OLD VERSUS NEW
WATCH THE NEW KID TAKE ON THE VETERAN
IT HAS been a long time coming, but Jeep has released the first seven-seat Grand Cherokee, dubbed the ‘L’. It’s not just a longer version of the previous Grand Cherokee, either; this has been redesigned from the ground up, with a long list of ingredients that on paper sound perfect for families wanting the latest and greatest in technology and interior comfort.
However, it’s not all-new, as this model retains the 3.6L V6 petrol Pentastar engine found in many Jeep products and, of main note, the Wrangler. Sadly, there’s no diesel engine option.
We managed to snag a top-spec Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve straight from the vehicle’s recent launch event, and we spent some time in the bush getting to know it and to see how it performs against the proven (albeit dated) Nissan Patrol.
Why the Patrol? Well, it’s a large family wagon with eight seats (one more than the Jeep), a petrol engine and all-independent suspension. There are definitely enough similarities to make for an excellent comparison and to see if the new family 4WD wagon has what it takes to outperform the solid and highly regarded Patrol. It’s time to get muddy.
NISSAN PATROL Ti-L
POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE
MAKE no mistake, this engine and gearbox package makes
