the importance of these angles?

Cherokee trailhawk:
Ground clearance - 8.7"
Approach - 29.8
Break over - 23.3
Departure - 32.1
Water fording - 20" @ 5mph (jeep recommended)

Grand cherokee Laredo:
Ground clearance - 8.6"
Approach - 26.3
Break over - 18.8
Departure - 26.5
Water fording - 20" @ 5mph (jeep recommended)

 

[SSF556]

Cherokee TH wins and it is not that far offthe Quadra Lift GC numbers...Quadra Lift does win in the Ground Clearance though.

Quadra Lift GC:
Ground Clearance = 11.6 inches
Approach = 35.9
Breakover = 25.1
Departure = 29.2

JKU as a comparison
GC = 10 inches
Approach = 44.3
Breakover = 40.4
Departure = 25.5


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[whereto]

Cherokee TH wins and it is not that far offthe Quadra Lift GC numbers...Quadra Lift does win in the Ground Clearance though.

Quadra Lift GC:
Ground Clearance = 11.6 inches
Approach = 35.9
Breakover = 25.1
Departure = 29.2

JKU as a comparison
GC = 10 inches
Approach = 44.3
Breakover = 40.4
Departure = 25.5


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I don't want to compare it to a GC with the quadralift or a jku because it isn't even close, but I was definitely surprised to see the trailhawk is a better off road vehicle at least on paper.

 

[whereto]

Interesting take on why a Cherokee Trailhawk makes more sense than a GC Laredo from the Jalopnik Comments:

"The GC Laredo is not available with Quadra-Trac II, which means no terrain-selection modes, and also no hill descent control. Manual cloth seats with no lumbar support. Steel wheels (in 2014!). The worst stereo they could find. No air suspension, and believe you me, it makes a huge difference in ride quality on this porker.

But again, all those niggling little details are beside the point, because you will never be able to find a zero-option GC Laredo at any dealer in this quadrant of the universe. Dealers don't order them, because no one in their right mind wants them. The GC is supposed to be the domestic equivalent of a Range Rover, at a steeply discounted price. Fully optioned, it's an amazing vehicle, and one of the few SUVs I would ever consider owning. But the base model is a sad, decontented thing, the sort of car that is designed to remind you that you're a cheapskate."

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Cherokee's tank is 15.9 gallons actually. Grand is 24.something. This is actually something I've been factoring in my search. With current gas prices in my area it would mean a $55 fill up for the Cherokee and an $85 fill up for the Grand. Obviously the larger tank would be preferable if I was doing back country trips very often, but since this is 95% daily driver the smaller/cheaper tank is actually preferable.

Whether you fill up a 16 gallon or a 24 gallon tank it all comes out to the same money spent over the same stretch of road, just less stops with the larger tank. Actually, the larger tank may be cheaper if you look at it this way, the more you stop the more you tend to spend on snacks.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Interesting take on why a Cherokee Trailhawk makes more sense than a GC Laredo from the Jalopnik Comments:

"The GC Laredo is not available with Quadra-Trac II, which means no terrain-selection modes, and also no hill descent control. Manual cloth seats with no lumbar support. Steel wheels (in 2014!). The worst stereo they could find. No air suspension, and believe you me, it makes a huge difference in ride quality on this porker.

But again, all those niggling little details are beside the point, because you will never be able to find a zero-option GC Laredo at any dealer in this quadrant of the universe. Dealers don't order them, because no one in their right mind wants them. The GC is supposed to be the domestic equivalent of a Range Rover, at a steeply discounted price. Fully optioned, it's an amazing vehicle, and one of the few SUVs I would ever consider owning. But the base model is a sad, decontented thing, the sort of car that is designed to remind you that you're a cheapskate."

Descent control is simply 4-lo and 1st gear with a bit of common sense in most rigs. As for current options from Jeep, they kind of suck, even my 96 ZJ had 8-way power cloth seats.