2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel: Near-Luxury Efficiency

There’s a simple reason why Canadians buy so many compact cars: with gasoline so expensive compared to the SUV-hungry United States it only makes practical sense to purchase a vehicle that is as efficient as possible.  In most cases, this means a small sedan or hatchback with an equally modest engine under the hood.

What if there was a vehicle out there, however, that combined thrift with size so as to appeal to families who have outgrown their compact conveyance?  This is the question posed by the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which has resurrected a turbodiesel mill (dubbed the EcoDiesel) as one of its optional power plants on top of last year’s V6 and V8 motors.  Is it possible that the Jeep could lure buyers away from the compact nest and into its premium clutches?  I headed down to Austin, Texas, to test out all three members of the new Grand Cherokee line-up both on and off-road and find out for myself.

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• Also: 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT: Throwing Down The Glove

High Tech, High Efficiency Marvel

Jeep has offered a turbodiesel engine in the recent past, but never one that has been stocked with so many efficiency-adding technologies.  The key to the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee’s fuel pump frugality is its high pressure direct fuel injection system, which has been turned up compared to the European applications of the same engine.  That’s right – the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 has been imported by Fiat (Chrysler’s owner), which means it has years of real-world testing behind it and a well-developed support network to go with it.  In North American-spec it generates 240 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque – impressive numbers to be sure – but of greater interest to Canadians is the fact that it returns fuel consumption of 10.3 l/100 km in city driving and 7.1 l/100 km on the highway.  That latter figure is enough to propel the turbodiesel Grand Cherokee to the front of the full-size SUV class without sacrificing towing capacity or performance, and it’s a rating that I was able to confirm when booting around the rural roads surrounding Austin.

Runs And Drives Like A Gas-Powered SUV

Jeep is advertising the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee turbodiesel as being quiet enough to disguise its drivetrain, and while it is more silent than one would expect from the outside it’s clear upon hearing that familiar idle that the SUV doesn’t burn gasoline.  The driving experience offered by the Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel, however, is a different story.  Unlike older diesel trucks that suffered from a lag between throttle application and acceleration while the turbo spooled up, the 2014 Jeep surges ahead confidently off of the line and pulls strong right up until roughly 6,000 rpm before it begins to run out of breath.

Fortunately, the Grand Cherokee’s new eight-speed automatic transmission almost always intervenes before this can happen, swapping in a new cog and keeping forward momentum brisk and constant.  This gearbox accounts for much of the Jeep’s gas-like drivability, with plentiful ratios available to keep the EcoDiesel in its powerband as often as possible.  The transmission is also standard for all other Grand Cherokee engines.

As with all good things, it seems, the Jeep’s turbodiesel engine option comes with a catch: it is roughly $5,000 dollars more than the Hemi V8 which offers more power, but substantially poorer fuel consumption.  There is a hardcore niche of diesel buyers that will have no qualms investing in such an efficient engine, but considering that the turbo unit will be available only in the upper half of the Grand Cherokee’s trim levels the price of the option itself is not the sole economic consideration.

Off-Road Prowess, On-Road Comfort

Leaving the pavement behind reveals that the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s premium-level suspension tuning hasn’t given up anything when it comes time to dispatch boulders, mud, and sand.  Three four-wheel drive systems are available with the SUV – same as last year – and I quickly discovered that combining the top-tier Quadra Drive II option with standard Selec Terrain and optional Quadra Lift air suspension made the Grand Cherokee essentially unstoppable.  This was true no matter what obstacles I encountered, even when I was staring dead ahead at a cliff face that had me wishing I could chalk up my hands like I used to before tackling the climbing wall at my high school gym in my younger, more spry teenage years.

The vehicle’s electronic driver’s aides, including the ability to advance up or down an incredibly steep incline at a pre-set speed without the need to touch the gas or the brake, are very well executed and tie-in strongly to the Jeep’s heritage as a go-anywhere vehicle.  Turbodiesel torque also provides low-end power with less propensity to spin the tires in low-traction situations compared to the Hemi-engine versions of the SUV that I drove.  All this without a jarring ride on the way home from the trail.

A Slicker Package, And A Stronger Competitor

Jeep – and more importantly Fiat – would very much like to morph into a player on the international luxury scene.  This means knocking off German rivals that are well-entrenched with their respective buyer bases.  These upscale aspirations are visible in the new front fascia, rear hatch and bumper, and revised interior options found on all version of the SUV, which update the Grand Cherokee’s looks without deviating too far from its styling DNA.  Potential customers now have a third strong option under its hood (EcoDiesel), and its all-terrain performance is finally matched by its around-town demeanour.

It became clear to me after spending time behind the wheel of the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee that Chrysler’s plan to snipe at well-to-do import SUV customers with its loaded Summit Edition could very well work.  This version of the vehicle, which is loaded to the gills with gear but close to $20,000 cheaper than comparably-equipped ‘utes from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, is a veritable bargain for anyone who has felt their heart skip a beat at the sky-high price tags attached to full-size models from these established marques.

Even better is the fact that Jeep hasn’t abandoned those seeking a people mover that isn’t completely tricked out, as V6 versions of the SUV are priced within reach of many and come with a substantial helping of the current model year’s improvements.  Jeep is entering into uncharted territory with its projected premium goals for its latest vehicle, but as I learned out on the Texas trail, uncharted territory is where the Grand Cherokee shines brightest.